Texas winters don’t stay cold for the whole season, and that means critters and pests can reappear instead of staying holed away until the spring. Even if you inspected your home in the autumn for small exterior holes and sealing gaps, here’s a quick list of tips for making sure your bug screens stay secure through the rest of winter:
- Focus on the corners and sides. Any place where different materials join together is a potential weakness. Unless you have custom-built, fiberglass screens, the screen can tear from the hardware, especially in the corners. Another risk is the caulk or sealant between the bug screen and the actual perimeter of the window. Small gaps in the material can let any number of pests in that have woken up from a premature warm day and are looking for shelter.
- Know what size holes you should look for. Small gaps in the screen frames are going to be nearly invisible, but more can get through a smaller area than you might think. Pull up a guide for local pests in your city and how small of a hole they need to gain entrance. For example, mice only need a hole the size of a coin, and bugs need even less. An approximate guide is that creatures only need an opening the size of their head.
- Check for foundation damage. Foundation is a constant concern in Texas, even during the slightly wetter winters. One of the signs your foundation is shifting is having your window split from the brick facing it. Pests can get into these gaps, and the movement itself could dislodge your screen or the seal around it.
The best way to make sure your window screens will keep pests out is to get long-lasting materials. A lot of commercial bug screen material can be torn and wrenched free of the hardware, but getting bug screens with fiberglass screens and solid hardware can help hold the barrier no matter the weather or setting. Contact us today to get started.