Stylish Ways to Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Verandah

Construction & Contractors Blog

Verandahs are heavenly during summer, and depending where you live in Australia, they can be heavenly all year round. There is the unfortunate reality that there are some unwelcome visitors who'll want to share your verandah with you. This is not friends and family members who perhaps outstay their welcome when visiting, but more the flying nasties who flock to your verandah, summoned by the light and the scent of food.

Mosquitoes are generally the worst offenders, and an influx of mosquitoes can easily send you scurrying indoors. There are a few methods for deterring these annoying mosquitoes. And the good news is that they will make your verandah infinitely more stylish!

Keep the Air Moving

It can seem surprising that something as small as a mosquito can cause such a large annoyance. Their size makes it fairly straightforward to keep them at bay. A ceiling fan installed in verandahs can have a dual purpose. It provides air circulation on days when the heat becomes a little too much, and it also provides enough of a downward draft to blow those tiny mosquitoes away. Have you noticed that on windy days there seems to be fewer mosquitoes around? This means that while you are sitting under the fan, the chances of being bothered by mosquitoes are greatly minimised.

Greenery and Mosquitoes

Why not add a bit of greenery to your verandah? There are a number of plants that will thrive in the partial shade, and yet you'll want to choose plants that act as natural mosquito repellents. There are quite a few plants that can achieve this goal, so it's really a matter of choosing plants that you like the look of. Citronella plants are perhaps the best known of these varieties, but you can also opt for marigolds if you want to create a beautiful and yet effective mosquito repelling border. Perhaps you want plants that have yet another use? Basil, rosemary and mint emit oils that repel mosquitoes. And they can perk up your cooking!

You could place these plants in pots around your verandah, hang the plants from the roof or maybe even have wooden gardening boxes installed on the side of a fence if part of your verandah is fenced. Talk with your builders about ways you can incorporate greenery into the verandah's construction.

Burn It!

While citronella plants can keep mosquitoes at bay, oil extracted from the plant can be even more effective. The plastic burners that sit atop bamboo holders are perhaps the most common (and most cost-effective), but there are a range of different burners that can suit anyone's taste. You might opt for a tabletop ceramic burner or a cool bottle-style burner that is bolted to the wall.

You don't have to share your verandah with mosquitoes, nor do you need to sacrifice style in order to keep them away.

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1 February 2017

Compelling and Creative Commentary on Construction and Contractors: A Blog

Welcome! My name is Frances, and this is my first blog. Whether you found me through a Google search or were passed my link by a friend, I am so glad you found my blog. I plan to fill it with a range of commentary on the world of contracting and construction work, and I hope that you find my ideas compelling and creative. I am a dog trainer, but I have always loved the world of construction. I tend to work a lot on the weekends and evenings, when my clients are off work. As a result, I have a lot of time to write during the day, and I decided to create this blog. Thank you for reading.