If you are trying to figure out the ways that spiders can enter your home there are many areas where they can enter. I am going to share with you how to check for spiders. This is mostly done through physical evidence pertaining to 3 main things: Spider Webs, Egg Sacs, and Spiders themselves.
But before I get too carried away let’s answer the question that you came here for.
So, can spiders come through the air conditioner? Yes, spiders can make their way into your HVAC ducts easily. This is done through a few different possible ways.
- Your attic, crawl space, basement, garage, or closet will have the main system or return where they can maneuver their legs and body in between the filter area to get in.
- If spiders are already in your home they can make their way into your air conditioner through the floor, wall, or ceiling air vent between the slits.
- From the outside of your home if the outside air conditioner hose is not properly sealed spiders can make their way into your home that way.
Maybe you are using a window air conditioning unit. If this is the case you will need to be a little more proactive.
The best way to keep spiders from getting in window units is to use a roll of fiberglass screening and cut it to the vent size and with double-sided tape or packing tape you can seal them from getting in that way.
As for the flaps on the side you will want to make sure that they are properly installed and you can use an extra measure of precaution by taping, or boarding them up to get an airtight seal.
Some spiders prefer to hunt at night and can be drawn in by the light so if your ac unit doesn’t have blinds I would suggest that you hide the light from your room with blinds, curtains, or an old pinned up blanket could work too.
What Are Some Other Ways Spiders Get In Your Home?
Spiders have the ability to enter into your home through doors, windows, venting, soffits, plumbing lighting, hvac hose, and electrical. If there is even the tiniest gap, or your home is not properly sealed, they can gain entry through these places.
How To Know If Spiders Are In Your House?
The best way to know if spiders are making their way into your home is through a good home inspection.
You are looking for spider web and spider sacs, this will be the number one indicator that you have spiders in your home.
You can start by inspecting some of the places that are less insulated and the places in or around your home where you spend less time.
Here is my list:
- Garage – The garage has a few access points where spiders can make their way in. It doesn’t matter how quiet or how expensive your garage door is, in my many years of doing pest control I haven’t seen a garage that can’t get spiders from door access. Also windows and if you have an attic entrance in your garage I am willing to bet if you were to look up there you have gable vents that can allow access in your garage through the attic door.
- Basement/Crawl Space – spiders when they aren’t hunting prefer a dark and solitary place to live a basement or crawl space is the perfect place for a spider to gain access into your home. The crawl space will usually have vents that allow access and the basement has access points too through either windows or doors.
- Beneath Furniture – If it has been a while since you have pulled back the flaps to you couch or chair I would take a flashlight and just see if you see webs under your furniture, this is not an uncommon place for spiders to hide people and it allows them to continue to reproduce their young.
- Attics – I mentioned the attic in the garage but there are half finished attics and some upper floors of the home can have an attic and a door leading to it. I would inspect the attic thoroughly with a flashlight. Many homes also keep their air conditioner in the attic and this is a good way for spiders to get in besides the gable vents or other vent and fan systems that are on the roof of your home.
- Closets – Spiders end up in closets because again they like being in dark spaces that are not used by the occupants of the home as regularly as other places. Though this is usually not a way that spiders will make their way into your home they can still be found there.
- Behind Large Appliances – Your refrigerator or stove are some places I have found spiders. If you shine a light behind the appliance, maybe pull it out just enough to take a peek you could potentially find them there.
These are the places I look and I can tell you from first hand experience that if you find spiders in these area it is only a matter of time before you are seeing them out in the open more regularly.
Now that we know where to inspect for the spiders, what should you do about it?
The Spider Treatment Solution
The first thing you need to do to ensure that you are getting rid of the spiders for good is to knock down all webbing and the spider egg sacs with a cobweb duster.
The web buster I recommend is the JT Eaton 20 ft. 4 extension (see the one I use @ domyown.com).
This is AMAZING in durability and strength, it will last you forever and will not break the bank. The best part about this pole by far is the reach. So the pole can go to a desired 20’ but that does not include your arm reach with it as well. This will be the only pole you will need to buy.
I also recommend getting a duster head that uses polystyrene bristles. (I order these heads by the box because of how many homes I do (check the duster heads out here on domyown.com). The bristle fibers are used to pick up fine particles and pull them away from the surface that you desire to clean.
Furthermore, a good way to protect your home from spiders is to spray a pesticide that gives you a residual resistance to spiders. The chemical I recommend is Demand CS (see the current price on domyown.com). I have used Demand for many years and it is the industry standard for getting rid of spider issues. Demand is also labeled for several other bugs and is a good defense to use every 2 months on your home to defend against these pests.
The great thing about Demand is that once you purchase a bottle it will last you for many years. Compare that price to the cost of a pest company.
Conclusion
Spiders can get into your home through your air conditioning unit and will move throughout your home freely, it is my personal and professional opinion that active and preventative treatments are necessary to have a spider free home. You can use sealants to seal outside holes on your home and that does help, however, I do recommend that you use a preventative commercial pesticide that does the job well and if you do these things you will get the results you are after.
So as always I want to thank you for “Buggin Out With Me”
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