A wooden garage is an excellent addition to your property. It adds value and marketability to your home, looks great, and has added benefits like sturdy construction, better design, and good insulation compared to its metal counterparts. But they have a downside: they are a beacon for pests.
Because a wooden garage tends to be warmer, is made from a consumable material (thanks to termites) and has a more natural look, it is a welcoming environment for spiders, insects, small mammals and other critters that will take refuge there if allowed.
Here’s the guide to protecting your wooden garage from all the little critters that could get in.
Restore the wood regularly
The first step in avoiding pests is making sure they have a lot of way to get inside. The most common entry door is for damage to the exterior of your garage, primarily to the wood itself. Over time, the wood can shit, form gaps between plants, heat up, or rot. This allows pests to enter. Retaining the wood every three to five years will keep it healthy and free of gaps.
If you find that any damage has already occurred, fix it as soon as possible to prevent an infestation from occurring.
Keep gutters clean
Your garage gutters can be a haven for insects and spiders during the drier months. Keeping them clear is a good idea, as it gives them fewer places to hide before reaching your garage.
Every season to a cleaning to make sure there are no nests, hives or cobwebs. Get rid of debris where they can hide. You may also want to fit gutter covers to prevent them from entering in the first place.
Light outer bush
Brambles and debris around your garage is another place where pests can make their home. This includes old and dead plants and shrubs, old trees, overgrown patches of flora, etc. Removing them periodically will not only keep pests away, but it could make your home look a lot better in the process.
Before winter, be sure to clean out old, dead gardens and other areas around your garage, so you’re ready for the next winter months.
Repair damage immediately
As mentioned above, any damage to your wood can let pests in. It could even have been caused by them. Often times when there are holes in the wood, the termites will eat it up. Other creatures can enter through these holes or hide in the walls. The last thing you want is to go about your business in your wooden garage and not realize that there is a pest all around you, waiting for it to spill.
Check periodically for external damage. The moment you see it, even if it is a small crack or fracture in the wood, take care of it immediately. That will give pests less time to find you and move on.
Do seasonal checks
A seasonal check-up is always a good idea. This is when you scour the exterior and interior for signs of trouble. The most common problem you will run into is that areas of the wood are worn away, often discolored. That is a sign that the stain on the wood has become too thin and needs a new coat. If you find no other signs of wear, you can simply pat that area until you are ready to do a full restoration.
Know the times of the year to know the risks
Different times of the year carry different risks. Your wooden garage will be more attractive in the winter when different creatures try to escape the cold. But at the same time, the cold will kill many of them before they can enter. Therefore, there is a risk that some pests will enter your garage and breed as the months get warmer. All it takes is two to wreak havoc.
Most of your infestation risks will be during the summer. There are more pests, so there are more to defend against.
Weatherstrip for your wooden garage
Another way to keep pests out is by closing any cracks they can slip through. Your windows and doors are the big culprits and you can seal them with a bit of weatherstripping. You can find DIY kits at any hardware store. There are also companies that will do it for you.
Remember that wooden garages also have ceiling beams and spots that could let pests in. You may want to consider redoing the roof from time to time.
Order and maintain the organization
If your wooden garage is cluttered, it is more likely to hide pests and prevent you from seeing the signs. How will you know there is mouse droppings if your floor is covered in trash? How will you see the nets if they are behind a lot of full shelves?
Keep your garage maintained and organized and you can keep it bug free.
Increase lighting
Pests, especially insects and spiders, like to congregate where there is less light. Shadows are your friends and if you can’t see around corners, how do you know if there’s something there, making your home? Installing better lighting is a great defense against this.
Consider installing large fluorescent light strips. They can illuminate an entire garage regardless of its size.
Deal with problems quickly
Remember, the faster you solve problems, the less time they have to grow. The moment you see the signs of a pest problem, you need to take care of it. That means seeing a single mouse, a black widow spider, or any other troublesome creepy creature that may be living in your wooden garage.
Some of these can be taken care of yourself using traps, spray pumps, and other methods that you can purchase at your local hardware store. But if you are concerned that it could be a bigger problem, you should call in a professional.
