Pests are not just an irritation. They are destructive to your home and a danger to your health. Pests such as squirrels and rats have a fondness of gnawing into any obstacles they find along their way. They will likely chew through your siding in a bid to get into your home. This is because they want to make a home in your home. If you have asked yourself the question ‘how to keep animals from getting into your home through siding?’ then this is where you find those answers. First, however, you need to understand how the animals are getting to your house.
Ways Animals Get to Your House
You will find that squirrels are able to nimbly climb trees. If you have trees around your house that are close to your house, it will be a bridge that squirrels can easily cross.
Rats and mice are able to easily get into your house through siding that has cracks, gaps or holes in it. If your siding has deteriorated through time, it might be giving the pests an easy way into your home. Siding that can be chewed on by pests is also vulnerable to attack by these animals. This includes wood that has seen its fair share of life. This can easily be gnawed at, and an entry hole made through it.
You can be able to take preventative measures of keeping animals from getting into your house by using these humane methods.
Pruning Trees
Since squirrels have an affinity for climbing trees you can keep them at bay by cutting tree limbs so that the squirrels cannot access your house. These limbs should be at least 6 feet away to keep those critters from jumping on to your house and destroying your siding.
Using Repellents
Repellents can be used as a deterrent to keep pests from chewing at the siding. One of the most used repellents is capsaicin. It is a chemical naturally found in chili and it is used to detract animals from certain locations. This is because most animals find it repulsive to the taste. You can find this chemical in spray or liquid form. Should you want to do this as a DIY project you can make the chili paste at home. You should apply this repellent regularly as it deteriorates with time. Also, be cautious when using the formulation since it is a lung tissue and eye irritant.
Another repellent that is useful as a way how to keep animals from getting into your home through siding is polybutene. It is a useful repellent since it is a sticky substance that squirrels and other pests find unpleasant. You can apply it to areas that show signs of chewing or areas you think may be attractive to animals to try to chew through. Just like capsaicin, polybutene should be reapplied to maintain the sticky repulsion.
Removing Food Sources
Food sources attract pests to your home. If you have bird feeders outside, or you keep your pet’s food outside for long periods you can unwittingly draw these pests to your home in their search for more food. It is wise to take away any attractive tidbits so that you keep those pests away from your siding.
Laying Traps
Traps help in capturing these pests and disposing of them far away from your dwelling. Get traps that have two open ends as they are less suspicious to pests. You need to locate those traps in areas where you have seen signs of gnawed siding. Keep these traps open for a few days while baiting them with nuts or peanut butter. Once you set them, check on them at least once a day. You may need to contact a professional to dispose of some of those pests for you.
Repairing or Replacing Siding
Since the other way that pests get into your home is through damaged siding you should make a point of repairing all damaged siding at once. At times, replacing panels or touching up on a cement gap is not enough. If the siding has seen its better days it is important to consider replacing it. While at it, it is important to consider siding that is resistant to pests gnawing at it. Siding that offers this hardiness is like metal, brick, stucco, stone, and vinyl siding. Note that some of these siding types can be DIY projects, making them easy to accomplish. Some of them require professional assistance to be able to install them properly.