In the United States, nearly 14 million occupied housing units had cockroaches in 2020. Moreover, around 14.8 million people said they had seen rodents (rats or mice). 2.9 million people reported seeing both cockroaches and rodents in their houses.
Homeowners face a variety of issues, but when a pest infestation is present, you shouldn’t ignore it.
When these creatures are allowed to roam freely in your home, they can harm your health. Termites and rodents can cause severe damage to your property.
You should seek professional pest control services from a company like Terminix in Michigan when you see bugs in your house. But if you decide to handle the problem on your own, be aware that it will take time and money.
Here are seven telltale signs that you need pest control services.
1. Gnaw Marks
Home damage is one of the problems caused by pest invasion. Pests can damage your property by chewing various items in the house. Examples are furniture, electrical wires, and shoes.
Gnaws are signs of rodents in your house. Note that raccoons also damage structures like shingles and gutters by tearing them off.
Ignoring the problem will cause a faster decline in your home’s value. You will also have to incur additional costs on repairs and replacements.
The problems can also increase the risks of accidents in your home. For example, rodents’ damage to your electrical wires increases the dangers of electrocution.
2. Visible Signs
Sometimes, you don’t need to do a lot of inspection to know that your home has pests. Seeing some pests like roaches is good proof that you need pest solutions.
First, visible sightings show that the pests are many in your home. You will see them running around in places with food remains.
Pests hide during the day. So, be attentive at night. Check near the bed, on the floors, walls, upholstery furniture, and in the basement for pests.
You can also check out for bedbug eggs. You will find them swarmed up together in bedding seams or between the mattress.
Call an expert in pest control immediately if you see signs of bedbugs, roaches, or other pests. These experts have the tools and use pest exterminator methods like vacuuming, chemical, and heat treatments to eradicate any unwanted visitors.
3. Pest Droppings
Your home could have many types of pests. The easiest way to identify all pests in your home is by paying attention to their droppings.
Pest droppings are a sign of severe pest infestation in your place. So, do not delay in seeking help.
A few tips can help you identify pests by their droppings. First, check out for small, thin, or long pellets. The pellets will signify the presence of rodents (rats and mice) in your house.
Fresh rodent droppings are dark and shiny. Light-colored fecal matter is a sign that the rodents are not new in your home.
Don’t also forget to check out for termite droppings. Termite droppings are gray, with a fine texture.
Many people mistake termite droppings with wood dust. Unlike sawdust/wood dust, the droppings are round-shaped, small, and tiny pellets.
A closer look will help you differentiate termite droppings from wood dust. Check out the droppings in your attic, basement, or around the exterior of your home.
Bedbug droppings are tiny dark spots that are clumped together. Roach droppings are black or dark brown pellets.
The droppings carry bacteria, viruses, and allergies that cause health concerns. Once the pest control experts finish their work, have your house thoroughly cleaned. Call up a Termite Control service if you notice these signs as they can be harmful to you and your family. These highly trained professionals are equipped with the tools to allow you to have peace of mind knowing that your home has been inspected by an efficient service.
4. Strange Smells
Strange pest odors are common in houses that lack proper ventilation. Different pests produce different smells, which you should know about.
Note that pest droppings also cause strange smells in the house. Pest smells cause allergic reactions like sneezing, coughing, and runny noses. You may also suffer breathing complications if you have asthma.
The first smell to pay attention to is that of a decomposing animal. The smell results when rodents, lizards, or snakes die and start decaying in your home.
Rodent droppings and urine also produce an ammonia-like smell. A musty and fruity-like smell is a sign of bedbug infestation.
Pointe Pest Control is the perfect company to contact if you detect such smells – check it out!
5. Unwanted Bites
Pests like mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and bedbugs will bite you. Apart from causing pain, the pests will transmit diseases to you.
Itching, soreness, and redness are signs that you have pest bites. Ignoring pest bites will cause you to spend more money on treatments in the long run.
Note that many bites happen at night. Examples are bedbugs and mosquitoes, which will attack you when you sleep.
DIY pest control will not be thorough. Hire professional pest control services and say goodbye to unwanted pest bites.
6. Lawn and Plant Damage
Don’t only pay attention to the pests inside your house – inspect your yard too. Rodents, beetles, aphids, and moths are pests you can find in your yard.
One sign of pests in your garden is plant damage. Aphids drill holes in plant stems, causing them to wither. So, check out for holey plants in your yard.
Other signs to check out for are burrows, patches of drying grass, nesting, and dirt mounds.
7. Strange Sounds
Pests sounds are disturbing, especially at night. Pay attention to scratching, gnawing, squeaking, and scurrying sounds from rodents. Mice produce such sounds when digging, moving, chewing, or communicating.
Bed bug sounds produce alarm or siren-like sounds. Mosquitoes make whining or buzzing sounds because of their wings.
Unlike other pests, bats and snakes produce louder noise. Bats make click noises, while snakes produce hissing sounds.
Contact a Professional Pest Control Company
Pests can cause health problems and property damage.
The best way to solve a pest problem is by hiring a professional pest control company. It should always be your top priority to keep your house clean, safe, and pest-free.
We hope this article was helpful. Visit our website for more exciting blog posts.
