It’s the time of year when everybody loves being outdoors and enjoying what brief stint of Spring we may get. Many people decide to build, or already have, decks in their backyard to hold that hot tub, or table, or just to have a little cabana to hang out in. Well, people are not the only creatures that love decks! Many different types of pests, rodents, and snakes love decks so here are some easy tips to follow to minimize your risk.

1.  Do not let wood from the deck directly touch the ground.

• Termites will find that wood and move in quicker than you realize.
• Build the deck on top of concrete bases to eliminate wood to soil contact.

2.  Do not attach the deck directly to your house, or allow the deck to obscure the view of the foundation.

• Again, termites will find their way in and there’s no way for us to tell if they’re getting into the house without a clear view of the foundation.

3.  Do not leave any large access points to get under the deck.

• Rats, mice, possums, skunks, armadillos, cats….the list of possible intruders goes on and on.

4.  DO leave an access panel or door for the pest control guy to treat under the deck.

• This will help us when treating for cockroaches, scorpions, spiders, earwigs, pill bugs, fleas etc.)

Follow these simple tips to ensure you won’t have to deal with more annoyances after completing your deck, cause we all know there are probably plenty of annoyances just in building the deck alone!