Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Having a Bug-Free Home in the Summer

Trying to keep bugs out of a home in the summertime can be frustrating. I was so tired of lighting citronella candles in the house to help keep the insects from invading my home. Spraying toxic bug sprays not only smelled bad; they could harm my family and dogs. What I needed was a natural pest control solution for my home.

My friends suggested that I install new screen doors on my house. This would be a great solution but it can become very expensive since I live in a restored Victorian home. Not only did the screen doors have to be custom made for each doorway, installing them can be a hassle. This is especially hard when you are not good with power tools and do not have the money to have it professionally installed. The screen doors would also have to match the house.

By purchasing these innovative magnetic screen doors, I have not only saved money, I have also saved time. Since these custom screen doors are magnetic there are no power tools needed. All I had to do was place the magnetic doors on the metal outer portion of the doorframes and they are up in a few minutes. It was that easy and I did it myself.

Not only do these custom screen doors install easily, they can also be taken down within a few minutes. Unlike traditional screen doors that take tools to remove at the end of the summer months these screen doors are as easy to take down, as they are to put up. They also can be folded to a compacts size and can be stored in a closet. Trying to do this with a traditional screen door would almost be impossible.

Since purchasing these custom screens for my Victorian home it has, helped to keep my home stay insect free every summer. I also feel better about have these screens as a natural pest control. Now instead of spraying bug spray or hunting insects down with a flyswatter when the doors are open, we can now enjoy the summer months without the bugs getting in the house.


Friday, July 9, 2010

Keeping Bugs Out of a Cabin

My husband and I enjoy fishing during the summer months. We found ourselves going to the lake every weekend, pitching a tent and throwing a pole in the water. After two years of pitching a tent and packing all the camping gear to the lake got be a pain. So we decided the only way to avoid all this packing and unpacking was to buy a fishing cabin on the lake.

When spring rolled around this year we could not wait to use the cabin during the warmer months of the year. The cabin was working out great for the weekends that we went fishing until; we received a lot of rain. With all the rain we had that spring was the perfect environment for bugs to breed. The mosquitoes were huge and kept getting in the cabin.

Since, the fishing cabin had no air conditioning the only way we had to keep it cool was to keep the front and back door open to get a cross breeze. The cabin was cooler, but the bugs were also getting in. It was especially annoying at night when we were trying to sleep. The only way to keep this from happening every weekend was to look for some natural pest control.

My husband found these great custom screen doors for both doors. They were easy to install and fit perfectly in each doorway. The best part is that they snapped shut behind us and they hang like a curtain in the doorways. This feature comes in handy when we are bringing in all of our fishing gear after a day of fishing on the lake.

These custom screens were one of the best things that we have bought since the cabin. We no longer have to fight off the bugs in the cabin and can now sleep at night without the annoying bugs keep us up all night.

My husband and I can now have friends and family stay with us and not have to worry about their children forgetting to close the screen door all the way. Also, if our daughter and her husband decide to bring their two black labs with them to the cabin, we do not have to worry about letting the dogs out since these screen doors are perfect for pets and have recommended them to all of our friends at the lake.



Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Top Tips for Fume-Free Natural Pest Control

Bugs are a pain in the rear end, we all agree. In certain areas, the risk of mosquito borne diseases far outweighs the risk that most people see in spraying pesticides around their home. However, do it yourself pest control doesn't need to be an 'either-or' prospect, where you’re torn between never going outside and having no fresh air, or putting up with inhaling chemicals as you go about your daily business. Today we check out some natural pest control options that keep everyone happy … and in many cases that includes the bugs!
Install screen doors
Bugs belong in your yard - as annoying as they can be at times, they do have an ecological role to play! However, you can keep them out of your house (where they DON'T belong) quite simply with a screen door. If you don't own your home or don't have the spare cash to put up a conventional screen, custom screen doors are an excellent option. They install in minutes, are extremely cheap and are portable - no hardware damage for landlords to worry about!
Attract natural predators
This is an effective pest control option, and gives you some wildlife to enjoy in your yard that is a little more interesting than flies! Birds and bats are both good but hunters. You need to look at your yard from an animal's point of view, and provide it with three things:
  • Food
  • Water
  • Shelter
When you're designing your landscape, use mostly plants that are native to the area, so that you'll attract bats and birds that are native to the area. Moving water is great for attracting wildlife - every critter knows that fresh aerated water tastes better than a scummy pond. You can also place bird feeders around the yard - but don't provide too much, to ensure that they're still hungry for bugs.
Empty standing water containers
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so never keep it around the yard. If you have a pet, look into keeping their water inside, or getting an alternative pet drinking arrangement that doesn't allow mosquito access. If you’re disciplined, you can just change the water every couple of days.
Use natural ant remedies
Even screen doors don't keep away ants - you can mix 1/8 teaspoon Boric acid powder with ½ teaspoon of honey, and pop it in a soda bottle cap. Don't put it where your children or pets can find it, though.


Friday, June 4, 2010

Top 7 Reasons to Get a Magnetic Instant Screen Door!

Have you been tossing up between going au naturale with your yard entrance, and putting in the capital to install a screen door? There is actually a halfway point that suits an enormous amount of people - custom screen doors made to close magnetically behind you! Most people that see them fall in love with the idea … if you aren't yet convinced, though, here are the top 7 reasons to install one in your home.
They're cheap and install instantly
Custom screens cost as little as a tenth of standard screen doors, and can be installed in about 5 minutes flat. It doesn't take much money, or much time to start enjoying all that gorgeous fresh (bug free!) air in your own home.
They're temporary and flexible
They can be installed in rented homes without any landlord problems; they are easy to take down over winter when you doors are shut anyway; they can come with you from your main home to your vacation home.
Pest control without the chemical cocktail
If you've always figured that inhaling a little flyspray was the lesser of two evils compared to having flies walking germs all over your home, you'll jump at the opportunity to have the best of both worlds … a cheap pest control solution that doesn't harm either you or the environment.
Great for kids
A lot of families give up on the idea of screen doors until every child in the house is at least 10 … they are broken too easily, and too expensive to repair. Instant magnetic screens won’t break when pushed, they simply separate to allow the monsters through! Nor do you have to worry about whether the screen is closed or not,
Instant pet doors
If you're renting (or just didn’t fancy the idea of chopping holes in your doors!), magnetic instant screen doors can make any one of your doors into a pet door.
A cheap and easy solution for French doors
Any other screening solution for French doors is incredibly expensive and difficult to install compared to custom magnetic screen doors.
Hands-free entry and exit
If you like to dine alfresco, or just like the way that having an unscreened open door allows you to get in and out quickly and easily, you'll definitely appreciate the way magnetic screens allow just the same thing … without the bugs!