Pests such as rats and termites can wreak havoc on your property and the health of everyone inside it. Rats, for example, can eat your food, chew on documents and furniture upholstery, and even carry diseases such as leptospirosis. Remember the infamous Black Death that caused the demise of millions across Britain and other countries back in the 14 century? When left unchecked, pests can bring about so much damage and cause health concerns, so it’s a must to act proactively.
Good thing there are companies that specialize in providing professional residential property pest control in London and other urban areas. These companies have skilled people who use special equipment, pesticides, and other control measures to eliminate different residential pests, so occupants of residential properties can stay safe and avoid costly damages.
Here are the three common residential pests and the different means to get rid of them:
Termites
Termites are easily among the most common household pests that you can find anywhere in London. They particularly love to munch on wood and paper, and they can be easily spotted since they are usually inside what are called termite tubes, the pencil-wide tubes that are essentially a combination of soil, wood, and a glue-like substance that comes from the termites’ mouth. These termite tubes can be found on foundations, attics, garages, crawl spaces, basements, and areas where the soil connects with wood or concrete.
The usual preventive measures include removing any piece of wood that comes into contact with the soil and building foundation, as well as preventing moisture from forming in or near foundations and crawl spaces. However, you should immediately call a pest control specialist if you have a particularly terrible termite infestation as it would require special equipment and techniques to address such a situation.
Rodents
Rats and mice (rodents) have been pestering London homes for hundreds of years. They love attics, pipes, sewers, and other dark and damp places in and around homes. These four-legged destroyers feast on left-over food, rubbish, even your precious hardbound classics! Not only that, but their urine can also lead to leptospirosis, a potentially fatal illness. Meanwhile, their droppings could also contain bacteria that are harmful to a person’s health. There are so many ways that rodents can cause you some troubles so there’s enough for you to declare war on them at any given time.
They can be eliminated through a variety of means, chief among them through traps, poisons, and sealing off of possible entry points. But just like in the case of termites, nasty rodent infestations should also be dealt with by certified pest control professionals to achieve the best results.
Cockroaches
We surely all have our own horror stories that involve these pesky flying creatures. Cockroaches are resilient pests that have tremendous breeding power. They can cause distress on a lot of individuals, as well as carry viruses and diseases such as poliomyelitis. These nocturnal pests feast on sweets, starchy food, and meat, and they love to live in crevices and cracks.
Fortunately, there are several simple measures to prevent cockroach infestations. First is through weather stripping, sealing of cracks and crevices, and installing pipe collars. Second is by ensuring sanitation inside and outside of the house, which includes proper food and waste disposal. Another is through trapping using commercially available cockroach traps. Finally, there is the chemical control that you can DIY or have a trusted pest control contractor perform it for you.
