Keep pests out of the home with pest-free decorating tips recommended by Hoffman’s Exterminating.
With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, one of the last things on homeowners’ minds is making sure they are not accidentally bringing pests inside when decorating. But Hoffman’s Exterminating, a leading New Jersey pest control company, warns that pest encounters are common this time of year and reminds homeowners of the importance of keeping pest proofing in mind while decking the halls.
“Homeowners may not be aware that holiday décor can be the source of an unwanted pest infestation, but the reality is that boxes of stored ornaments and live greenery make excellent nests,” said William T. Hoffman, President & CEO of Hoffman’s Exterminating “One of the most common issues we see around the holidays is freshly cut evergreen trees being brought into homes infested with insects and spiders, which can certainly dampen holiday spirits.”
Hoffman’s Exterminating recommends the following tips from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) for keeping holiday decorations pest-free:
- Inspect live wreaths, freshly cut trees and other greenery thoroughly for spiders, insect nests or eggs before bringing them into your home.
- Unpack boxes of decorations outside to ensure any rodents or insects that may have made a nest inside don’t escape into the home.
- Examine string lights for gnaw marks, a common sign of a rodent infestation.
“Another important thing to remember is to store firewood at least 20 feet from the home on an elevated surface,” added Hoffman. “This keeps pests from crawling into woodpiles and hitchhiking indoors when homeowners bring the wood into the home to start a fire. Of course, if any pests did find a way inside, Hoffman’s Exterminating is only a phone call away.”
For more information on how to prevent pests from coming home for the holidays, visit the Hoffman’s website.
