Do you suspect that you have a pest infestation, but you’re just hoping it will go away on its own? Unfortunately, this rarely happens. Once pests find that your home is comfortable for them as well, pest control services are the only way to drive them away.
If you don’t contact pest control in time, you may find that you’re paying more because of the damage they wreak.
Read on to learn the seven ways pest infestations can wreck both your home and bank account!
1. Ruined Furniture
Termite damage is one of the worse issues you can have, as you won’t just worry about the structure of the building. Termites can also get inside and start ruining your wooden furniture. They’ll also ruin any item that has cellulose in it, such as carpeting, paper products, and more.
Not only will you have to replace furniture as they become less structurally sound, but signs of termite damage inside may also make your home harder to sell. If you think you have termites, one big sign of them is the shed remnants of their wings on your floor. You might also find termite dust or “frass” that looks like sawdust.
If you do notice these signs, it’s important that you contact a termite inspection service as soon as possible.
2. Impacted Housing Structure
When it comes to problems with termites, unfortunately, their damage isn’t relegated to your furniture alone. You’ll also find that termite damage can impact the structure of your house as well. Termites can either work at the foundations of your home through cracks, ruin support beams, or any kind of wooden beam ceiling.
This can ruin the appearance of homes as well impact their safety. For instance, drywood termites may find that their perfect home is under your wood shingles. Over time, the stability of your roof can be impacted, leading to poor climate control inside and the chance of mold and mildew forming.
Termites are also prone to switching from one house to another. This means that a whole neighborhood can be impacted, leading to lowered property values of up to 25 percent.
3. Negative Image
Even if you contacted pest control after an infestation, the negative market image can be lasting if you’re planning on selling your home soon. This is because the knowledge of a previous infestation can scare away potential buyers–they don’t want to deal with the nightmare of driving away future infestations.
This negative image can be mitigated by including a free year of pest control services for new buyers, or by giving them a list of your preferred contractors. You may want to pay for a pest control inspection right before your home is listed in order to give buyer’s an accurate report. Regardless, you’ll need to put in extra effort in order to assuage people’s fears!
4. Reduced Home Value
It’s required by law in order to let buyers know about previous pest or termite infestations. Depending on the level of infestation, an appraiser may reduce the value of your home with this knowledge. Even if you took care of the infestation, your neighborhood may be known for having frequent termite or rodent infestations.
Buyers will want to purchase your home at a reduced price in order to make up for the risk that they’re taking on when it comes to pest control.
5. High Renovation Costs
We already talked about how you’ll need to pay extra in order to deal with any damaged furniture caused by termites or rodents. When it comes to termite infestations, you may even need to pay more in order to fully renovate sections of your home. You can save money through some DIY methods, but subterranean termites are known for being hard to detect before it’s too late.
They’ll eat into the foundations of your home, meaning that professional help when it comes to renovation will be necessary.
6. Odors
When it comes to pests such as rodents, you also have to deal with and mitigate the odors that arise. Droppings, dead rats, rotting food and more can introduce odors that exacerbate allergies. With insects such as termites, odors can come from the structure failings they introduce to your home.
With humidity and water getting inside the foundations or ceiling of your home, you’re more prone to mold and mildew. The odors from these growths can cause sneeze, coughing, headaches, and more.
7. Contamination
Last but not least, contamination caused by animal pests can introduce harmful bacteria into your environment. Coming into contact with rodent saliva, waste, or urine is easier than you may imagine if you have an infestation, as they will crawl on top of your countertops and on your floors.
Once you invest in pest control, it’s also important that you have a professional clean your home in order to deal with any harmful bacteria.
Don’t Underestimate Pest Infestations
When it comes to pest infestations of your home, it’s important not to underestimate them. If you find any signs of animal or insect activity, it’s important that you contact a pest control professional as soon as possible. In the best-case scenario, your home doesn’t have a pest infestation and you’ll only need minimal intervention in order to get rid of pests in your home.
If you do have a pest infestation, getting rid of it as soon as possible is better for your home and bank account for the long term. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with costly renovations to structural damage, replacing furniture, handling odors and contamination, and more. Knowledge of past infestations will also make your home less marketable when it comes time to sell.
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