Protecting your home against pests can prevent a full-blown infestation. Our detailed guide describes how foam insulation can create a permanent barrier to keep them out.
Pests and rodents can be a nightmare for homeowners. These critters normally enter homes through tiny gaps and cracks around the exterior. Pests can cause structural damage to your house, trigger allergic reactions, spread disease, and compromise hygiene. Use foam insulation to address all openings and keep these pesky critters out of your home.
Foam insulation effectively seals cracks and gaps. When properly installed, it forms a rigid barrier that is hard for pests to gnaw through. This can significantly reduce the risk of future infestations. Read on to learn how to use foam insulation to keep pests out.
Insulation foam is designed for sealing gaps and cracks on floors, walls, and ceilings, preventing heat and air leakage. Once it’s applied, the foam expands to fill the space and cures to form a rigid and continuous barrier over the area covered.
In addition to enhancing energy efficiency, insulation foam also helps with pest prevention by:
- Sealing openings: The first step toward a pest-free home is blocking entry points. Expanding foam is highly effective at closing off the tiniest of openings in and around homes. Pests can no longer use such openings to enter houses in search of food and warm spaces to turn into their homes. Sealing air leakage points also keeps pests out by eliminating air movement that pests, like bugs, bats, and rodents, use to find hidden passages into your house.
- Eliminating moisture issues: Many pests, including rodents, cockroaches, and termites, enter homes in search of moist spaces as breeding grounds. Damaged or poorly installed insulation and inadequate ventilation can lead to a moisture buildup inside your home.
It is worth noting that insulation foam only prevents future infestations by keeping pests out. If you have an existing infestation, take additional measures to clear your house of any pests.
There are several reasons to use insulation foam to prevent pest infestations, including:
- Durability: Once applied, insulation foam solidifies into a rigid and durable substance. Unlike other insulation materials, this foam retains its shape and strength, protecting for an extended period.
- Barrier to nesting: Fiberglass and blown-in insulation can be ideal for nesting. Foam insulation is not ideal for nesting because it is densely packed.
- Easy to inspect: To maintain a pest-free environment, you will need to inspect the sealed areas from time to time. This should be done every six months. Any noticeable cracks should be sealed immediately.
Rodents and insects enter your home through tiny, hidden openings. Identifying these entry points in and around your home will help you address them effectively. Common areas to apply insulation foam include:
- Utility penetrations: One of the most common entryways pests use to enter homes is utility penetrations, such as vents, pipes, and cables that enter the structure.
- Foundation cracks: Small animals and insects can also use gaps and cracks in the foundation to enter homes. These openings can be caused by various reasons, including freeze and thaw cycles experienced in cold climates.
- Roof and attic access points: Chimneys, attic vents, and even missing shingles can also act as entryways for mice, squirrels, and birds. The warm air leaking from your home can attract small animals looking to escape the cold.
- Gaps around doors and windows: Rodents and insects can squeeze through the smallest gaps around windows and doors.
Here’s a step-by-step process for how to keep rodents out of your home.
- Get the necessary supplies: To seal your home against pests, you will need the following supplies:
- Safety goggles
- Safety gloves
- Step ladder
- Loctite TITE FOAM Pest Block
- Box cutter
- Identify affected areas: Start by thoroughly inspecting your home’s exterior. Carefully assess the roof, windows, doors, foundation, and places where cables and pipes enter or exit the structure.
- Prepare the surface: For an effective seal, prepare the surface before applying insulation foam by removing dirt and debris and letting it dry completely to ensure the foam adheres better.
- Apply expanding foam: Shake the insulation foam can per the instructions and sparingly apply it over the gaps and cracks because it will expand.
- Inspect the results: Leave the foam to cure completely. Inspect the foam to see if each opening is completely sealed. Trim any excess foam. You can also paint over the affected areas to ensure they match the rest of the structure.
To effectively protect your house, you must choose the right foam insulation for bugs and other pests. Loctite TITE FOAM Pest Block is an excellent option. The product fills and seals openings that are up to an inch wide. It can withstand direct exposure to harsh UV rays, protecting for an extended period. The product can be used on most building materials, including metal, stone, brick, concrete, and wood.