Humans aren't the only ones who seek out a warm and inviting place during the winter. In fact, if you aren't careful, you might end up sharing your house with all kinds of insects (and maybe some animals too).

As days get shorter and temperatures drop, many insects seek out shelter in a protected place and what could be better for a cold and weary bug than your house. If you aren't in the mood to host this winter, we recommend winterizing and pest-proofing your home. If you have experienced overwintering insect pests in years past, there is a good reason to believe that you are at risk this year, as well.

Preventing overwintering pests from entering your house is your best bet because once they have found their way inside, they can be hard to reach. These pests readily exploit wall voids, attics, drop ceilings and other hidden places. Preventative efforts should focus on finding and sealing exterior cracks, plugging weep holes and placing tight-fitting insect screens on foundation and attic vents. You also may need to check to see if your door sweeps or weather stripping on windows are properly fitted. Raking and removing leaves from around the perimeter of your house is a simple way to help reduce insect numbers.

It's worthwhile to note that insects are often drawn to the south and west sides of houses which retain heat from the sun so it may be wise to focus extra attention on those places.

It's important to begin this process in the early fall so you don't inadvertently seal in any insects that have already taken shelter inside your house.
Winterizing reduces pests during the winter and early spring and it may also reduce their numbers for the coming year.