Termites, ants, bed bugs, and cockroaches are among the many household pests that can cause damage to your home. If you have noticed any of these pests, there are many things you can do to avoid having to call a residential pest control toronto company. Keep reading for some tips. You might find them useful. Read on for some ideas for keeping your home pest-free. Once you have done these things, you are well on your way to pest-free living!
Termites
Termites are an important part of any residential pest control plan. Learn about their behavior to protect your home or business from future infestation. There are several different ways to control them, including pesticides, barrier treatments, and screened vents. There are also a variety of organic treatments you can try, such as fungi, orange oil, and “borate” sprays. Some organic treatments contain beneficial nematodes, which are microscopic worms that feed on a variety of insects. Unfortunately, organic treatments have yet to be proven effective against termites in actual structures.
Termites are known for damaging wooden structures. Many species can cause significant damage to homes, reducing the value of the property by as much as 50 percent. A typical infestation can go undetected for months or even years before any signs of the infestation are present. When termites have entered a home, the wood is weakened, and the resulting weakened wood may not be readily visible. The longer term damage goes untreated, the more the cost of repairing it will become.
Ants
There are many different types of ants that live in the home. There are the common black pavement ants, the odorous house ants, and the little black ants. All of them are structural invaders that nest in wood or cracks around your house. If you find these ants in your home, it’s best to get rid of them as soon as possible. These ants are notorious for their foul odor and can be a nuisance if left unchecked.
While most species of ants are harmless and do not pose a health risk, there are some that can do a lot of damage to your home. Flying ants, for example, may enter your home while searching for a nesting site, multiplying once inside your house. Carpenter ants, on the other hand, can severely damage your home by digging into the wood. And, if you want to be extra cautious, you may want to consider getting rid of your black ants, as they come in armies and can even contaminate your food.
Bed bugs
The process of getting rid of bed bugs can take weeks or months, and will require cooperation from all of the residents in the house. The steps below may have to be repeated several times. The first step is to identify the bedbugs. An extension agent can identify pests in your home at no charge. It may take several applications to eliminate a bedbug infestation. After identifying the type of bedbug, determine which type of treatment will work best for your home and your family.
After you’ve determined the location of the infestation, notify your landlord, if necessary. In some cases, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to participate in the treatment. Before you take any actions, inspect all areas of the house thoroughly, including the living areas surrounding the bedrooms. If you have a bedbug problem in your apartment, make sure to remove any clutter that might provide hiding places for the pests. Clean and vacuum your mattress and any other textiles every week and seal cracks and openings in the house to prevent the insects from spreading.
Cockroaches
In the Houston area, you can schedule a free inspection of your home for cockroaches, and then decide what steps to take from there. Ultimately, you don’t want to live with dirty, smelly roaches. To keep your home pest-free, it’s essential to eliminate their food sources. Use airtight containers to store food and avoid leaving fruit and vegetables out on counters.
Adult male cockroaches fly when disturbed or exposed to higher temperatures. Female cockroaches lay light brown, 1/4-inch-long egg cases in protected areas and incubate them for several weeks before hatching. Large deposits of eggs may be glued together. One female can lay up to 600 cockroach eggs in a single year. Female cockroaches are easily identifiable by their flattened bodies, and their wings are not fully developed. Their nymphs resemble adults but lack wings and live in the same places as adults.
To keep your home free of cockroaches, you can prevent their infestation by ensuring that food is stored in tightly-sealed containers. You should also use a garbage can with a tight-fitting lid. Regularly vacuum your house to remove crumbs. Cracks and holes should be repaired to block cockroach entry. You can also prevent the roaches by sealing cracks around windows and sewer pipes.
