Understanding Common Household Pests and Their Impact

You see a pest, and all of a sudden, you can’t take it anymore.

It’s dirty, nasty, and can kill you. You are disgusted, and you’d prefer it if it died than lived in your home.

There’s one main problem though:

These are common household pests and insects.

Many people don’t consider the damages pests and insects do until it’s too late. They’re already there, reproducing, and having a field day in your home.

Here is everything you need to know about common household pests and insects.

Table of Contents

• The Damage Pests and Insects Can Cause (And The Costs)
• Insect and Pest Health Hazards
• Most Common Household Pests
• Pests and Insects Infestation
• DIY Pest Control 101

The Damage Pests and Insects Can Cause (And The Costs)

First things first:

Here are some real shockers…

49% of homeowners in a recent survey had a pest infestation that resulted in property damage. That means one of every two households in the US had a pest problem that caused actual damage.

But wait, there’s more…

The cost to repair termite damage is a whopping $3,000 per household. It doesn’t end there. The number rises to $50 billion in direct pest damage per year!

Repairing the following are the major causes:

• Wooden furniture
• Wiring (fire hazards)
• Insulation
• Personal belongings
• Food storage and contamination

All of the above can be avoided if you contact professional pest control earlier rather than later. So, what are you waiting for?

Insect and Pest Health Hazards

The scariest fact about pests is not the damage to your house. Instead, it’s all the issues they cause to your health.

You’ll never believe it.

First, most people think that pests are annoying and messy. While that is true, the real problems are much more severe. Pests carry diseases with them as they scurry around in the nooks and crannies of your home.

Did you know rodents alone can spread 30+ diseases? Yikes! We have Hantavirus, salmonella, and (prepare to faint) the plague. All of these diseases live inside mice and rats, ready to infect you and your family members.

Cockroaches are even worse because they have 39 different kinds of diseases.

Their bodies are covered in nastiness. They touch a surface with their feet, and bacteria covers all of them. The result is food poisoning, diarrhea, asthma, and other respiratory issues.

Over half a million Americans end up in the ER each year due to insect stings. That means 1,300 Americans each day are in the ER due to insect bites!

Mosquitoes are particularly bad at spreading diseases like malaria, Zika virus, and West Nile virus. Ticks carry lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other potentially deadly conditions.

Even some ants carry bacteria that can cause life-threatening allergic reactions in some people.

Add the indirect health costs, and you have increased asthma cases in children, disrupted sleep, anxiety, and stress.

Nobody wants to deal with these health problems when they can easily avoid them.

Most Common Household Pests

Pests come in all shapes and sizes. Some are rarer than others, while others pose more threats than their insect cousins.

Let’s dive right into it!

Ants

Ants are the most common pests, with about 50% of the American households reporting ant infestations. There are more than 20 quadrillion ants in the world, which is one reason for their high numbers.

You’d think it’s just an estimate, but it is the actual number of ants. What can a quadrillion ants do to this earth?

Termites

Termites are the most destructive of all the insects, with an estimated $5 billion in property damage annually in the US.

Despite their small size, they can silently wreak havoc on your property without you noticing. Termite infestations usually go for a long period before they start causing visible damage.

One inspection could cost you and your home a lot of money if the colony is established for a while.

Rodents

Rodents are another common pest in the US, with about 29% of the Americans encountering rodent problems in their homes.

The thing with rodents is their tendency to increase in population fast. One mouse can have up to 35 babies per year. Rats have a similar number.

You can expect that a small rodent problem can quickly turn into a full-blown infestation.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are not an exception. These are the exact definition of a dirty and nasty insect.

Some cockroaches can go for weeks without food. What do you call them? Invincible!

The cockroach problem in the United States is at 23%. In the south, the number skyrockets, with New Orleans having an estimation of 41% of households having cockroach problems.

Pests and Insects Infestation

Okay, so your home has pests in it. You see them daily. What do you do now?

Well, the first thing you do is to calm down. It’s easier said than done. Let’s help you with that.

See? Calm down.

Now that you are calm, let’s go back to the problem. You want to get rid of them because you just realized that they carry diseases.

Most homeowners would also ensure that they got a home with 100% no pest control policy.

DIY Pest Control 101

So you have decided to go the DIY route of pest control.

It’s not a bad idea, especially if you have been in the business of home improvement, carpentry, and a little bit of pest control in the past.

If you have not, you are at a high risk of messing up the situation.

You spray a little here and a little there, and things never work out. They still come back in a few months.

Or, when spraying, your family members and pets are at high risks of exposure and health issues.

Also, most DIY pest control products only kill the pests you can see. You are not treating the whole problem and the roots of the infestation. That is a good recipe for disaster.

You need professional pest control when you have a major infestation problem. The professionals understand the ways to exterminate the whole problem.

You should call the professionals when:

• You see evidence of structural damage in your house.
• The situation reoccurs after your DIY efforts.
• You find a sign of a large-scale infestation.
• Your family members start showing health signs or symptoms.
• You have termites, bees, or other highly destructive pests.

The cost of professional pest control is lower than what you think. Think of the structural damages and health problems you will have to incur once the pests set in.

You need to go professional before things get out of hand.

Prevention is Better Than Cure

Prevention is always better than the cure.

This article has covered a lot. It’s time to sit down and reflect on all that.

Most of the pest problems can be prevented. How? It is by doing the following.

• Keeping your home dry and clean. If your home has no water or food source, they will find it difficult to survive.
• Seal any openings and entry points. Some of these areas include your doors, window sills, and even your foundation.
• Store food in airtight containers and clean up crumbs quickly.
• Repair any moisture sources such as leaky pipes, blocked gutters, and poor ventilation.
• Repair your yards and ensure you trim all your bushes close to your house.
• Throw away all the debris where these pests can hide.
• Regular inspection of your home so that you can keep an eye out for the first sign of a problem.

There you have it. The most important article about household pests and insects.

This has been comprehensive, but that’s only because there is so much to cover.

One final thing: If you have not called for a professional pest control agent, please do so today.

Take action while you are still in time. This way, you are preventing costly structural damage and health risks later.

Call the professionals and ensure you do regular home inspections.