How to debug your home

If you hate bugs, you’re not alone. Nearly seven in 10 Americans can’t sleep if they know there’s an insect in the room, according to a recent survey conducted by OnePoll for Zevo.

The same poll also found that two in three Americans would give up a month’s pay to not deal with bugs.

Science says your visceral reaction is actually quite rational. According to researchers at the University of California-Davis, those creepy-crawly feelings you may experience upon seeing a bug is simply nature’s way of helping you avoid pathogens and parasites.

The good news? Insect experts say that there are steps you can take to protect your home turf from disgusting bugs and other pests.

“While you should not lose your healthy distaste for bugs, you can take steps to keep them out of your home,” says Daniel Perry, entomologist at Procter & Gamble.

Here are a few ways to help keep America’s top three hated bugs: cockroaches, spiders and ants, along with a host of other common insects, out of your home.

• Guard doors and windows.

Keep doors and windows sealed when they’re not in use. If you love a fresh breeze, be sure that your screen doors and windows are in tip-top shape and contain no holes.

Don’t have a screen door? Consider quickly installing a mesh door screen over your front door or patio door that seals up the middle with a magnet. This is a good choice for renters and others unable to make more intensive home updates.

• Seal holes.

Use an afternoon to caulk small cracks in your home’s foundation and siding. This is a quick, easy and affordable way to seal these common entry points for bugs.

• Remove their food source.

Bugs need a food source to survive, so keep your home clean. In the kitchen, seal your trash bin and remove its contents regularly, wipe down surfaces — especially after spills — and sweep up those crumbs. A cockroach can survive months on a single crumb of food!

Be sure to regularly vacuum furniture, rugs and carpets in any room where you eat.

• Blast bugs.

Bugs will find their way into your home no matter how hard you try to keep them out. Because a small bug problem can spread quickly, it’s important to be ready to meet them head-on.

Zevo sprays, including the brand’s Multi-Insect Killer Spray, are powered by essential oils. Zevo’s BioSelective Technology was developed by experts to be targeted to bugs’ distinct biology, plus Zevo is safe for use around people and pets when used as directed. To learn more, go to zevoinsect.com.

STATEPOINT If you’re tired of being grossed out in your own home, it’s time to take charge. Not only can you help prevent insects from invading your home, you can swing into action at the first sign of bugs to make sure it doesn’t become a bigger problem for you and your family later.