ServiceFind Pest Health • Interactive Diagnostic Tool
Whole-Home IPM Self-Assessment Checklist
A room-by-room physical exclusion and moisture audit based on US EPA Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidelines. Check off completed items to assess your home vulnerability score.
Home Exclusion & Sanitation Score
0 of 16 Checkpoints Verified (0%)
High Vulnerability — Active Gaps
Exterior & Perimeter
0/5 SecuredExterior utility pipe & conduit penetrations are sealed tight (no gaps > 1/4 inch)
Why It Matters: Allows mice (need 1/4"), rats (need 1/2"), and large roaches direct entry into wall cavities.
Recommended Action: Pack gaps with stainless steel or copper mesh, then seal over with exterior silicone sealant or mortar.
Exterior entry doors have durable door sweeps with no daylight visible beneath
Why It Matters: Ground-level gaps are the primary entry point for spiders, crickets, mice, and cockroaches.
Recommended Action: Install heavy-duty aluminum and rubber door sweeps adjusted firmly against the threshold.
Tree limbs and dense bushes are trimmed at least 3 feet away from roof and siding
Why It Matters: Overhanging vegetation creates physical bridges for roof rats, squirrels, and carpenter ants.
Recommended Action: Prune branches back at least 36 inches from roof edges, gutters, and siding.
Gutters are debris-free and downspouts discharge at least 5 feet from foundation
Why It Matters: Saturated soil along foundations creates ideal subterranean termite and carpenter ant harborage.
Recommended Action: Clear gutters twice annually and attach 5-foot extension pipes to redirect runoff.
Firewood and mulch piles are elevated and located at least 20 feet from the structure
Why It Matters: Ground firewood shelters wood-boring beetles, subterranean termites, and rodent nests.
Recommended Action: Store firewood on elevated racks 20+ feet away from walls; keep wood mulch 12" away from siding.
Kitchen & Food Storage
0/5 SecuredUnder-sink cabinet pipe penetrations are sealed with escutcheon plates and silicone
Why It Matters: Direct highway for German cockroaches and mice traveling between multi-unit apartments or crawlspaces.
Recommended Action: Secure escutcheon plates flush against drywall and seal gaps with pure silicone caulk.
Pantry staples (flour, rice, oats, cereals, seeds) are stored in airtight glass/plastic containers
Why It Matters: Thin paper/cardboard packaging allows pantry moths and flour beetles to spread across goods.
Recommended Action: Repackage dry carbohydrates into airtight containers with rubber gasket seals.
Under-stove and behind-refrigerator floor areas are cleaned of grease and crumb buildup
Why It Matters: Warm appliance compressor coils with trapped food debris form prime cockroach harborage.
Recommended Action: Pull appliances out quarterly to sweep, vacuum, and degrease floorboards and surrounding walls.
Kitchen garbage bins have tight lids, and organic waste is emptied nightly before sleep
Why It Matters: Decomposing organic waste attracts fruit flies, house flies, cockroaches, and nocturnal rodents.
Recommended Action: Use step-pedal trash cans with sealing gaskets; take moist food scrap bags out every evening.
Pet kibble and water dishes are not left standing out on floors overnight
Why It Matters: Constant open pet food is the #1 attractant for indoor mice and rat foraging.
Recommended Action: Feed pets on a schedule and store bulk bags in hard plastic bins with screw-top lids.
Bathrooms & High-Moisture
0/3 SecuredBathroom exhaust ventilation fans operate properly and run 15–20 minutes post-shower
Why It Matters: Persistent high humidity (>60% RH) fosters booklice, silverfish, and fungal spores.
Recommended Action: Clean exhaust fan grilles and operate fans until relative humidity drops below 50%.
Silicone caulking around tubs, shower pans, and sinks is intact without mildewed crevices
Why It Matters: Water seeping behind tile promotes hidden moisture voids where pharaoh ants and silverfish nest.
Recommended Action: Strip peeling or mouldy caulk, disinfect with soapy water, dry thoroughly, and apply mold-resistant silicone.
No visible pipe condensation or slow drips beneath vanity sinks or toilet shut-off valves
Why It Matters: Even slow, pinhole drips provide adequate daily hydration for active pest colonies.
Recommended Action: Tighten slip joints or replace worn rubber washers; insulate cold pipes that sweat in summer.
Basement, Crawlspace & Attic
0/3 SecuredBasement/crawlspace relative humidity is monitored and kept below 50% with dehumidification
Why It Matters: High subterranean humidity allows wood-destroying fungi and subterranean termites to thrive.
Recommended Action: Operate an Energy Star rated dehumidifier; ensure crawlspace dirt floors have a 6-mil vapor barrier.
Attic soffits, ridge vents, and gable louvers have intact 1/4-inch corrosion-resistant mesh
Why It Matters: Open attic louvers invite bats, squirrels, raccoons, and stinging wasp queens.
Recommended Action: Staple heavy-duty galvanized steel mesh (hardware cloth) over interior openings of all vents.
Stored belongings in basements/attics are kept in sealable plastic totes off concrete floors
Why It Matters: Corrugated cardboard boxes absorb subterranean moisture, providing glue and cellulose for pests.
Recommended Action: Replace cardboard boxes with clear plastic bins; store totes on elevated wire shelving.
When Physical Exclusion Is Not Enough
Integrated Pest Management stresses that physical repairs and sanitation eliminate 80%+ of pest vulnerabilities. However, active nesting requires professional intervention when:
- You observe fresh mud tubes running up concrete foundations (subterranean termite emergence).
- You hear gnawing or scampering sounds inside enclosed wall voids or ceilings after dark.
- Live bed bugs or fecal spotting are discovered across multiple rooms or in adjacent apartment units.
- Occupants experience severe respiratory irritation, asthma flares, or venomous sting reactions.