Dealing With Pests In Your Park Home

Dealing with pests in your park home is a perennial problem. The ease of access to the outdoors is one of the attractions of a park home but can also lead to problems when it comes to the encroachment of various pests. Prevention First Before you are calling in the experts or trying to tackle an infestation of some kind, there are some simple practices which can mean you may never have to do this. Pests around the outside of your park home

  • Removing clutter and unnecessary rubbish is important both inside and outside your park home.
  • Your residential park will probably have minimum levels of tidiness and maintenance which, when properly observed, will not only keep up the appearance of the park but will deter flies and vermin like mice and rats.
  • Make sure bins are emptied regularly.
  • Separate food waste from recycling and general waste. This can help prevent your bins becoming breeding grounds for fruit and vinegar flies and attracting house flies.

Prevent pests getting into your park home 

  • Flying insects are the most common pest to cause a problem in park homes during the summer. If your park home is sited near water or overhanging trees, this can be a bigger problem than for others. Mesh secondary double glazing and secondary doors are a good addition to keep the flying bugs out. Also, keep an eye on door sweeps and other seals which may become corroded or be eaten through by ants and other pests. Replace where necessary.
  • Try to minimise any time when your lights are on at night and your doors and windows are open. If summer heat or another reason makes this impractical, fit mesh screens to windows and doors. This allows you to leave them open on warm nights without being inundated with mosquitos, moths and other flying pests.
  • Regularly clean air vents and remove any debris to stop them becoming homes for crawling pests.
  • Block holes around pipes.
  • Gas pipes should have a mesh surrounding them where they enter and leave your park home. This should be metal, not plastic, where possible. Try to block all potential access points to four-legged pests in this way. Wire wool is a good and cheap material to use for this, which does deter the most sharp-toothed critter.
  • Change existing air-vents from plastic to metal. Mice especially, will make short work of plastic air-vents.
  • One of the many devices designed to attract and destroy pests fitted to the outside of your park home can greatly reduce the chances of an infestation. There are a great many on the market. Look at the reviews and advice to find the one that best fits your circumstances.

Check your pets

  • Remember that your beloved pet can also be a source or vector of pest infestation. Regularly check them over thoroughly and maintain their coats or plumage. If you are unsure about treatment, consult a vet. This is also important for the well-being of your pet.
  • Clean out bird or other pet’s cages regularly. This doesn’t just prevent pests of course, but makes for a much happier and healthier animal.

Pests inside your park home 

  • To prevent pests such as bedbugs and other creatures hiding in crevices and tiny gaps in seals between walls and floors, try to keep the interior floors of your park home as clear as possible. This makes thorough vacuum cleaning right up to the skirting boards much easier.
  • Fit mattress covers and bed leg ‘monitors’ to prevent bed-bugs and regularly hoover and flip your mattresses.
  • Keep surfaces clean and clear, particularly to deter ants but of course, food is likely to attract all kinds of pests.

Eradication ‘Nature will find a way’, as someone once said, so if all your preventative measures fail, which they might, be sure to contact an accredited and reputable firm to remove the pests from your park home. They will also be able to advise on measures to prevent further problems. Your park home management or your neighbours may be able to recommend a good firm locally. A quick online search under ‘pest control’ will also bring up plenty of options in most areas. Remember to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you have to use traps, sprays or poison to get rid of pests. This is a marketing article from Park Home Assist, multi award-winning providers of residential park home insurance.  If you would like to speak to an advisor regarding insurance for your park home, please contact our friendly team in our Northampton office on 01604 946 796. To stay up to date with similar topics like this, please like and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. For more information about any of our other insurance products, please choose your product of interest below:

Published – 01/10/21