How to fend off a plague on your house

Inside your home

• Do not let water accumulate in or around your home. Fix leaky plumbing.

• Remove or dry out water-damaged and wet materials. Dampness or high humidity can attract pests.

• Store food in sealed glass or plastic containers.

• Keep your kitchen clean and free from cooking grease and oil.

• Do not leave food in pet bowls on the counter or floor for long periods of time.

• Put food scraps or trash in tightly covered, animal-proof garbage cans.

• Empty your garbage frequently.

• Caulk cracks and crevices to control pest access. Make sure doors have gaps no larger than 1/4 inch between the floor and the bottom of the door.

• Bathe pets regularly.

• Avoid storing newspapers, paper bags and boxes for long periods of time.

• Check for pests in packages or boxes before carrying them into your home.

• Install screens on floor drains, windows, heating and air conditioning vents, and doors to discourage crawling and flying pests from entering your home.

• Make sure any passageways through the floor are blocked.

• Place weatherstripping around doors and windows.

• Caulk and seal openings in walls.

• Improve ventilation in crawl spaces.

What else isn't covered?

An HO-3 policy is often called a "broad-risk form," because it covers everything except the exclusions outlined in the policy. It's what the majority of homeowners have.

The standard HO-3 policy contains a number of exclusions, including:

• Freezing of pipes in an unoccupied, vacant or under-construction building.

• Freezing, thawing, pressure or weight of water or ice to a fence, pavement, patio, swimming pool or dock.

• Theft from a building that's under construction.

• Vandalism and malicious mischief if the building has been vacant for more than 30 days.

• Wear and tear on the home including deterioration; insect and rodent infestation; settling, cracking, bulging or expansion of pavement, walls or foundations; or damage from domestic animals.

• Flooding.

• Earthquake.

• Structures used for a business.

• Intentional damage.

• War.

• Nuclear accident.

• Cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, aircraft and boats with anything more than a small motor.

• Property belonging to tenants.

• Animals, birds, and fish.

• Losses resulting from the failure to protect property after a loss.

For more information on what is or isn't covered in the typical homeowners policy, see "Am I covered?"

Updated May 25, 2007

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