Phone answered 24/7Boulder, CO 80302(855) 974-4733
Free quote (855) 974-4733
Serving Boulder County

Fall Pest Exclusion and Sealing in Boulder, CO

Finding and closing the gaps in a building’s outer skin, so fall invaders have fewer ways in and fewer places to settle.

Call (855) 974-4733Free estimate
  • Phone answered 24/7
  • Boxelder bugs in fall
  • Price approved before work

Get a fast quote

Fastest: call (855) 974-4733. Or send this and we call you back.

By sending this form you agree that Boulder Pest Control may call or text you at the number provided about this request. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message and data rates may apply. See our Privacy Policy.

Exclusion

Fall Invader Exclusion and Sealing: what it covers

Quick answer

Fall pest exclusion means finding and closing the gaps that let insects move from outside into a home before cold weather. CSU Extension advises screening or sealing entry points first, which is why exclusion comes before any residual in Boulder.

Fall Invader Exclusion and Sealing illustration for Boulder, CO

Exclusion is the quiet service. Nothing is sprayed and nothing is visibly dead when the work is done. What changes is the number of routes into the house, and that number is what keeps the next autumn from being a surprise. A good exclusion job looks as ordinary as a caulking job, and it is judged by what does not come in over the following months.

The reason it matters in Boulder is the pattern the Colorado State University Extension material describes. Insects that gather on warm fall and winter days on the outside of a building get in through cracks, and the cracks are almost always at the same few places: window and door frames, siding joints, soffits and the points where cables and pipes pass through the wall. Sealing those places is the step that reduces the problem, and a spray that does not seal them cannot.

Service area
Boulder & Boulder County
Availability
Phone answered 24/7
Warning signs

Signs you need fall invader exclusion and sealing

Work from a stable ladder on firm ground, with someone nearby. Keep the ladder away from overhead power lines, and do not reach across a gap to seal it from an unstable position. Use the right respirator or mask when cutting or sanding foam, and keep pets and children out of the work area while foam or caulk is being applied.

  • A light showing through a gap at a window corner or a door threshold when the room is dark
  • A draught moving a curtain or a loose sheet of paper on a still day
  • A dark line of grime on the inside of a window frame, where insects have been walking in
  • A gap in caulk at the joint between a window and the siding
  • Holes or open vents in the soffit with no screen in place
  • A cable or pipe passing into the house through a ragged hole with no collar
Our process

How our fall invader exclusion and sealing visit works

  1. Walk the outside at the right height

    The technician looks at the building from ground level and from a ladder, because some of the gaps are only visible from above. The south and west faces get the most attention, since that is where the sources say the insects gather.

  2. Test each gap with light and touch

    On the inside, a flashlight is held behind a window or door frame to show light through a gap. A hand near a frame feels a draught. Both checks catch what the eye on the outside misses.

  3. Seal the gaps in the right order

    Large holes come first, then the joints, then the fine cracks. Foam goes into the deep openings and caulk onto the surface joints. Each sealed point is marked on the plan so the homeowner can see what is done.

  4. Fit screens and weatherstripping

    Vent openings are screened and worn door sweeps are replaced. These are the parts that wear out and let gaps reappear, so the plan notes when they were fitted and when they should be checked.

  5. Check from inside on a sunny day

    A final pass on a bright day shows any light still coming through. Gaps that remain are added to the list rather than left as a surprise for November.

Where do fall invaders get into a Boulder house?

They get in at the gaps that the building has always had: frames around windows and doors, joints in the siding, the soffit area and the spots where a cable, pipe or vent passes through the wall. Those are the same places the CSU material points to, and they are where the exclusion work begins.

A window frame is the most common route because it is made of several parts that meet at corners and at the sill. Over years, the caulk shrinks or cracks at those corners, and a gap opens that is hard to see from a distance. The gap is often no wider than a few millimetres, which is still enough for a small insect. On the south face, the sun dries the caulk faster, so the gaps there tend to open earlier.

Soffits and vents are the second group. Where the soffit meets the wall, there can be a joint that has moved with the seasons. A vent without a fine screen is an open door in practice. The technician checks whether each vent has a screen, whether the screen is intact and whether the joint behind it is sealed.

Does sealing a building work better than a spray?

Sealing is the step that lasts. A spray can reduce the insects on a surface for a while, but it does not close the route in. CSU advises screening or sealing entry points, and a residual is presented as a longer-term option on top of that.

A spray works on the insects it reaches, on the surface it touches, and for as long as the product stays active. A gap works all the time. Once a gap is closed, it stops letting insects through the same way every warm day in the season. That difference is why exclusion is treated as the first step in a fall plan and the residual as an addition.

The two can be combined. A building that has been sealed can still get a residual on the foundation where insects gather, and that residual is more effective because the number of new arrivals is lower. The report says which parts were sealed, which were treated and what was left for the next check.

What materials work for sealing, and where?

Caulk, expanding foam and fitted screens cover most exclusion work. Each suits a different gap, and each should be placed so that sun and weather do not break it down quickly.

Caulk suits small joints where two surfaces meet and move a little. It should be a product made for exterior use and should be tooled so it sits in the joint rather than on top of it. Foam suits deeper openings, such as the gap around a cable through a rim joist. Expanding foam is not weatherproof in sunlight, so exposed foam is trimmed and covered or painted to protect it.

Screens belong on vents and open soffit spaces. Weatherstripping and a door sweep close the gap under an exterior door, which is often the largest gap in an older house. A technician will name the material used for each point and explain how long it is expected to last before the next check.

How often should exclusion be checked?

Check the sealing once a year, before the warm fall period, and after any storm or freeze that could move a joint. The check focuses on the points that were sealed last time and on any new gap that has opened since.

A yearly check is a sensible default for a Boulder house, but the right interval depends on the building. A house with wood siding on a south face may move more than one with brick on all sides. The technician sets the interval on the first visit and writes the reason for it in the report.

The check itself is short. The technician repeats the inside light test, looks at the screens and the sweeps, and walks the outside at the points that moved. Anything new is sealed while the technician is there, so the next season begins with a clean list.

Options

Types and options for fall invader exclusion and sealing

Single-room exclusion

Sealing confined to one room where insects keep appearing, such as a bedroom with a window on the warm side of the house.

Whole-building exclusion

A full pass around the outer skin, with a written list of every gap found and sealed. It suits an older house or one with a history of repeated invasions.

Pre-season top-up

A shorter visit in late summer to check the sealing from the last season, replace any worn screens and close the gaps that have opened over the hot months.

Boulder County

Why fall invader exclusion and sealing is different in Front Range of Colorado

The fall pattern in Boulder is set by the sun and the air temperature more than by the calendar. A warm afternoon in late September can start the gathering on south walls, which is when the exclusion work should already be finished.

The Front Range climate in Boulder County swings from warm days to cold nights. That movement opens joints in caulk and siding, so an exclusion job from two years ago may have gaps again.

Older houses on the older streets near downtown Boulder often have more gaps around window frames than newer builds. The check is about the building in front of the technician, not a generalised picture of the town.

Need fall invader exclusion and sealing today?

Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.

Call (855) 974-4733Get a quote
Where we work

Fall Invader Exclusion and Sealing across Boulder County

Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.

Related

Boxelder Bug Control

Sealing the entry points and removing the bugs that have already come inside, timed to the warm days when they move.

General Pest Control

An inspection-led visit for the pests that actually show up in Boulder homes, with treatment limited to what the inspection finds.

Guides

Read before you book

A Month-by-Month Pest Calendar for Boulder

This calendar follows the seasons the Colorado sources describe: boxelder bugs gathering on warm fall and winter days, and subterranean termites present in the state.

FAQ

Fall Invader Exclusion and Sealing FAQs

Can I seal the gaps myself?

Many gaps can be sealed by a homeowner with the right caulk or foam and a steady hand. The technician can show you where they are. Larger gaps, gaps at height and any work near electrical or gas lines are better left to a professional.

How long does exclusion last?

It depends on the material and the exposure. Exterior caulk and foam weather with sun and cold, so the plan notes when each point should be checked. A yearly look is the usual minimum.

Will exclusion stop every insect?

No. It reduces the routes in, which reduces the number that get inside. Insects that are already inside stay inside until they are removed, and a few may still find a gap nobody has found yet.

Is exclusion covered by a warranty?

This site does not offer a warranty on any work. The technician explains what was sealed and what the plan recommends for the next check, and the work itself is between the homeowner and the company that performs it.

WhatsApp