You may have gotten a break from shoveling this winter, but the lack of snow and freezing temperatures will create more work for you this spring. Without a deep freeze, the bugs already are looking for ways into your home, and the raccoons, skunks and chipmunks are getting an early start of digging into your yard and attic. And since the snow we usually get was rain instead, you may have to do more work to protect and maintain your home this year. So far this winter, Johnson County has not had any days with 3 inches or more of snow on the ground. The average temperature has been about 15 degrees higher than usual. And we’ve had more days in the 50s than in the 20s. In the past 147 years, this winter ranks 8th in terms of least snow.
But that may not be such good news for homeowners this spring. Because of the mild wet winter we have had, sump pumps have been running more, which puts them more at risk for wearing out during the spring, when they usually get the most use. Homeowners need to monitor their sump pumps to make sure they work, so they don’t come home to a flooded basement.
Another big concern is bugs and pests. For homeowners, that means taking some extra time this year to inspect their homes for cracks and then seal them, remove mulch that is too deep and could provide an ideal home for ants, and get rid of standing water that mosquitoes use as a breeding ground. Ants are finding their way into homes and have been a problem all winter, when the cold temperatures usually kill them off. The warm temperatures aren’t the only issue. Wet weather also floods the ants’ homes and sends them scurrying for shelter, which will be inside your home if they can find a way in because they want to find higher ground. “Rain floods their homes, pushes them up, and they find every nook and cranny in our house, just trying to get to high ground. You will also be likely to see more millipedes, beetles and termites this spring due to our mild winter.
Skunks, raccoons, moles and chipmunks are also more active in warm weather. Raccoons usually hibernate 20 to 30 days in the winter, when the weather is cold enough. This year, that has been reduced to four days. And since those sneaky critters will almost always find a way into your house, that means they are causing more damage this year. They are moving around more and leaving more of their waste behind. The warmer weather also could mean more babies this spring, since raccoons just finished their mating season. (Adopted From www.dailyjournal.net)
