Nothing ruins a summer evening more than mosquitoes. And when they’re in your home, they can drive you nuts. Mosquitoes not only leave nasty, itchy bites, but they also carry dangerous diseases like West Nile Virus. Even a single mosquito buzzing around your bed can keep you awake at night. Here are some tips to keep your home mosquito-free next summer.
1. Plant Ottawa best suited Mosquito-repelling plants
Some plants give off fragrances that mosquitoes hate some other needs to have their leaves crushed and rubbed on your cloth or skin to repel them. But not all of them would survive our climate (we are a zone 5 on the Plant Hardiness Zone Map), so here are the plants you should plant around your patio doors and windows in the Nation Capital Region!
Perennials:
Bee Balm
Catnip: plant in raised garden bed as it can become invasive, the most effective variety is Nepeta citriodora.
English Lavender: the Hidcote, Munstead and Twickle Purple variety will survive our winters.
Mint and Peppermint: crush the leaves to release the fragrant oils mosquitoes hate, avoid the Pennyroyal variety as it is toxic.
Sage
Annuals that become perennials if you plant them in post and put inside before the first frost:
Citrosa geranium: crush the leaves to release the the fragrant oils mosquitoes hate.
Lemongrass: crush the leaves to release the the fragrant oils. Will love being dormant in your basement during the winter.
Lemon Basil, also effective but less potent: Cinnamon Basil
Annuals:
Citronella Grass: not to be confused with citronella plants, crush the leaves to release the the fragrant oils.
Marigold: the more fragrant the variety the better.
Additional tips: keep your lawn mown and trimmed, as mosquitoes love to hide in tall grass. Eliminating standing water in your yard will also keep the population down.
2. Install screens on windows and doors
Ensure all your windows and patio sliding doors have adequate screens and patch any holes or rips. If you can see the light passing through cracks around your door, it’s not sealed correctly and can allow mosquitoes to get in. Use weather stripping to close any gaps. Replacing your doors with venting doors allows you to enjoy fresh air in your home, and a screen behind the movable sash will keep bugs at bay.
3. Use ceiling or pedestal fans
Mosquitoes are tiny and have a difficult time flying in windy conditions. Install ceiling fans and use pedestal fans in your bedroom to keep mosquitoes from buzzing around your ears at night. Additionally, fans disperse your bodily aromas — namely lactic acid from sweat and exhaled carbon dioxide — that attract mosquitoes.
4. Use a bug zapper
If you have a few stray bugs in your home, a bug zapper can eliminate them. The device uses UV light to attract insects, which are then electrocuted when they touch the metal mesh that surrounds the light. These gadgets can also effectively reduce the number of house flies in your home.
5. Burn candles
Mosquitoes hate the smell of citronella and lavender. Burning scented candles with these natural repellents will give your home a pleasing scent while making it less inviting to those annoying little pests.
Sliding doors in Ottawa
At Canadian Comfort Windows & Doors, we carry Ottawa’s largest selection of windows and sliding doors, complete with screens, so you can enjoy fresh air in a bug-free home. We’ve been a trusted window and door company in Ottawa since 1968. Contact us today to get a free quote on a window replacement.