10 Things in Your Home That Are Attracting Pests Right Now

Pests don't pick homes at random. They're looking for three things: food, water, and shelter. If your home is providing any of these — and most homes in Bergen County are, in ways the owners don't realize — you're going to have uninvited guests. These are ten of the most common attractants we find during home inspections across Fair Lawn, Hawthorne, Glen Rock, and beyond.

1. Leaky Pipes and Moisture Under Sinks

Even a slow drip creates a moisture source that attracts cockroaches, silverfish, and ants. Check under bathroom and kitchen sinks regularly, and fix any drips promptly. Basements in older Bergen County homes are especially prone to moisture issues that go unnoticed for months.

2. Cardboard Boxes in the Basement or Garage

Cockroaches and silverfish love cardboard — they feed on the glue and use the boxes for shelter. Switch to plastic storage bins with lids, especially in humid areas.

3. Pet Food Left Out Overnight

An open bowl of pet food is a buffet for ants, cockroaches, and rodents. Store pet food in sealed containers and pick up bowls at night.

4. Gaps Around Pipes and Utility Lines

Anywhere a pipe, wire, or cable enters your home is a potential entry point. Even small gaps — a quarter inch is enough for a mouse — should be sealed with caulk, steel wool, or foam. This is one of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in older Fair Lawn and Hawthorne housing stock.

5. Overgrown Vegetation Against the House

Shrubs, mulch beds, and ivy growing directly against your foundation create a perfect highway for ants, spiders, and moisture-loving pests. Bergen County's lush landscaping is beautiful — just keep it trimmed back from the house.

6. Firewood Stored on the Porch or Against the House

Firewood is a magnet for carpenter ants, termites, spiders, and rodents. Store it at least 20 feet from the house and elevated off the ground — especially in wooded Wyckoff, Mahwah, and Midland Park neighborhoods.

7. Standing Water in the Yard

Clogged gutters, low spots in the lawn, flower pot saucers, and tarps that collect rainwater are all breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Bergen County's wet springs make this especially relevant — a bottle cap full of water is enough for a mosquito to lay eggs.

8. Crumbs and Spills Not Cleaned Up Promptly

It doesn't take much. Crumbs under the toaster, sticky residue behind the stove, or a spill inside a cabinet can attract and sustain ant and cockroach colonies for weeks.

9. Clutter in Seldom-Used Areas

Piles of newspapers, unused boxes, old clothing, and clutter in attics, basements, and closets give mice and insects ideal nesting spots that go undisturbed for months — a particular concern in the well-established homes throughout Ridgewood, Glen Rock, and Paramus.

10. Gaps in Door Sweeps and Window Screens

Torn screens and worn door sweeps are open invitations. Inspect them every spring and replace any that have gaps. It's one of the cheapest and most effective pest prevention steps any Bergen County homeowner can take.