When you start to see lots of silverfish in your Charlotte home, it can be disturbing. These insects with their tear-drop shape, shiny veneer, and wiggly movements, look like monsters from a horror movie. Take a deep breath. Help is here. Today, we're going to share some helpful facts, alleviate some of your fears, offer some quick prevention tips, and tell you how to get rid of silverfish for good. How does that sound? Well, then, let's get into it!
Helpful Facts
When you find lots of silverfish in your home, you're likely to have questions. Here are some of the common questions we get about these pests.
- Do Silverfish bite? No. These insects don't bite, they scrape. And, if a silverfish gets on your skin, it won't scrape on your skin because you're not made of what silverfish eat. You don't have to worry about a silverfish bite.
- What do silverfish eat? They eat starches found in paper products, glue, certain pantry foods, and clothing. They'll eat mold, hair, dandruff, and dead skin cells. They also eat dead insects and may feed on the meat of dead animals. They don't feed on living tissue.
- Why do I find silverfish in the bathroom? These are moisture pests. They're drawn to bathrooms because bathrooms are humid. Moisture control and reducing humidity can help arrest a silverfish infestation, though it isn't the best way to get rid of silverfish.
Problems
You can probably guess some of the problems these insects can cause when they get into your Charlotte home, but here is a quick list to help you put things into perspective.
- Silverfish can be pantry pests. They chew through paper and cardboard and lay their eggs in foods that have carbohydrates.
- Silverfish can damage your home. They eat wallpaper and put holes in your drapes.
- Silverfish can damage other belongings. They make holes in clothing, other fabrics, documents, photos, books, and more.
Silverfish Prevention
If you already have silverfish in your home, these preventative steps may still help you deal with your problem.
- Do a detailed inspection of your exterior and seal any entry points you find. Look closely because silverfish don't need much of a hole or crack in order to get into your home. Pay particular attention around door and window frames and closely inspect any areas where there is rotted wood.
- Address exterior moisture problems such as clogged or broken gutters.
- Remove leaf litter, dead branches, woodpiles, and other organic debris near your home.
- Address leaky faucets, leaky showerheads, and other plumbing issues on the interior of your home.
- Install ventilation or dehumidifiers in humid spaces within your home.
- Always use your fan when taking a shower or bath. This removes a lot of the moisture from the air in your bathroom. As a side benefit, this will prevent damage to building materials in your bathroom.
How To Get Rid Of Silverfish
The best way to get rid of silverfish is to have a licensed pest management professional handle this job. When silverfish keep showing up inside, there might be a structural issue that could be making your home vulnerable to other, far more destructive, pests such as termites and carpenter ants.
Help With Silverfish In Charlotte
Do you live in Charlotte, North Carolina? If so, we're in your neck of the woods. Reach out to Go-Forth Home Services for assistance with your silverfish infestation. Our service team knows how to get rid of silverfish and keep them from continuing to get into your home. Connect with us today.