Of course, other pests can ruin your home as well. They might not literally try to eat you out of house and home (like termites), but they can be detrimental for plenty of other reasons. Here are four common household pest that can tear up your house:
Termites
You already met the first bug on the list, but now let’s discuss them a little more in-depth. Termites are a constant problem in this country, and every homeowner should be on the lookout for them. These bugs are shy and prefer to stay hidden, which means you may miss their presence for a while. Usually, termites aren’t spotted within the living area of the home unless the infestation is significant. But even if you can’t see them, trust me: they’re working hard inside the walls, around the clock.
Cockroaches
Aside from being filthy, disgusting carriers of disease, roaches also transfer bacteria and pathogens. But that’s not exactly bad for your home, is it? Well, cockroaches also release allergens into the air, which emanate from their urine, feces and even body parts. When those allergens are present in the air, people in the home could experience reactions to them such as coughing, wheezing, sinus congestion and skin rash. Also, when a cockroach infestation is significant, it produces an unmistakable oily smell that can be hard to eliminate.
Rats and mice
These little critters are chewers and gnawers, and they will chew up all kinds of stuff inside your home. Sometimes, it’s frustrating, like when you discover your Cinnamon Toast Crunch has been sampled by a mouse. But it can also be perilous – what if a rat decides to chew on some wiring inside the walls? It’s a pretty common occurrence. That could disrupt your cable or telephone service, or worse; start a house fire. They also been known to chew on and contaminate insulation.
Squirrels
Probably a surprise inclusion on this list for many people. Squirrels are kind of cute and normally hang out on trees, so we tend to view them favorably. But these bushy-tailed overgrown mice can wreak havoc in your attic. If you allow branches to hang over the roof, squirrels or raccoons could use them to jump onto the house. And if they find their way into the attic from there, they’ll likely stick around. You could end up with a whole squirrel family up there, which is not only annoying – it’s potentially dangerous. Squirrels and rodents are blamed for up to 25 percent of mystery house fires.