Article tags: bird control. cockroach control, birds, Cockroaches, mice, Mouse, Rat, rats, riodents,
Buying a new home is very exciting, but there might be critters hiding that can cause great destruction to your new home. Use the below checklist to pre-check your prospective new home before clinching the deal.
Foul smells
Many pests, especially mice and cockroaches, leave behind a smell you can notice in the air, particularly when the pest has made itself at home. You should be able to detect the odour of a pretty heavy roach infestation, which is typically described as musty or oily.
Pest droppings & dirt marks
Rats and mice produce up to 40 droppings per night. It is dark brown in colour and shaped like rice grains. It tends to be found concentrated in specific areas. Rodents aren’t known for their hygiene and their little bodies can get quite dirty, leaving smudges and dark marks on the routes they frequent. Be on the lookout for these dirt smears along skirting boards and walls. Rats and mice will also leave a trail of footprints in dusty areas.
Scratching noises
Rats and mice are agile climbers and can be found seeking shelter in roofs. When it is quiet, you will hear them running around making scratchy sounds. Brown rats can even be heard grinding their teeth! Other common noisy roof scratchers are birds, bats, cockroaches and geckos.
Damage to the property
Small holes or gnaw marks in a home and on furniture is a sure sign that you have a pest problem. Also large Americana cockroaches often “eat” away at ceiling boards and cornicing and the glue that holds cornices in place, leaving marks similar to a rodent. Small holes, even as small as a coin, are big enough for a mouse to crawl into. Inspect lower level areas such as skirting and floor boards. Also look out for piles of wood dust, which can be an indication of wood borers feasting on your wooden floors or furniture.
If you identify a pest problem of a new home you want to move into, it can serve as a good bargaining chip with the agent to stipulate that the home or apartment would need to be fully treated and rid of pests before moving in. This is separate from any official legal entomological inspection that may be required as part of the sale process, that usually only deals with wood destroying insects that can affect the integrity and structure of the building.
Contact Service Master to rid your new home of any pests that might cause damage to your home or pose a health risk.
