Living near the water, Long Island residents are no strangers to the devastation caused by hurricane season. Because of the potential for trees to fall and standing water to collect, hurricane season is prime time for insects to seek shelter…oftentimes in residential homes.
Among home preparations like reinforcing your windows and covering your air conditioner, making the proper hurricane preparations can help protect your home and minimize post-storm issues, invasive household pests included.
When is the Atlantic Hurricane Season?
Each year, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, with August through October being particularly active times for storms. Since Long Island’s hurricane history shows a pattern of consistently occurring at this same time of year, ideally you’d be prepared at the end of spring for the summer and fall storms to come.
What is the Best Way to Prevent a Pest Infestation During a Hurricane?
To best prevent a pest infestation during hurricane season, follow these precautions:
Do a Home Inspection Before (And After) 
Pest prevention starts with a home inspection. Checking out your house before a storm hits can help minimize potential pest issues. Do interior and exterior inspections, and ensure any cracks are sealed with a silicone-based caulk. Is water properly flowing away from your home’s foundation? Are your gutters free and clear?
Watch Out for Rodents and Insects Seeking Shelter
Due to their destructive nature, it’s also critical to check your home after a hurricane, too, in order to identify any new openings or damages to your house which can become open doors for household pests. Many pests, such as mice, need just a tiny amount of space to enter a home!
Reduce Standing Water in the Yard
Pests like mosquitoes breed in standing water, so it’s critical to eliminate those potential pest hot spots. Empty any containers in your yard containing water, including children’s toys, flower pots, and tires, to name a few—maybe this sounds silly when you’re expecting heavy storms, but mosquitoes need just a small amount of water to multiply! Also make sure you clean clogged drains and gutters, and eliminate any additional standing water you locate in order to best combat mosquito invasions.
Eliminate Pests’ Food Sources
Displaced pests like rodents will seek food, water, and shelter during a storm, and if you make it easy for them to find any of these three things, they might just stick around for a while! If you’re dealing with power outages, spoiled food can invite pests like flies, who breed in rotting food. Ensure if your food does go bad, that you’re also sealing that up and putting it outside for your garbage company to collect as soon as possible.
Look for Water Damage
Also be sure to look for any issues where you may already have water damage, such as leaking pipes—figure out what’s causing the issue and get it fixed as soon as possible! Rotting wood, caused by water damage is an open invitation to pests like termites, who can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to the structure of your home.
Call in a Professional Long Island Pest Control Company
Many pest control issues that come about after a hurricane can be avoided with preventive pest control. Our licensed technicians are well-versed in pest habits and prevention, and regularly check our clients’ homes for vulnerabilities that may lead to increases in pest activity.
To ensure you’re 100% prepared for hurricane season 2020, give Suburban Exterminating a call at (631/516) 864-6900. Stay safe this hurricane season. We’re here for you!
