10 Things Every Montreal Homeowner Should Do to Prevent Pest Infestations

Published March 11, 2026 · Extermination DMP

Prevention is always cheaper than treatment. Montreal's climate — hot, humid summers and freezing winters — creates a year-round cycle of pest pressure. Insects want in during spring and summer; rodents push indoors every fall. The good news is that most infestations are preventable with a handful of practical steps. Here are ten things licensed exterminators wish every homeowner would do.

1. Seal your foundation. Walk the exterior of your home in September, before the first frost. Fill every crack wider than 6 mm with steel wool and caulk. Pay special attention to where the siding meets the foundation — this is the number-one entry point for mice in Quebec homes.
2. Install door sweeps on every exterior door. A gap under a door is an open highway for cockroaches, spiders, and mice. Rubber or brush sweeps are inexpensive and take minutes to install.
3. Fix moisture problems immediately. Leaking pipes under the kitchen sink, condensation on basement walls, and clogged weeping tiles all attract pests. Carpenter ants, silverfish, and cockroaches are drawn to moisture. A dry home is a pest-resistant home.
4. Keep food in sealed containers. Transfer cereal, flour, rice, and pet food from cardboard boxes into glass or hard-plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Even a small spill in the pantry can sustain a colony of ants or cockroaches for weeks.
5. Take garbage out regularly. Do not let kitchen waste sit overnight in an open bin. Use a garbage can with a lid and take it to the outdoor bin daily during summer months when fruit flies and wasps are active.
6. Trim trees and shrubs away from the house. Branches touching the roof give squirrels, raccoons, and carpenter ants a bridge directly to your attic. Maintain a minimum 1-metre clearance between vegetation and the building.
7. Store firewood away from the house. Woodpiles stacked against the foundation harbour carpenter ants, spiders, and mice. Keep firewood at least 6 metres from the house and elevate it off the ground.
8. Screen vents and chimneys. Attic soffit vents, plumbing stacks, and chimney openings without screens are open invitations for birds, bats, squirrels, and raccoons. Use galvanized steel mesh with openings no larger than 6 mm.
9. Inspect second-hand furniture and appliances. Bed bugs and cockroaches frequently arrive in used mattresses, sofas, and kitchen appliances. Inspect every seam, joint, and crevice before bringing anything inside — especially items picked up from the curb or online marketplaces.
10. Schedule a seasonal inspection. Even if you do not see pests, a professional inspection in spring and fall can catch early signs of activity before a full-blown infestation develops. At Extermination DMP, our technicians check the attic, basement, foundation perimeter, and common entry points during every inspection visit.

When Prevention Is Not Enough

If you are already seeing droppings, hearing scratching, or waking up with bites, the time for prevention has passed and active treatment is needed. A licensed exterminator can identify the species, locate the source, and apply targeted treatments that are safe for your family and pets. The sooner you act, the easier and less costly the solution.