Why Pests are a Problem

Everyone has experienced unwanted pests in their home. No matter what time of year or where you live, you should always be on the lookout for signs of pests. Whether it’s rodents taking shelter in your attic, or bees building a nest outside your home, finding pests in your home is never fun. However, an infestation of pests can potentially be more than just an inconvenience or annoyance.

While you may think that anything as small as most pests can’t cause any major issues, that certainly isn’t the case. If pests go unnoticed in your home for long periods of time, they have the potential to harm your home and the people living inside. Let’s look at two major problems that pests can cause.

Property Damage 

Damage caused by pests should be near the top of any property owner’s list of potential threats. In many cases, people are unaware that they have a problem with pests until damage has already been done. The extent to how much damage can be caused varies greatly with different types of pests, but many have the capabilities of creating major issues.

According to the EPA, termites alone cause billions of dollars’ worth of structural damage to home and business owners. Termites feed on wood, and if they go unnoticed for long, have the ability to seriously damage the structure of your home.

Other pests that have the ability to cause serious harm are carpenter ants and carpenter bees. These pests like to make their nests in wood, and the structure of your home can provide the perfect opportunity. Rodents present a different threat than most pests, as they tend to chew on wiring and can create fire hazards.

Cause of Sickness 

Pests can impact our health in a variety of ways that you may not be aware of. While it often takes a swarm or colony of pests to damage your home, it may only take a single pest to get you sick.

You’re probably familiar with one of the big health hazards surrounding pests: the ability to transmit diseases. We are currently seeing an extreme case of this with the spread of the Zika virus. Mosquitos bite an infected person or animal and the disease spreads as mosquitoes travel and bite uninfected bodies.

Pests are also able to pass along diseases to humans without coming in direct contact. Pests that carry bacteria can spread the bacteria by landing on our food. Consuming the food can cause intestinal issues and other sicknesses in people and animals.

An impact that you might not be familiar with is the effect pests can have on people with allergies and asthma. According to the New England Pest Management Association, dust mites are second to pollen in causing allergic reactions. Cockroaches can have similar effects on people. In both cases, droppings from the pests can also cause allergic reactions or asthma attacks. If you can’t seem to escape allergies but can’t figure out why, this might be the reason.

If you suspect you have a pest infestation or would like to have your home examined for any potential damage, give us a call today at (800) 229-2888 or visit our website.

Telltale Signs of a Rodent Infestation

A small mouse can be cute when contained in a cage, but thinking about a whole family of mice scurrying around your home is enough to send chills down your spine! Sure, to many, mice or rats may seem harmless compared to other pests, but the truth is a rodent infestation can lead to damage to your home and health risks to you, your family, and your pets.

You may have suspicions that you have a rodent or two inside your home, and where there is one mouse or rat there is almost always more. Here are a few of the telltale signs that you have a rodent infestation in your home:

Droppings: It probably goes without saying that droppings are a clear sign that there are rodents in your home. Though easily recognizable, if you aren’t looking for droppings you may not notice them for weeks or even months! Droppings are especially helpful evidence to exterminators, as they indicate what kind of rodents are in your home, the size, the age, the general amount, and the areas of your home in which they like to hang out (and where traps should be set most densely).

Urine odors: While not as easy to detect as droppings, rodent urine has a strong musty smell that you will start to notice in your home when there is an infestation. If you have pets, you may often mistake this smell as your cat or dog having indoor “accidents”, but if you continue to notice a problem, you should consider the possibility that you may have acquired a few more animal inhabitants in your home.

Gnaw holes: Depending on the size and type of rodents in your home, you may start to notice coin-sized gnaw holes through pages and boxes in your kitchen and bathrooms, and even along the bottom or your walls. These holes will appear with rough torn edges, and can lead to food contamination and eventually structural damage to your home if the infestation is not properly treated.

Scampering noises: Keep in mind that most rodents are nocturnal, so they’ll be asleep during the day and awake at night. If you have an infestation, you’ll see or hear rodents moving throughout your home in the evening.

Unusual pet behavior: Pets will often act unusual when there is a rodent infestation in your home. They may seem to bark or meow at nothing, be on high alert at all times, or start to paw under doorways and pieces of furniture. If you happen to notice your pet acting out of the ordinary or like they’re seeing something that you can’t see, they may have caught onto a few pests before you have!

If you are experiencing a rodent infestation, give us a call at (800) 229-2888 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. An infestation will only get worse and become more detrimental if not properly dealt with. Don’t delay in calling in the professional pest experts!