A Quick Tip to Help Fight the Bite!
Posted by Mosquito SquadMay 15, 2012
We hope that you are enjoying spring and spending plenty of time outdoors with your family. Here at Mosquito Squad we are advocates of outdoor living! In this post, we bring you a tip for helping control mosquitoes in your yard. We often remind people of the 5T’s: Tip, Toss, Turnover, Tarp and Treat. The main premise behind these recommendations is controlling the standing water on your property, which acts as a haven for pesky, biting mosquitoes!
What some folks may not think about is that near your HVAC area, often times you will find a small pipe which serves as a constant release for condensation. It only takes a teaspoon of water to breed millions of mosquitoes in a months time, and these small pipes produce that easily in a days time. Our recommendation comes from Patrick McKennon, our owner here in Nashville, who has many years experience in dealing with various landscape and drainage issues. With just a bit of your time and a trip to a local home supply store you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming infested with mosquitoes.
He suggests digging a small area out around where you notice any collections of moisture around your homes foundation. These areas include the above mentioned HVAC pipes, hose pipes that may not be connected to a hose or other unit, as well as any areas near downspouts that may collect water which are not being diverted. Simply dig out a small area, enough to make sure that the ground which appears to be collecting moisture has been carved out, many times an area 12″x12″ and 10″ deep is plenty. Fill this area with pea gravel or other similar gravel product. DONE! It is as simple as that. The water which was pooling on the grounds surface, collecting mosquitoes, and other microorganisms is now able to drain downward. We hope this tip helps, but don’t forget the 5 T’s and make sure to call us here at Mosquito Squad if you are interested in our barrier treatment programs or our misting systems!