Pests such as mouse, bugs, cockroaches, termites, and a disgusting lot more can take toll in the middle of your relaxation. Like humans, apparently, they also need shelter to survive especially in the middle of a cold season. Hence, the chance of these creatures nesting in your home is relatively high. If not attended, these pests can pose serious health threats and damages to you, your family, and your property.

Pests and the Damage They Can Cause

Different kinds of pests can disturb and damage your peaceful abode through their own annoying and disgusting ways. For instance, rodents devour probably everything they can see including electrical wires which can pose more serious hazards. They chew on drywall too. Worse than that, they are known to pass on diseases like Hantavirus and salmonella. The same awful fate can be experienced with cockroaches that are known to contaminate stored foods and whose droppings can trigger allergic asthma especially in your kids. There are also these spiders that are commonly found around homes. If poisonous, they can create serious health threats obviously. All this only shows how pest management like bees control, ants control and other types of pests is important in one’s home especially if you have toddlers around.

Pest Management

Consider these ten pest-proofing tips to keep pests outside during cold seasons:

• Start installing screens in your attic vents and chimney openings. Also screen any other areas in your home where there is an outdoor opening like mail slots and animal doors. Screen as much as you can.
• Since pests are attracted to moistened areas, make sure to keep crawl spaces, attics, and basements dry and well ventilated. These areas of moisture are what they partly need to survive; make life hard for them. You may also use dehumidifiers in garages and basements as these can keep the areas dry too.
• Using steel wool and caulk, seal all crevices and cracks you can find on the outside of the home as this will eliminate the chances of rodents to enter in your area. As some of them can fit through a small hole, paying close attention to these cracks and where utility pipes enter your walls will also greatly help.
• Keep a clean kitchen counter. Also, store food in sealed containers and regularly dispose garbage in sealed receptacles outside your home. Do not let crumbs and garbage build up in your area. Doing so will only attract pests all the more. (Also, it is best to clean up the table right after each meal and clean up the kitchen right after preparing food as they may be watching out.)
• To keep pests and also cold air out of the house, regularly replace weather stripping and repair loose mortar around the windows and foundation.
• If you have firewood, the most ideal distance of its storage should be at least twenty feet away from your house. You should also keep your shrubbery well-trimmed. This is to make sure areas where pests can hide are far from your home’s entrance. This will lessen the chance of them finding a way in.
• Repair damaged screens and install door sweeps as cracks and torn window screens can be an ideal entry point for rodents, and other sorts of pests.
• Make sure the packages arriving are free of pests before bringing them indoors. These include package deliveries, boxes of decorations, and even grocery bags. Do not underestimate these pests’ creative juices in getting inside your home. And remember, one false move spoils the battle.
• If you have pets, keep their plates clean. Do not let their leftovers out there in the open for long periods of time. These are gems to pests’ eyes too.
• Make sure your drainage system outdoors is well maintained and well-functioning. This is to make sure to eliminate standing water which attracts pests.

Among the wide family of termites, two kinds are mostly seen in houses and structures: the “drywood termites“, and the subterranean termites. Drywood termites usually dig deep within wooden structures while subterranean ones usually nest and live underground.

To save your house from such pest problems or keep the damage at low, early action and prevention methods should be carried out. Here are the most common signs you could be facing termite problems at home:

• A Swarm’s Presence Anywhere In Your Area

Have you been noticing a number of flying termites under your roof? The winged ones usually emerge from the ground in groups called “reproductive swarms”. They appear especially in early summer or in spring. Every swarm typically has members looking for a mate in it, and they would eventually reproduce to establish a colony. If you have spotted any swarms in your area, or at least noticed a number of discarded wings in specific corners like the basement, consider it a strong sign that a termite colony have intruded your property.

• Structural Property and Construction Damage 

Termites can nest in your walls and house structures. Drywood termites, for instance, are usually found in walls or furniture. They are the usual culprit of damages even in antique ones. Apparently, though, not only structures made of wood are considered termite invasion targets. They also pose a threat to structures made of other selective materials apart from feeding on ceilings, floors, cabinets, and wooden furniture. In fact, termites are also capable of passing through metal sliding windows, plasters, and more.

Termites are called silent invaders because they are often unnoticed until considerable damage is seen.

If you have seen a suspicious damage in your properties or home construction, know that it may be a sign of a serious termite problem. Because of there silent nature, it may be practical to seek regular help from a pest control company.

• Narrow Mud Tubes

These mud tubes that run along your outside walls may indicate that termites have put up tunnels between their source of food that is your wooden structures, and their nest. If you have noticed tunnels along your house foundation, it could be a sign that subterranean termites have infested in your underground area.

• Hollow Sounds

Try tapping your wooden walls and furniture from time to time. More often than not, a hollow kind of sound means some creatures are starting to feed on these woods from the inside. A hollow sound is one of the early signs that termites are beginning to destruct your property. Unfortunately, late detection usually means termite infested woods might need complete replacement.

Other specific and easy-to-remember warning signs that termites have infested or are about to intrude are as follows:

• Crumbling wood
• Discoloration and presence of small holes in dry walls
• Floorboards with excessively squeaky sound
• Windows or doors that are hard to move
• Patterns visible in furniture, walls, and floor boards that are usually maze-like
• Tiles loosening
• Presence of drywood termite pellets that usually appear like small piles of pepper or salt

Because presence of termites can be hard to determine, a regular thorough inspection of any property is vital to prevent structural damages. If you barely have time to do the inspections yourself, call a pest control hotline right away. Their professionals are usually armed with the right equipment and knowledge in assessing whether you really have termite visitors or not. They also offer solutions to completely eradicate them.