Just because it is cold outside does not mean all pests go away. Unfortunately, there are some pests that will get into your home as a place to stay until it warms up outside. Below are three of these pests so you can watch for them and take steps to get them out of your home.

Termites

There are some types of termites that will swarm together in the fall and then start to show up in homes until early spring. Once they show in your home the termites will reproduce resulting in even more of these pests.

To help there are things you can do to your home before the cold weather comes in. First, repair leaks in your roof and plumbing inside your home. Termites need moisture to live, and these two things are an easy way for them to obtain this moisture. Hire a roofing contractor and a plumber to ensure you have no leaks. If so, they can repair the problems while they are there.

Check the gutters to ensure the water is draining away from your home instead of close to it. You can do this by adding extensions to your gutters and directing these extensions where you want the water to run out. This is not only good to keep pests away, but this will keep water away from your home's foundation.

Go outside and look for any wood that is close to your home sitting on the soil. This could be firewood stacked up or debris that has built up.

Check the crawlspace under your home and remove things lie boxes, scrap lumber, or any other debris there. This is a great area for termites to reproduce. The pests can then easily get into your home.

Bed Bugs

If you see bed bugs on your mattress or other areas of your home, they can be very difficult to get rid of. These bugs do not reproduce quickly, but over time, you will get more and more of them. They are especially difficult to remove because they move so fast and hide in small crevices, so they are hard to see. One sign you have bed bugs is waking up in the morning with sores on your ankles, legs, and more.

You especially need to watch for bed bugs if you have people visiting you during the holidays. They could easily bring these bugs in and not know it. For example, the bed bugs may be in their luggage, clothing, or even their purse. If you have traveled at all, you could easily bring bed bugs into your home from your hotel or the plane.

To find bedbugs, remove all bedding and look around the crevice around the perimeter of your mattress. You will have to look closely, or may even need to use a magnifying glass. If you have bed bugs, you will see dark areas where they have defecated. You may even see bugs crawling around if you have a lot of them. You also may see body cases where baby bedbugs have shed their skin as they grow into adults.

If you see any sign that you have bed bugs, you need to take action immediately. This is because it can take time to remove all of them.

To help you, hire an exterminator, like those at Affordable Pest Control, to remove termites and especially bed bugs in your home.