Your house should offer you peace, solitude, and security. You need to do what it takes to make it so. However, there are factors that make it impossible such as pests. these are species of insects that can cause illnesses, damages, and general nuisance in the household.
Many people underestimate the impact of these creatures. Little do they know that some pests can be deadly. The mosquito, for example, is responsible for almost 390 million cases of Dengue yearly, not to mention the cases of other diseases such as Malaria, Yellow Fever, and Zika virus.
Another disturbing insect is the termite. These creatures live for wood. It can destroy your house within months if you do not apply pest control methods. The worst part is, you'll never know that your house is infested until the damage has become irretrievable. Believe it or not, people are driven out of their homes because the foundations have become unreliable to withstand pressure brought by calamities such as storms and hurricanes.
But these are only two of the most authorial insects that infest our houses. There are cockroaches, ants, bed bugs, and fleas. According to experts, it is important to acquaint yourself with the signs of infestation so you can apply interventions immediately. It also gives you the cue to call Burlington, NC exterminators to do the job for you. Without further ado, here are some of the most common signs of pest infestations.
Most Common Signs Of Pest Infestations
1. Pest Droppings
Pest droppings are one indicator of a pest infestation. If you have found droppings in your home, then your home is getting infested by pests. What you need to do now is identify which pests brought the droppings. Note that the excrement of cockroaches is different from that of mice, rats, bed bugs, and fleas. Knowing the differences will give you an idea of what to do to exterminate them.
2. Damaged Structures
Do not readily assume that damages are caused by the wear-and-tear of materials. Sometimes, these are caused by rodents. We all know that mice and rats can gnaw on wooden materials. They can destroy your floorboards and your walls. If you see holes as small as a dime, it could be the work of a mouse. But if the hole is larger and more rugged, a rat might be infesting your house.
Take time to knock on your wooden walls and furniture from time to time. If you hear a hollow sound, termites might have destroyed your property already. Expect that there are other damaged areas in your house that need checking. Contact professionals immediately to contain the infestation before the damage becomes irretrievable.
3. Fabric Damage
Fabric damage is one of the major pieces of evidence of pest infestation. Unfortunately, not only moths are responsible for damage to fabrics but also other pests such as bugs, ants, beetles, and rodents. These pests love to chew on fragile clothing, making it look dirty and worn out. So, whenever you spot small dirty patches, never take it for granted as it can get larger. The more these pests cause serious damage, the more they are uncontrollable and you will end up losing your precious fabrics. Therefore, it is best to seek a professional’s help before the bigger problem arises.
4. Small Dried Blood Spots
Dried blood spots are the trademarks bed bugs that love to burrow into mattresses and bedding, particularly on your sheets or other linens. At night, when you have a good sleep, these bugs can crawl over your skin to bite you. They will leave red and big patches that can be painful and itchy. If you see small, dried blood spots in your sheets, it is best to clean your beddings. But if the situation becomes worse, immediately call for help from a professional bed bug exterminator near you.
5. Damaged Plants
Look out for tracks of insects, as well as nibbling on the edges of grass blades or flowering plants. If you notice any of these, it is a major sign of garden pest infestation. If your garden or lawn starts showing infestation signs, make sure to take the necessary actions as the damage may be caused by beetles, aphids, moths, bugs, crickets, flies, and many more. Thankfully, there are natural repellents you can use to drive pests away, but if the damage becomes uncontrollable, it is advised to call for immediate help from pest control experts.
How To Eliminate And Prevent Pests
If you want to eliminate or prevent pest infestations yourself, here are some of the recommended methods to apply.
Remove sources
Most pests are attracted to food crumbs and food stains. These are two of the main reasons they infest homes. To prevent them from coming inside, keep your house clean. Clean food crumbs and food stains immediately. If you just finished hosting an event at home, do not postpone cleaning up or else it will attract pests and might cause a severe infestation. If you have children around, instruct them to clean as they go. Whenever they use utensils, teach them to wash it. It also pays off to train them to throw their garbage in the right places.
Organize your belongings in closed containers
To avoid pests from roaming around your home or office, it is important to organize your belongings. Some materials in your house are more susceptible to pest infestations. This includes papers, clothes, and food boxes. If you are not using them, store them in a secure close container to avoid harboring insects. Do not just store them in your attic or basement without protection or else pests will dwell and feed on these materials.
Regularly dispose of garbage
In some areas, garbage collectors roam every day. However, there are instances when they gather garbage every week. Whatever the case is, remember not to store garbage inside your house. Install large bins outside to have somewhere to take the trash out daily. This works well for garbage collectors because they already know where to go during scheduled collections.
Seal cracks and holes
Those tiny cracks and holes you often overlook are the entryways of pests. To stop them, you should seal them using durable and reliable materials such as sealants, adhesive tapes, and many more. However, before doing that, you should research the most ideal covering that you can use to the type of wall. This will prevent damage and chipping of walls or floorboards. If you cannot do it on your own, contact a professional so he can do it for you.
Inspect attic and basement
Attics and basements are two of the least visited areas. With that said, it is likely to harbor countless pest species such as cockroaches and rodents. To keep this from happening, it's important to check and clean their attic and basement regularly. With regular human activity, tests are unlikely to dwell in your home.
No leftovers
The number one reason why pests Infest our houses is that we provide their source of food. The exposed leftovers on the table and garbage are their happiness. To prevent them from infiltrating leftovers, you should keep it in the refrigerator or well-sealed container.
Inspect groceries and other purchases
Sometimes, pests can enter our houses by latching on to groceries and second-hand appliances. We can learn to always inspect our belongings before we bring them indoors. Did you know that bed bugs and fleas can also latch onto your shoes and pants? Many people make the mistake of entering the house without removing their shoes or without changing their clothes. As a precaution, always sanitize and clean up before you enter. This has a tremendous effect in preventing various pest infestations.
Install a screen
If you have a garden at home and your plants get attacked by pests, you can install a garden net or cloche to prevent pests from touching your plants. You should try adding herbs to your garden as well. Plants such as Lavender, Mint, Citronella, and Nasturtium are considered repellents to pests. These will function as a barrier to keep various pests from attacking your plants.
Pest control professionals
Not all of us have the luxury of time to apply DIY methods for bug prevention. If you are one of them, consider having professionals on your speed dial. Homes and establishments in North Carolina always contact Go-Forth Home Services whenever they experience pest problems. If I were you, I would look for reliable pest control providers to help me exterminate and prevent countless types of pest infestation.
There you have it! These are only some of the most common methods to eliminate and prevent pests at home. If you're experiencing a similar situation, determine what kind of pest you are up against so you can decide on the necessary pest control procedure to apply. Better yet, contact a professional so you can just sit back and relax while they work for your convenience.