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5 Home Maintenance Issues That May Attract Pests
websitebuilder • December 4, 2018
Crumbs on the counter, garbage left uncovered, rotting wood left outside - these are all conditions known to attract pests. But did you know that seemingly small home maintenance issues can make your home more attractive to pests, too?
Your home does not have to have a caved-in roof or missing siding to be appealing to ants, roaches, and other pests. The following are some small, yet common home maintenance issues that perpetuate pest problems.
1. Clogged Gutters
Clogged gutters are especially common in the fall after leaves have fallen from the trees; this is also the time when many pests begin looking for refuge from the cold.
Clogged gutters themselves can become a breeding grounds for pests like ants and cockroaches - then the pests don't have to travel very far to get inside of your home. Clogged gutters also allow water to seep down the side of your home, moistening the foundation and landscaping to make it more appealing to various insects.
Remember to clean out your gutters every fall to avoid pest invasions as the weather grows cold. If your gutters clog easily, consider trimming back any trees near your home to reduce the amount of leaves that end up in the gutters.
2. Unkempt Landscaping
When life gets busy, you may understandably neglect your landscaping. Fallen leaves pile up against your foundation, bushes become overgrown, and weeds may pop up against fences. Brush and weeds provide the perfect shelter for ticks, and pests like centipedes and ants take up residence in leaf piles.
You may also notice an increased number of spiders as your landscaping falls into disarray; spiders eat the other bugs found in the leaves and debris.
If you have trouble keeping up with your landscaping, consider hiring a service to come in, perhaps just a few times per year, to tidy things up. Also think about replacing higher-maintenance shrubs and bushes with ones that require less pruning. Invest in a leaf blower to make leaf cleanup easier than with just a rake.
3. Roof Leaks
You may not notice a tiny roof leak until it grows larger, but insects like carpenter and cockroaches will take notice of the increased amount of moisture in your attic.
Remember to open up your attic every few months to check for leaks, and call a roofing company immediately if you suspect a leak. Always look over your roof after every big storm to ensure leaks are caught and repaired before pests find the moisture.
4. Leaky Plumbing
Leaky plumbing is another common source of moisture that attracts pests. You may not think much of a drippy faucet, for example, but it releases enough water to satisfy the needs of bugs like cockroaches and earwigs.
Make sure you check sinks in spare bathrooms, basements, and other areas where you do not spend as much time. Also look around the base of your toilets for evidence of leaks that may require repair.
5. Cracked Foundations
Small cracks in the foundation may not be a structural threat to your home, but they provide the perfect pathway for cockroaches, earwigs, silverfish, and other pests to enter your basement or crawlspace. You can seal small cracks with water-resistant caulk. If your foundation has a lot of small cracks, you may want to have it sealed and encapsulated by a foundation waterproofing company.
None of these home maintenance issues initially seem serious. But when you take into account the fact that they attract insects to your home, they obviously need to be dealt with. If you are struggling with pests due to any of these home maintenance problems, contact Anteater Pest Control, Inc.
Our experienced exterminators can get rid of ants, spiders, roaches, and more.
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Bats can be cute when you see them in nature, but inside your home, they are more than just a nuisance. Bats can carry deadly diseases, like rabies, which means that if you have a bat, you need to take steps immediately to solve the problem. Removal Options Removal is best left to a professional due to the risks involved. Single Bat A single bat may get into the house through an open window or the chimney. The good news is that this usually is a one-time event and you don't have an infestation. The best course of action is to remove pets and people from the room with the bat, open all of the windows in the room, and then close off the room so the bat can't get into the rest of the house. With luck, the bat will find a window and leave. If you must handle the bat, wear gloves and do not touch the bat directly. The safest option is to call in a pest service if the bat doesn't leave on its own. Roosting Colony Sometimes your home provides the perfect place for daytime roosting. Little-used attics are most at risk, but bats may also colonize crawlspaces, spaces in your walls, or outbuildings. You should not try to remove an entire colony of bats on your own. A pest professional that is aware of local and federal wildlife laws should be called in to trap and remove the bats. Prevention Tactics Once you are free of the bats, your next step is to ensure that they cannot return. Exclusion If a bat can't get into your home, you can't have a bat problem — which is why exclusion is your main goal. Your pest service will inspect your home and find the likely entry points that the bats are using. You can also watch your home during the twilight hours to find where the bats are emerging. Once you know the likely entry points and have had all bats removed from the house, you can seal up the openings so the bats can't regain access to your home. Alternative Dwellings If you live in an area with a high bat population or would simply like to keep these beneficial insect-eaters nearby, then providing alternative dwelling options can be just the ticket for diverting bats away from your home. You can buy or build simple bat boxes. These boxes are typically attached to trees or poles to provide a more attractive roosting space for the bats. Cleanup Safety Bats are not clean animals. If a bat has been roosting in your home, then you will have droppings (called guano) and urine to deal with. Guano Sanitation Bat guano can carry histoplasmosis, a fungal spore that can cause a chronic respiratory disease. If you must try to clean up on your own, you need to cover all of your skin, wear gloves and eye protection, and use a respirator mask. All debris must be cleaned up and all surfaces must be sanitized with a bleach solution. Professionals will also use a HEPA vacuum, which has a strong filter that ensures none of the possible fungal pathogens remain in the air. Dead Bat Removal Extreme caution is necessary if there are dead bats in your home. Conditions like rabies can still be transmitted from dead animals. Wear gloves and do not touch the bat directly if you attempt to remove it yourself. The area where the bat was found must also be completely sanitized with a bleach solution. For more assistance with a bat in the home, contact Anteater Pest Control, Inc.