What Different Pest Problems Say About Your Home’s Condition
While pest problems to many are a matter of bad luck, those in the know understand otherwise. Different pests indicate different problems about the house itself, and whether an intruder new to the household shows up to stay, it has to do with the potential of the dwelling either being too appealing or just the right fit.
Water Is Too Appealing
It’s not so much that silverfish and centipedes are creepy crawlies, it’s that they act as antennas for water. Those pests require moisture and therein they shouldn’t be seen, but one or twice, but if they’re repeatedly emerging it indicates a severe problem within the home. These are generally high-humidity situations, without proper ventilation, such as basements, small bathrooms without exhaust fans, crawl spaces without proper vapor barriers.
People often confuse carpenter ants with termites. Termites are more detrimental, but carpenter ants are only privy to damaged wood that occurs from either water damage (deterioration) or decay. Carpenter ants do not care about top-quality wood that’s dry and properly reinforced.
In addition, carpenter ants enter the fold with more indoor leaks relative to window and door issues, even roofs where wood panels exist inside. Lake St. Louis pest control services will get to the bottom of this and alleviate stress on both sides while simultaneously looking for problematic leaks that are developing into major foundational damage.
Where There’s a Hole, There’s a Reason
Mice will nest just about anywhere, as long as they can get in, but an average hole has a circumference of a dime. If mice are a consistent problem, it indicates that there are holes around pipes, cracks in the foundation and poor, rotting weather stripping around door and window frames.
Stink bugs and boxelder bugs come into homes in droves, seasonally, at certain times of the year. These bugs are adept at finding small holes through which to crawl. However, if a home is filled with these pests come October, it either means the holes exist or the gaps have transformed into openings over time on the external structure of the home, from gaps in foundations post-siding install, around exterior light fixtures or attic vent openings.
What Termites and Wood-Boring Beetles Tell Us
No one wants to think of termites, but they’re very specific about what they want. Subterranean termites require soil contact as well as a moisture source meaning they invade homes that have wood-ground contact or ground level drainage. Those decorative wood chips right up next to the home is a buffet line for terrestrial termites looking for intent and means of much wood.
Powderpost beetles seek hardwood floors, furniture and structural beams, but these pests come into homes that have a higher moisture content. Finding these pests indicates that wood is compromised beforehand or an additional problem occurs with the wood structure of the home needing to balance with the current moisture levels.
What Occurs in the Kitchen
Cockroaches get a bad reputation for being disgusting but since they are indisputably attracted to food sources and water, they also indicate a lack of sanitation at least indirectly connected to plumbing problems. German cockroaches love food and warmth from loose plumbing around the sink as well, indicating they’re after water just as much as food.
Pantry moths and beetles represent yet another concern. These often come as contaminated food brought into the house after grocery shopping. However, when they nest in attics or cupboards it means stored food is not being properly taken care of—sealed containers, neglected old food in cupboards not checked for regularly, undisturbed environments give pests the means to thrive without challenge.
What Rodents Mean
Rats and mice come with their share of associations. In addition to holes to get inside, they suggest that food sources and nesting materials exist inside the dwelling. For example, garages full of clutter, easy access to pet food outdoors, bird feeders too close to the house essentially scream, “come here for free food, and housing”. In addition, excess clutter means that no one would ever even see rodents sheltering there, think stacked boxes haphazardly aligned instead of putting into designated storage.
The Big Picture
One ant is no big deal on its own. A thousand means something bigger than life, for one colony is establishing itself in a home where there is sufficient food or moisture to nest. One mouse could be a one-off, accidentally brought in through a hole. Droppings located in several different areas show how a structure is not sealed properly.
Many pest-related problems have little to do with pest maintenance but more to do with home maintenance that has not been addressed. Eliminating a colony does little good when it comes back with a vengeance because holes have never been sealed or water has never dried up.
Fortunately, knowing what pests mean differently allows for repairs or renovations to occur sooner rather than later to keep a home less appealing to any new pests wanting to come by, or thinking about it. Sometimes a small gutter or sealed foundation crack with attic ventilation can help bridge both pest concerns and future structural concerns down the line.
