Pest Prevention in Bakersfield: 5 Tips to Protect Your Home

If you are a Bakersfield homeowner, you've likely experienced pests or noticed a number of pests outside your home. They are hard to ignore, especially when they wake you up at night, leave behind droppings or damage, or start showing up in the corners of your home.

Why Bakersfield Has a Pest Problem

Bakersfield's geographic location is what partially contributes to the pest problem and creates ideal conditions for pests to thrive and spread. Bakersfield is a valley city located in Kern County, which is considered part of the Central Valley of California. Like most valley cities, Bakersfield experiences warmer temperatures throughout the year, with some locals calling summers dry. The city has an arid climate and is surrounded by agricultural farmlands, which happen to be all ideal conditions for pests to reproduce, feed off of, and spread.

The geographic location and climate on their own contribute to homeowners experiencing pests. Bakersfield summers can reach up to 118 degrees. Hot climates like this are what draw pests to reproduce quickly and cause their ectothermic bodies to be more active, requiring them to eat and drink more. This incentivizes pests to reproduce rapidly. In some cases, extremely hot weather can even force pests to search for indoor shelters, leading to increased infestations of Bakersfield homes.

The arid climate is what causes pests to search for sources of water instead of simply waiting on rainfalls. This is what causes pests to invade not only your home but commercial buildings, farms, and urban streets in search of water sources. Agriculture provides those same pests with sources of food. Kern County holds 1,417,123 acres of farmland, making Bakersfield surrounded by farms and barns. Farmland allows the pests to feed off and reproduce. Once crops are collected for the season and cooler temperatures approach, those same pests are now searching for new food sources and shelter, invading Bakersfield homes.

If you are curious to learn more about pests in Bakersfield, check out our other article on “Top 5 Common Pests in Bakersfield”, where we explore and explain top 5 common pests you will likely find in your Bakersfield home.

What also contributes to the attraction of pests to Bakersfield homes is the high reliance on irrigation, with approximately 15% of Kern County's land being regularly irrigated. With Bakersfield having an arid climate, moisture created by irrigation attracts common pests like cockroaches, termites, silverfish, ants, and mosquitoes.

Many new residents are often surprised by the amount of pests they find both inside and outside their homes, especially ones who have never lived in a valley city before. But what can Bakersfield homeowners do to prevent pests from invading their homes?

This article will provide you with 5 practical tips that you can start applying today to, if not eliminate, significantly reduce pests' interest in your home. These are the tips that we often share with homeowners during consultations. We've picked the top 5 tips that can help you protect your Bakersfield home from pests and prevent future invasions.

1. Check and Seal Gaps Around Your Home

We can't stress enough how many Bakersfield homeowners experience pest infestations due to open gaps throughout their homes. Small openings that you might not even notice can become major entry points for pests looking to escape the heat or find water sources in our arid climate.

Common Gap Locations to Inspect

Doors and Door Frames: Check for gaps around doors and door frames, especially if your home's doors are old, worn out, or missing weather strips. Many doors in Bakersfield homes don't fit their frames perfectly, creating easy access for pests.

Windows: Old window frames often have gaps that insects and small rodents can squeeze through. Inspect both the interior and exterior of your windows.

Foundation Cracks: Even the tiniest cracks in your foundation are large enough for ants, roaches, or spiders to get inside your home. Walk around your home's perimeter to check for any foundation damage.

Utility Lines: Gaps around utility lines are very common in older homes. Plumbing, electrical, or HVAC lines often leave small openings for pests to enter your home.

Siding: Gaps under your home's siding always invite insects to get into your home. Check where the siding meets the foundation.

Crawl Spaces: Crawl space gaps are almost certain to invite rats, squirrels, or other rodents to your home, especially during cooler seasons when pests seek shelter.

Drains and Pipes: Cockroaches often travel through drains and pipes due to moisture that builds up, making these common entry points in Bakersfield homes.

Baseboards: Baseboards are probably the most common entry point for pests. Gaps between baseboards and walls often invite pests like ants, cockroaches, and spiders.

Garage: If you own a garage, you've likely heard scratching noises, scurrying sounds, or rustling sounds that wake you up at night. We highly recommend checking your garage for small openings around the bottom corners that are prime spots for rodents.

If you are purchasing a new home or just about to start renting, we recommend taking a walk around the house to see if any gaps are present.

How to Seal Gaps

To seal these gaps, we recommend picking up these items at your local home improvement store:

Silicone Caulk (Exterior-Grade): Ideal for sealing small to medium gaps, especially around window frames. Can also be used for bathroom and kitchen gaps. Check that the silicone caulk you are purchasing is weather and waterproof, ideal for highly moisture areas like bathrooms. Silicone caulk works great on both exterior and interior gaps. We recommend it for general gaps around your house.

Expanding Foam (Pest-Resistant or Low-Expansion): Great for larger gaps. Look specifically for pest-resistant foam. It contains better additives for exterior surfaces and discourages pests from chewing on it.

Weather Stripping: Ideal for where doors or windows open and close. Look for silicone, rubber, or foam strips. These will help block mosquitoes, bugs, and improve insulation of your home.

Window Flashing Tape (Exterior): Helps seal cracks outside where pests and water can get in.

Foundation, floor, or crawl space gaps may require professional intervention and repair. However, silicone caulk can also be used for smaller foundation cracks.

Something else to note: the majority of home doors don't entirely or ideally fit their frames. We always recommend getting weather strips, especially in homes throughout Bakersfield. What's also notable is that these solutions are affordable. Silicone sealant for homes starts at just $9.99, enough to seal multiple, if not all gaps around your home.

If you are not sure where pests are entering, schedule a professional pest inspection with a local pest control company in Bakersfield. Ask them to identify pest entry gaps around your home. Inspections are often free of charge.

2. Maintain Home Hygiene and Cleanliness

Maintaining home hygiene is perhaps the biggest factor in pest prevention. We've seen thousands of homes that experienced pests simply due to poor hygiene. Poorly maintained homes just invite pests inside. If you are not doing weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleanings, you are inviting pests to your home.

Here are a few cleaning tips that will certainly help you reduce the number of pests that enter your home:

Keep Kitchen Surfaces Clean: Any crumbs, leftovers, spills, or leftover dishes always attract cockroaches or ants. We recommend wiping down highly used kitchen surfaces every night. Try to wipe under the stove, fridge, and microwave at least once a month. Those areas often attract cockroaches and ants with crumbs and spills. Avoid leaving any food uncovered on your kitchen tables, including fruits or snacks.

Declutter Storage Areas: Declutter your garage, attic, storage areas, or closets. Pests love cluttered spaces. Organize your storage space, get rid of old items, and arrange your space in a way that decreases the number of spots pests or rodents can hide in. If you are storing your belongings in cardboard boxes, look into purchasing plastic bins.

Take Out Trash Regularly: We've seen many homeowners who simply forget to take out their trash regularly. Any residue inside the trash bins also invites unwanted pests. We recommend cleaning or washing your trash bins monthly or bi-monthly.

Eliminate Standing Water: Any moisture inside your home highly attracts cockroaches. Wipe up any standing water or water around bathtubs or sinks. Pests love highly moisture environments, making Bakersfield bathrooms prime targets when not properly maintained.

Vacuum Regularly: Sweeping the floor is often not enough to collect any crumbs or dust, especially if you have carpet. Vacuum your carpets and floors regularly to remove food particles that attract pests.

Follow these cleaning tips and you are certain to reduce the number of pests inside your home. Simple hygiene and maintenance can go a long way to make your home's environment not just more healthy but also protected against pests. Good hygiene is one of the most effective pest prevention methods available to Bakersfield homeowners.

3. Use Bait Stations and Gel Baits

Look into purchasing bait stations or gel baits. They can be easily placed around your home to protect against cockroaches, ants, bugs, or other crawling pests inside your home. What's great about these stations is that they are easy to install and relatively inexpensive, with some starting at $5.99.

Types of Bait Products

Gel Bait: Sometimes called "ant/roach gel bait," this is a sticky or gel-like bait that you apply in cracks or corners for pests to eat and eventually die. Gel bait works particularly well in Bakersfield homes because it targets the pests that are drawn indoors by our hot, dry climate.

Bait Stations: These often come in a pre-filled container that can be placed along baseboards, under sinks, appliances, or near pest trails. Child-resistant options are also available. We do see these often placed when infestation is evident and they can work great for one-time prevention or extermination. Great for both residential and commercial properties. These can be refilled and often last for months.

Liquid Bait Stations: Similar to a bait station but with a liquid attractant rather than gel. These often require more careful placement on steady surfaces but can also be stuck to preferred surfaces.

Choosing the Right Bait

Before purchasing, select the right bait station for your pest needs. The majority of these stations are designed for specific pest types. There are ones specifically designed for ants, cockroaches, and general bugs. Some of the popular and effective brands include Combat Max, Raid, Terro, and Advion. Your local home improvement store likely has these available.

Bait stations are a simple, affordable form of pest control that Bakersfield homeowners can implement immediately without waiting for professional exterminator services.

4. Maintain Your Yard and Trim Vegetation

Maintaining a hygienic environment in your home is not enough. Maintaining your home's backyard, front yard, and vegetation is equally important for effective pest prevention in Bakersfield.

Why Vegetation Maintenance Matters

Shade and Moisture: Trees, shrubs, bushes, and overgrown vegetation or an unmaintained backyard offer shade and moisture. Dense vegetation traps humidity and blocks sunlight. Pests in Bakersfield's hot summers always search for humid and moisture shelters.

Pest Habitats: Dense vegetation invites ants, spiders, earwigs, and especially mosquitoes. Bushes and shrubs offer a perfect way for pests to reach your roof, attic, vents, windows, and cracks.

Natural Attractants: Some plants naturally attract pests. Flowering plants produce nectar that draws ants, bees, wasps, and flies. Fruit trees attract ants, wasps, cockroaches, and rodents, especially when fallen fruit remains on the ground.

Tips For Vegetation Maintenance

Keep Bushes and Shrubs Trimmed: Maintain bushes and shrubs 6 to 12 inches away from your home. This creates a barrier that makes it harder for pests to access your home's exterior.

Cut Tree Branches: Cut tree branches so they don't touch the roof or exterior walls. Overhanging branches serve as highways for pests to access your home.

Clean Up Regularly: Clean up fallen fruit, nuts, or leaf piles regularly. These attract pests looking for food and shelter, especially as Bakersfield's temperatures cool down in fall and winter.

Proper yard maintenance is a crucial part of pest prevention services that you can handle yourself, reducing the need for frequent exterminator services while keeping your Bakersfield property protected.

5. Consider Keeping Harmless Spiders as Natural Pest Control

This last tip may surprise you. What you may not realize is that your home already has natural and effective pest control tools at its disposal: spiders.

Spiders are natural predators that hunt most common pests like ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, and the majority of other bugs that thrive in Bakersfield. Don't get us wrong, venomous spiders or larger species must be removed. But a single house spider can eliminate dozens of pests every week, saving you hundreds of dollars in pest control services and numerous headaches.

How to Use Spiders Safely

Identify Harmless Species: Harmless species like cellar spiders or house spiders help control pests. Venomous ones like black widows or brown recluse spiders should always be removed by professional exterminators.

Keep Them Out of the Way: Leave spiders in corners, garages, sheds, and unused rooms where they can benefit your home. Allowing a few harmless spiders to remain in low-traffic areas can significantly reduce pest activity.

Maintain Living Spaces: Avoid letting webs accumulate inside main living spaces. Simply wash those off or vacuum away the wider spread of webs.

This is a natural and most affordable method. Spiders help reduce insect populations but shouldn't replace sealing gaps, sanitation, or professional treatments. We get it, this method is not for everyone. However, it is one to consider, as it is natural, does not require investment, and is highly effective. Consider leaving harmless spiders undisturbed in corners or low-traffic areas. These natural predators help control ants, mosquitoes, and even cockroaches, reducing the overall number of pests inside your home.

Remember, effective pest control starts with prevention. The steps you take today can save you from costly infestations tomorrow.

When to Call Professional Pest Control in Bakersfield

If these tips haven't helped or if you are experiencing a consistent flow of pests in your home, it's time to seek professional pest control services. Sometimes despite your best efforts, pest problems require the expertise and tools that only professional exterminators can provide.

Never Pests Pest Control is a local pest control company based right here in Bakersfield. We know exactly how to treat the most common pests effectively and prevent them from entering your home in the future. Our team members are locals who live and work in Bakersfield, with over 25 years of combined experience in pest control services. We specialize in exterminating cockroaches, ants, spiders, mosquitoes, rodents, and other common pests that plague Bakersfield homes.

Why Choose Never Pests Pest Control

Our company started out of the belief that every home and business in Kern County should have accessible pest control services for their properties. We understand the unique challenges that Bakersfield homeowners face, from our scorching summers to our arid climate that drives pests indoors in search of water and cooler temperatures.

Transparent Pricing: We don't confuse you with pricing. You'll receive clear, transparent pricing with no hidden fees. You'll know exactly what you're paying for before we begin any work.

Flexible Scheduling: We work around your schedule to thoroughly inspect your home and schedule the extermination. We know you have busy lives, and we're here to make pest prevention as convenient as possible.

Comprehensive Services: Our pest team is here to serve both residential and commercial properties. We are equipped with effective solutions and years of expertise to handle properties of all sizes, from small homes to large commercial buildings.

Local Expertise: Because Never Pests Pest Control is based in Bakersfield, we understand the specific pest challenges that come with living in the Central Valley. We know which pests are most common during different seasons and how Bakersfield's unique climate and agricultural surroundings affect pest behavior.

Trust Matters in Pest Control

Trust is perhaps the most important factor when it comes to selecting contractor services for your home, especially an exterminator for your Bakersfield property. You wouldn't trust your valuable Bakersfield home to just any exterminator any more than you would give a stranger a key to your business.

We encourage you to talk to your neighbors, search the internet, and do your research. You'll find that Never Pests Pest Control's reputation for excellent service and satisfied customers speaks for itself. Our local presence means we're invested in this community, and we take pride in protecting Bakersfield homes and businesses from pests.

If you're ready to take the next step in protecting your home from pests, give us a call or schedule your free inspection today. Let us show you why Bakersfield homeowners trust Never Pests Pest Control for all their pest prevention and exterminator services.