Home Buying: Insect Infestations to Look Out For

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Looking out for the design and stability of the house is one thing you do before buying it. One common mistake that first-time homebuyers do is not checking for insect infestations. This resulted in a lot of people are complaining of infestations after buying the house.

That is why it is an important factor to inspect the home in every corner to make sure that you are making the right decision in purchasing the house. By doing this, you can spot existing or potential infestations in the house. These insects could be:

Termites

Termite infestation is common in wooden homes. Especially if the house is located somewhere that is prone to wet areas or rainy seasons. Termites are seen living in underground colonies or the very walls and ceilings of the house. You can call services that conduct inspections and termite control measures. This is to assure you that there will be no problem once you move into the house.

They will tell you if there are any infestations or possible ones. These services are already included in the home inspection that is done when you buy a house. But these days, most people hire their own inspectors to look for the issue.

Ants

As common knowledge, ants only invade places where there are lots of food and sweets. But ants can invade houses even if it’s empty. The reason for this is that ants are attracted to the humidity of the place. Ants tend to seek moisture. That is why you should also include them in the insect infestation inspection.

Cockroaches

One of the most common insects that are found in homes is cockroaches. Cockroach infestation is one of the most difficult infestations to get rid of. Because once they start infesting the area, they will continue to multiply and it will be harder to get rid of them. Study shows that female cockroaches lay 15-50 eggs in one egg case every six weeks.

It’ll only take a month before the egg hatches and more female cockroaches will lay more eggs. That is why their numbers keep on multiplying. They can also cause you health problems because of the bacteria that they left behind. As one of the most stubborn insects to get rid of, you’ll need to hire the best services to remove it. And that will cost you a lot. That’s why you need to look out for this infestation the most before buying a house.

Rats

rat peeping through a hole

A lot of people would squeal after spotting a single rat, what more if there are hundreds of them. Rat infestation is both terrifying and destructive. They can check on things that are lying around the house and are often caught stealing food in the kitchen.

You can also see your cereal boxes and other food boxes chewed off from the side. Rats can also cause you health problems in many cases. For example, a rat has been running all over your table and stepped on the bread that was there. Once someone eats the bread that the rat had stepped on, the disease from the rat could transfer to that person.

Their feces and urine are also health hazards especially if they get into your food. Rats carry a lot of diseases that is why you must get rid of them as early as possible.

Bed Bugs and Fabric Beetle

Although this may not be a common infestation since a lot of houses are sold completely bare. But some houses come with some furniture that is left by the home seller for free to the next buyer. And most of the furniture is not brand new and was already used by the recent family.

Furniture like this can accumulate bed bugs and fabric beetles that can be harmful to anyone. Home inspectors also inspect for bed bugs so there is no need to call for another service to do it.

Fleas and Ticks

These bugs are common to houses that had pets before it was sold. Ticks can hide in deep places where they are not seen. They would only crawl out when they spot a potential creature to stick on. Flea infestation usually happens to wooden floors because they make a great hiding spot for fleas. You still need to inspect even after you bought the house that had no potential flea infestation.

Because some infestation only happens when there are potential people or pets in the house. Fleas are also attracted to the tall grass in the yards so you might want to clean your yard as well.

By checking for these infestations before buying a house, you can guarantee that you won’t have any problems in the future. By doing this, you are assuring the safety and comfort of your family.


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