Silver Bullet Pest ControlMost pests don't break in. They walk, crawl or squeeze through openings that are already there. Pest-proofing your home means closing those openings and taking away the food, water and shelter that pull bugs, mice and wildlife inside. This checklist walks you through the outside, the inside and the calendar, the way we look at a house in North Jersey.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Based in Garfield • Hablamos español
Found a gap or a pest and not sure what it means? Text a photo to 973-510-2585.
Pest-proofing your home in NJ comes down to three jobs: seal the gaps pests use to get in, remove the food and water that attract them, and cut back the shelter they use right next to the house. Start outside with gaps around pipes, doors, vents and the roofline, then fix leaks and store food in hard containers inside. Because North Jersey has mice in winter, ants and termites in spring and stinging insects in summer, it pays to check the house a few times a year.
Every pest-proofing step targets one of these. Take them away and most pests move on:
Crumbs, pantry goods, pet food, garbage, bird seed and grease behind the stove. Ants, roaches and mice can live on what most people never notice.
Leaky pipes, damp basements, clogged gutters and standing water. Roaches, silverfish, centipedes, carpenter ants and termites all follow moisture.
Clutter, cardboard, wood piles, thick shrubs against the siding, and warm attics and wall spaces where mice, squirrels and raccoons nest.
Gaps around pipes and wires, worn door sweeps, torn screens, open vents, chimney flues and loose soffits. This is the part sealing fixes.
Walk around the house slowly, ideally in daylight and again at dusk, and check these spots from the ground up:
| Room | What to check | Pests it prevents |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Crumbs behind the stove and fridge, food in hard containers, gaps around pipes under the sink | Ants, German roaches, mice, pantry pests |
| Bathrooms | Leaks under sinks, gaps around pipes, damp cabinets, good ventilation | Roaches, silverfish, ants, centipedes |
| Basement | Dampness, foundation cracks, floor drains, clutter and cardboard | Oriental roaches, camel crickets, mice, rats, centipedes |
| Garage | Door seal, stored pet food and bird seed, clutter on the floor | Mice, rats, spiders, crickets |
| Attic | Daylight at the roofline, droppings, disturbed insulation, vent screens | Mice, squirrels, bats, raccoons, stinging insects |
| Bedrooms | Used furniture and luggage checks, clutter under beds | Bed bugs, carpet beetles |
Kitchen first? See how to prevent cockroaches and why you have ants in your kitchen.
Using the wrong material is the most common pest-proofing mistake. Match the material to the gap and the pest:
| Material | Good for | Not good for |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel mesh | Packing gaps around pipes and wires against mice and rats | Large open holes on its own without a solid cover |
| Caulk | Small cracks around windows, trim and baseboards for insects | Gaps rodents can reach and chew |
| Spray foam | Filling and insulating after a gap is packed with mesh | Stopping rodents by itself; they chew through it |
| Hardware cloth and heavy mesh | Vent covers, crawl spaces, buried barriers under decks and sheds | Spots that need a tight, finished look |
| Door sweeps and seals | Gaps under entry and garage doors | Damaged door frames that need repair |
| Weatherstripping | Drafty doors and windows for insects | Rodent-sized gaps |
Read more on whether spray foam stops mice and our stainless steel mesh exclusion work.
Check for termite swarmers and mud tubes, clean gutters, look for carpenter ant activity, and fix screens before bugs get going. Spring is also baby season for wildlife, so don't seal holes that could have animals inside.
Dump standing water weekly for mosquitoes, watch eaves and decks for wasp nests, keep garbage cans closed and rinsed, and trim shrubs away from the siding.
This is the big one. Seal gaps before mice move in, add door sweeps, cap the chimney and check the roofline. Stink bugs and other fall invaders look for cracks around windows now.
Listen for noises in the attic and walls, check the basement and garage for droppings, and keep firewood outside. Fix any gaps you find before spring.
Seasonal guides: spring pest control, fall home-invading pests and winter rodent problems in NJ.
Seal every gap the width of a dime with materials they can't chew, store food in hard containers and keep the garage tidy. Rats also need burrows and drain lines checked.
Fix leaks, clean behind appliances, seal gaps around pipes and stop bringing in cardboard boxes. German roaches often arrive in bags and boxes rather than through the walls.
Cap the chimney, fix the roofline and trim trees back. Never seal an opening while animals may be inside; one-way doors and timing matter, especially with bats and with babies in spring.
Some pest-proofing is a weekend job. Some needs a ladder, the right materials and someone who knows how each animal gets in. Here's what our crew handles:
For bugs, our regular home pest control treats the outside of the house to stop pests before they get in, and it comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
| Situation | DIY is fine | Call a pro |
|---|---|---|
| Small cracks and drafty doors | Caulk, weatherstripping, door sweeps | If pests keep showing up anyway |
| Mice in the house | Seal obvious gaps, store food, set a few traps | Droppings in several rooms, noises in walls or attic |
| Gaps at the roofline | Spot them from the ground | Anything that needs a tall ladder or roof work |
| Animals in the attic or chimney | Keep pets and kids away | Always; sealing an animal in causes bigger problems |
| Termite signs or wet wood | Fix leaks, move mulch and wood away | Mud tubes, swarmers or soft wood need an inspection |
Not sure what you're looking at? Book a termite inspection or call for a general pest inspection and free quote.
Tell us what you've seen and what kind of home you have. We'll inspect, show you the gaps and give you a free quote.
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Sealing entry points is the most important step, because it stops pests before they're inside. Start with gaps around pipes and wires, under doors and at the roofline. Removing food and water matters too, but a house with open gaps will keep getting new pests no matter how clean it is.
Late summer and early fall are the best time, before mice and fall invaders move in for the winter. That said, any season works. Spring is good for termite and ant prevention, and summer for mosquitoes and stinging insects. Avoid sealing wildlife openings in spring without an inspection, since babies may be inside.
Not on its own. Mice and rats can chew through soft foam. Pack the gap first with stainless steel mesh or another material they can't chew, then use foam or sealant to finish and insulate. That combination holds up much better.
Yes, though older homes usually have more gaps: settled sill plates, old utility penetrations and worn trim. It takes a careful inspection of the foundation, roofline and basement. Many older houses in North Jersey get much better results after a professional exclusion job.
No house is completely bug-proof, since some insects come in on groceries, boxes, luggage or pets. But sealing, fixing moisture and storing food properly cuts down most pests sharply. Regular exterior treatment helps stop crawling insects before they reach the door.
Trim branches away from the roof, cap the chimney and repair any chewed or loose soffits, fascia and roof vents. If an animal is already inside, don't seal the hole; it needs to come out first, often with a one-way door. We handle removal, sealing and repairs.
Mulch holds moisture, and moisture attracts termites and other insects. Mulch itself isn't the main problem, but thick mulch piled against the foundation or touching siding can help termites reach the wood unseen. Keep it thin and pulled back a few inches from the house.
Yes. We do rodent exclusion with stainless steel mesh, chimney caps, buried mesh under decks and sheds, bird netting, solar panel critter guards and repairs to chewed soffits and trim. For insects, our regular service treats the outside of your home. Call 973-510-2585 for a free quote.
Sealing gaps, fixing leaks and storing food are some of the safest ways to control pests, because they use no products at all. When treatment is needed, our technicians choose methods with your kids and pets in mind and explain any precautions.
We're based in Garfield and serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties, plus parts of Morris and Union counties with visits scheduled ahead. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ License 90568B and has over 15 years of experience.
Sí. Hablamos español. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585 y le explicamos qué huecos hay que sellar y cómo proteger su casa de plagas.
We inspect and seal homes in these towns and many more.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
