7 Tips for Keeping Your Deck Mosquito Free

You’re all ready to enjoy the lovely spring and soon to come summer with friends and family out on your deck when party crashers arrive and ruin everything. They bite, sting and annoy your guests destroying the relaxed atmosphere you are trying to create. We’re referring, of course, to mosquitoes which are the bane of every outdoor gathering for not only are they nuisances; certain types are capable of transmitting a whole list of dangerous diseases to their victims. So how do you protect your family and friends from these perennial menaces? Here are some tips for keeping these pests away from your outdoor gatherings.

• Empty free-standing water: Mosquitoes transmit diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever,  Japanese encephalitis and Zika fever to name but a few. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that you keep your gutters clean and your birdbaths, old tires, wheelbarrows, and swimming pool covers clear of standing water. Mosquitoes leave their larvae in water. Drop a larvicide, such as bleach, into stagnant pools of water that cannot be emptied.
• Correct drainage problems beneath your deck: As Chatham, NJ deck builders we know that in the area beneath your deck, indentations can sometimes form. In these indentations, water can collect. We recommend that you fill these areas in with sand to prevent mosquitoes from depositing their larvae.
  
• Install potted mosquito repellent plants: Plants like Citronella, Mint, Rosemary, Lemon Grass and others naturally repel mosquitoes and can make your deck look more attractive.
• Use mosquito repellent incense: Citronella candles and incense can be found in many kinds of brick and mortar stores and online. They are generally quite effective at repelling mosquitoes and gnats.
• Maintain your landscape: Mosquitoes seek refuge in overgrown grass, weeds and hedges. They take shelter amongst the cool vegetation during hot summer days. Regularly cut the grass and hedges around your deck in order to prevent them from hiding there.
  
• Consider adding an enclosed deck: It is much easier to control the environment on an enclosed deck than it is to control the environment of one that is not. As Westfield, NJ deck builders, we build sturdy deck enclosures too.
  
• Apply repellant: The active ingredient in Off™ is DEET. Spray a little on before going outside on your deck.

Finally, don’t let mosquitoes and other flying insects doom your outdoor gathering. Try some or all of the above methods and you will increase the enjoyment of your deck and provide a safe, healthy environment for your friends and family.

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