Which 32" door extender to block insects from basement?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hi, I have a sizeable gap between the floor, and the base of my very old 32" basement entry door. Lately, due to abnormal weather, i've been experiencing spider crickets.

I never had that before. This year is the first i've seen them. It may have been only one cricket, which i had spotted months ago in the basement.

But last night, i suddenly saw it on the main floor. Of all places, it creeped into this tiny computer room, on the phone stand near where i sit. I freaked out, remembering how months ago it had jumped at me (up and down like a superball, nearly till the ceiling). So i gingerly gathered my courage to escape from the computer room, and today i called an exterminator, who killed it and laid some glue traps.

When i asked if he can spray the basement, he offered next week, but now i'm thinking - of what use is it to spray - if crickets & huge flying roaches can still enter that gap (with one tiny step down to the driveway)?

So perhaps someone can point me to a good 32" door extender option, which would block insects, and which isn't difficult for a weak shrimp to put on the door?

I've seen some sticky-back ones on Amazon stating they block insects, but some customers complained of them not sticking. That would be the case at my end. I can't see anything sticking to my door.. So it would have to be more permanent

Thanks in advance for anything relevant to my Q.

P.S. I may have PTSD because I keep feeling as if i have creepy crawlies all over my body, even though i don't. That's how traumatized i was by how huge it was, and the way it was eyeing me as if ready to leap. I told the exterminator how brave he was, since it takes guts to tackle those things close up!

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Comments (3)

millworkman
6 years ago
Pictures of the door and frame would help you get good advice.
Mo
6 years ago
I know how you feel. I hate bugs too! But when I was single and living alone for nine years I had to learn to deal with them, and mice too. One night last week I woke up to go to the bathroom, and when I turned on the light there was a spider cricket. We've had them in the basement, but this was the first time I ever saw one upstairs. I swatted it, sucked it up with a Bugzooka, and flushed it down the toilet.

Instead of spending more money with an exterminator and spraying pesticide, I'd try some DIY suggestions first. Get your own glue traps, and put them in the basement. You can put some on the steps and upstairs too. If your basement has high humidity, get a dehumidifier. If you have cardboard boxes on the floor, get rid of them or get them up off the floor.

If all you do is just block the bottom of the basement door, they'll just continue to thrive in the basement. If they want to get upstairs they'll find another way. So dealing with the basement is important. If it'll make you feel more comfortable, you could roll up a towel and put it at the bottom of the door. Or try one of those draft stoppers.

Here's a couple articles with tips.

https://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/spider-crickets/

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/crickets-camel-crickets
jally thanked Mo
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jally
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I see, thanks, but the thing is, I always use that basement door to go out of the house. It works out better for me. And its much too hard for me to overhaul the basement. No strength, not worth it.

I have a dehumidifier running in the basement, pumping into the yard, but i don't think its keeping up with the humidity even though its at lowest setting.

Boy, you're brave! What did you use to swat it? How big was it? Mine was maybe 3" circumference!

Why just bugzooka? Why not a dedicated Cricketzooka that can do it all? Someone like me would snap it up, as long as its proven to work and non-junk. What would you be willing to pay for something like that?