Everyone loves a garage, right? It’s the perfect addition to a home and thousands of Americans have one. They offer a place to store a range of items, and some people even use their garage as a space for doing laundry. One thing that a garage shouldn’t store, though, is pests, critters and rodents!
As a company specializing in garage door repair and garage door installation in Littleton and the Greater Denver area, we speak to lots of people who have issues with pests in their garage.
Here’s our guide to why pests might be interested in your garage, what kind of pests we are talking about here, how to keep your garage pest free, and why searching ‘garage door installers near me’ might be the solution to your rodent issue.
Why Do Pests Love Garages?
Anyone with a garage will no doubt have experienced pest problems in the past. But why do they invade? Why do they choose your garage, out of the other hundred in Littleton? Years and years in business as your local garage door installation experts has given us a little insight…
Firstly, garages smell! We know it might be hard to admit that your garage has an odor, but pests are attracted to smells. And they’re attracted to a range of smells, too. Blood, sweat, stale food – they love it all. But it’s more than this – things like plants and seeds can attract a certain type of pest, also.
Secondly, garages are a safe space for pests. Whilst you might not like the idea of sleeping on a cold floor, these kinds of spaces are a dream for bugs. Garages are dark, they are moist and they are warm. They also offer a level of protection from the elements – such as wind and rain – and bigger predators that are unable to sneak through small gaps like rodents are.
The Most Common Garage Pests
One of the most common and notorious pests are rodents, either mice or rats. These little guys are not only pretty irritating and scary (mainly for the kids). Both types of rodents can bring in mites and diseases, and they're very capable of chewing through boxes, bags, and even power cables.
According to surveys, over a third of Americans see rodents in their garages each year. That’s quite a big number and trust us when we say these are the last kind of pests you need. As well as causing all the carnage we’ve detailed above, they generally bring friends!
Mice and rats aren’t the only pests that may appear in your garage, though. Ants, spiders, flies, and crickets can cause you a wide range of problems. And then there are termites – these little guys will chew through wood, cardboard, and furniture.
Keeping Your Garage Pest Free: Top Tips
So we've looked at why pests love garages, and we've given you some insight into the most common garage pests. But how do you keep them out? Here are our top tips:
Clear Out Clutter
Garage sale! No, seriously…
Clutter and piles of boxes are a dream for pests. They offer lots of places to hide, burrow and ultimately stay warm and avoid being seen. Also, the more stacked your garage, the more likely there are going to be damp and moist areas, which are equally a dream for pests.
The first step in keeping your garage pest free is, without a doubt, having a good clear-out. Seems simple, right? It really is. Don't delay – get it done!
Spring Clean
Once you’ve got rid of unnecessary clutter, the next step is to get down and dirty and give your garage a good clean. This should start with removing any loose rubbish that is left behind once you’ve had your clear-out. That could be crumbs, cobwebs, dust, or even bits of drywall. Either way, it all needs to be swept up and thrown in the garbage.
Once this is done, try and dry up any damp patches and look at how you can increase airflow in there. Humidity is very much the enemy, here, as it will simply attract more and more bugs.
Remove Food
Mice, rats, and other pests (but mainly mice and rats) will be drawn in by any signs of loose food in and around your garage. And we’re not just talking about loose food (which you should have cleaned up in step two) – we’re talking about the smell of food alone.
Whether it is animal or human food, pests will be attracted all the same. So make sure all containers containing any food are sealed and air-tight. Another simple fix but, trust us, it works. Just beware – rats in particular will make short work of any cardboard containers…
Check Your Door
We’ve saved the most important tip until last…
What is the primary entrance to your garage? The door, of course. If your garage door installation hasn’t been done right, you could be providing pests with an ‘open goal’ when it comes to access.
Spend some time checking over your garage door. You want to be looking at the following:
- Does it close properly? If not, it won’t keep bugs out!
- Are there any cracks in the door? Same as above, this could be a way for bugs to get in
- Windows – are they sealed properly and kept closed?
If you spot any issues with the above, you should seriously consider getting your garage door repaired as soon as possible. You could search for ‘garage door installers near me’ – or you could simply get in touch with us, as your local garage door repair specialists.
Littleton Garage Door Repair
There are lots of reasons why you might be getting pests in your garage - and lots of things you can do to prevent it. But one of the biggest things you can do is get in touch with us - your local Littleton garage door repair and garage door installation specialists - to come and help.
We've been serving the local community for a good 25 years, and want to help keep your garage pest-free! Give us a call today at (303) 730-0232 or email us at arapahoegd@gmail.com.