Keeping Summer Pests Out of Your Shed

As the summer heats up, your shed can become a nice cool and shady spot for pests to hang out. Not only do pests cause damage to the structure of your shed or the items inside, but some of them could also attack you if they feel like they are in danger when you enter your shed. Keeping Summer Pests Out of Your Shed

Here are seven common strategies you can use to keep pests out of your shed this summer and during the entire year.

Seal up all the cracks in the walls.

Most of the time bugs or insects and sometimes rodents and snakes get into a shed through small cracks in the walls especially true for insects. You can easily seal up any holes and cracks in your shed with a little bit of standard construction caulk.

Make sure to dispose of garbage and not store garbage cans next to your shed

It is not uncommon for some homeowners to store their garbage cans next to their shed or refuse from yardwork and other items in garbage bags near the shed. This is not the best of ideas or places to keep your garbage, however, as garbage attracts small rodents and other pests. Garbage looks like a free feast to any hungry animal and they show up for this easy meal and end up staying around in your shed for the next one.

Dispose of or tightly store any leftover seeds

Leaving an open seed packet or bag of seeds that you are using to feed birds is a bad idea to store in a shed as pests like mice love to snack on seeds and can sniff them out. If you have some seeds that you are going to store for a long period of time it is best to keep them in an airtight container that is made of heavy plastic.

Make sure to keep your shed watertight

Any mold or water damage is already going to be bad news for the structure of your shed, but adding the attraction of pests to the equation is going to be a double whammy against the lifetime of your shed. Bugs love a nice cool and moist place to hang out so if your shed has significant water damage it is like a beacon summoning them to a nice restful spot where they can also cause damage to your shed. If you see any moisture in your shed it is always best to take care of it right away and get it dried out for not only the health of the wood in your shed but to keep pests away.

More: How to Prevent Bees Nests in and around Your Home

Wrap some wire mesh around the bottom of your shed

If you have a shed that is sitting on top of a block foundation underneath the shed can become a nice and cool shady new home for pests especially mice and small rodents like groundhogs or possums. Keep pests from living underneath your shed or crawling up from underneath by wrapping some wire mesh around the area of the block foundation.

Make sure to check the roof on a regular basis

Not only are holes or other damage to the roof a pain in the butt and limit the lifetime of your shed they can be welcoming doors to small birds and bees or yellow jackets. The last thing you want to do is walk into your shed and be stung by a wasp or yellow jacket that feels you are a threat. Keep these creatures out of your shed with a secure roofline. It is also a good idea to cover ventilation holes with mesh.

The best way to keep bugs, rodents and pests out of your shed this summer is of course to purchase a high-quality custom-built shed that will keep pests out because it is built properly to begin with. Another advantage of purchasing a high-quality custom-built shed is that it will hold up longer without the need for repairs as long as it is taken care of properly.

For more information on custom-built sheds in Snohomish County please come by and see us in the Smokey Point area or contact us at any time.

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