Which is Worse for the Structure of a Home: Termites or Cockroaches?

Dealing with pests of the creepy-crawly variety is never fun. It’s even less fun when those pests begin to damage your belongings, your health, and your home. There are many different types of pests out there that can potentially cause problems for you and your family, and two of the most common are termites and cockroaches. Since chances are you will deal with one or both of these nuisances at some point in your life, you might be wondering, which is worse for the structure of your home?

Cockroaches are dirty, disgusting little creatures. The sight of one roach scrambling across your floor is enough to send you into a panic. After all, there is rarely one lone roach to deal with – they typically set up shop with many, many friends. Cockroaches are certainly not welcome guests in your home, but the good news is, they are not known to cause any type of structural damage.

The major risk with roaches is that they can potentially pose a very serious threat to your health. The allergens that these creatures release can worsen allergies and asthma symptoms. They are also known to spread disease pathogens that may cause typhoid fever, dysentery, and more. Cockroaches also seem to come with a bit of a stigma. The common thought is that a home or business infested with cockroaches is dirty and disgusting. While that is not always the case, roaches are certainly drawn to filth.

What this means is the best way to avoid a cockroach invasion in your own home is to keep things as neat, tidy, and sanitary as possible. Never leave food out on counters or in your sink, sweep and mop floors regularly, and wipe down counters as soon as you notice a mess. An unfortunate truth of cockroaches is that they tend to travel from place to place, so if you share a wall with a neighbor who has a roach problem, the problem may soon become yours as well. In many cases, a professional pest control expert is your best bet for dealing with a cockroach issue.

On the other hand, the main threat posed by termites is the damage they can cause to the structure of your home. In fact, in an average year, termites cause between one and two BILLION dollars worth of property damage. If you suspect your home might have a termite infestation, it’s definitely in your best interest to have an inspection done immediately.

The bad thing about termite infestations is that they can be incredibly difficult to identify. It’s important to keep an eye out for a few common signs around the house so that you don’t let a termite invasion get completely out of control. The most frequent signs of an invasion are sagging floors and ceilings, piles of discarded wings, and areas that appear to be water damaged. If you spot any of these things around your home, it’s time to call in the professionals for an inspection.

If you are suddenly envisioning your home collapsing to the ground because of an unidentified termite problem, don’t worry. In order to do that type of damage the issue would have to go undetected for a ridiculous amount of time. You would certainly see the signs before the damage got anywhere near that realm. However, it is common for termites to do hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of damage before they are detected, so it’s always best to have a termite inspection conducted on your home every couple of years, just to be on the safe side.

While neither is a pleasant issue to deal with, when it comes to structural damage, termites are certainly worse than cockroaches. Keeping pests of all kinds out of your home is essential for the safety and health of your family. Whether it be a termite, roach, ant, or flea, no pest inside your home is a good thing. Routine pest control services and a bit of upkeep on your end is a recipe for a safe and pest-free home.