Hello World! Welcome Friends! Pest infestations in homes and buildings often occur subtly. Most homeowners often discover a pest infestation after seeing visible damage or suffer the consequences themselves. Depending on your location, you could be sharing your home with up to 500 different types of mites, spiders, bed bugs, and centipedes. Rodents, insects, and other wild mammals can easily find their way through your basement and walls.
While you can easily ignore these tiny creatures, the National Pest Management Association estimates that termites, ants, rats, mice, and other pests cause damage worth more than $5 billion every year. Unfortunately, most insurance policies don’t cover these damages, making it necessary for homeowners to find ways of preventing bed bugs and other pests. Pests and insects can damage your home in the following ways.
1. Wood Damage
Termites, powder post beetles, and carpenter ants can significantly damage the wooden parts of your home. Unfortunately, as mentioned, it might take a while before homeowners identify damage caused by these pests. Most homeowners discover it when the damage is already extensive. This is because insects and pests often start from hidden areas.
Termites and other pests that destroy wooden structures don’t do it overnight. They burrow through wood over weeks, inflicting extensive damage. The best way to identify early pest infestation is by looking through wooden decks and the floor for signs of pest damage. Note that different pests leave behind different evidence. For instance, carpenter ants burrow through wood, leaving behind sawdust particles. You should engage pest control in Champaign IL experts for immediate remediation.
2. Electrical Damage
Most homeowners don’t know, but pests can damage their electrical connections. Rodents, specifically rats and mice, chew the plastic covering electrical cords, leaving them exposed. Pests can also damage the wiring, exposing naked wires. Electrical damage caused by pests is very dangerous because it can go unnoticed for long. Because the damage is hidden, exposed wires can cause electrocution and fire damage.
3. Drafts
Pests begin by looking for ways to access your home before it becomes an infestation. Most pests create access points through the foundation, doors, or windows. Some get inside your home by burrowing through walls, weather-stripping installations, and insulation materials. The access points used by pests often remain open, and you can notice gaps in your walls that eventually become drafts.
These gaps are a nightmare for most homeowners for two main reasons. First, they become an entryway for other pests to access your home. Don’t be surprised if you find other types of pests in your home. Secondly, these openings could be the reason behind recent high energy bills. Gaps in the walls increase indoor humidity and allow conditioned air to escape. This strains your heating and cooling units.
4. Roof Damage
Pests can also cause significant roof damage, especially rodents. Pest infestation can cause broken or hole-filled shingles and damaged pipes and electrical wiring in the attic. Besides being aesthetically a problem, roof damage makes your home vulnerable to water damage.
Endnote
Pests, such as ants, termites, bed bugs, and rodents, are not only a nuisance; they can extensively damage your home’s foundation and other structures. Repairing damage caused by pests, such as roof damage, can be costly, so be sure to keep an eye out for pests in your home and call a professional if you fear things are getting out of hand.
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