5 Ways to Prevent Rodents from Invading this Fall

Castle Doctor knows that as cooler air falls on Plano, Texas, everyone wants to cozy up inside – even the rodents and insects!

Your best defense against pesky rodents like insects, mice, raccoons, and squirrels is to seal off every possible entry point on the exterior of your home. Focus on these areas to keep unwanted nuisances out:

1.    Inspect Areas Under Construction

If you’ve had any home maintenance, new appliances installed, or renovations done on your home in the last year, double-check the work. You may think your home is sealed, but construction or installation teams can sometimes leave holes that you never realized exist. (P.S. At Castle Doctor, we guarantee our work and would never leave a job undone.) Appliance installations – such as dishwashers or refrigerators are a top offender in this category.

2.    Walk the Exterior

Twice yearly – when the air gets cooler in the fall and when the air gets warmer in the spring – walk the exterior of your property. Look for any cracks where you see light shining through or can feel airflow. In the fall, mice are often looking for a warm nest and can squeeze through an opening the size of a dime! Make sure even the smallest holes are sealed.

3.    Seal Windows and Doors

In North Texas, we love to leave our windows and doors open when the cool air sets in. Before doing so, be sure to look for any cracks in your screens, missing window screens, worn out home weather stripping, etc. and seal off accordingly.

4.    Keep Plants Away from Entry Points

Speaking of doors and windows, keep houseplants a safe distance from your home's main entry points. Greenery and plants are a perfect place for small insects and rodents to hide, so give yourself a few feet between the doors and the plants to avoid them darting into the home when doors are open.

5.    Install Preventative Measures

One of the easiest pest control tactics is to put glue traps throughout your attic or other crawl spaces. Check the glue traps periodically, and if you see signs of life, then you can tackle the issue before it becomes a real problem.

Want a home maintenance expert to inspect your home for potential problem areas? Call Castle Doctor in Plano, Texas today! We can schedule an in-home consultation for all your Plano home maintenance and rodent control needs.

Castle Doctor can help with all your Plano home maintenance and rodent control needs!

Are you Overlooking these Bathroom Maintenance Issues?

The bathroom is one of the most heavily used rooms of the home, and yet it’s easy to overlook maintenance issues that could quickly become a major headache.

Here’s our advice at Castle Doctor: look at your bathroom with fresh eyes this week and evaluate your home for these common bathroom maintenance issues:

·      Shower Caulking and Grout: Caulking and grout are essential to keep water out of places it isn’t supposed to be! Look around the bottom of the tub and around the shower door; is there a thick bead of caulk visible? Any place where you see that grout is gone, loose, or mold stricken, then you know it’s time to re-grout or re-caulk your shower. Otherwise, aim to do this about every year-2 years.

·      Toilet: Every time you clean the bathroom, use a cleaning rag to test for water around the bottom ring of the toilet. If you find that the area is damp, consider it an early sign that the sealing ring is in need of replacement by a professional handyman. Also, here’s an old plumber’s trick: lift the lid off the back of the toilet periodically to see if anything seems off. If so, call a Plano plumber immediately before the issue worsens.

·      Sink: The bathroom sink can harbor a lot of bacteria and mold, and much of that starts in the drain. Pull the drain plug out completely and clean on a regular basis in order to avoid clogs and mold buildup in your sink. Also inspect around the faucet for leaks.

·      Exhaust Fan: If you want to keep your bathroom humidity levels low and mold at bay, be sure to clean the exhaust fan out on a regular basis to aid in the airflow throughout the bathroom.

If you suspect you ned bathroom repair, call Castle Doctor in Plano, Texas today for a free in-home consultation. We’re a handyman, plumber, and carpenter all in one – providing all the services you need to keep your bathroom (and entire home!) in impeccable condition.