When it comes to the most significant investments in your life, buying a home is definitely one of them. You must make sure you find a home that not only suits your needs and budget but also has good ‘bones’ and does not require tons of cosmetic changes.
However, when you find a home that suits you; do not rush to close the deal! Before you sign the papers, inspect the entire home for pests! Believe it or not, more than 30% of all American homes, both houses and apartments, are currently infested with pests. Some of these pests carry health risks, and some cause severe damages to homes. If the home is infested, pests like rats, mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, lice, etc., will be lurking beneath the surface. But, do not worry – there is a way you can spot pest issues when buying a home! Keep on reading to see how.
What to Keep an Eye on Before Buying a Home
Once you find a home you like, be sure to inspect both the interior and the exterior thoroughly! If anything seems even a little bit suspicious, ask the current owner about it. You should pay special attention to basements and attics, cracks in the walls and floors (primarily wooden floors), holes in the corners of storage areas and closets, etc. If you are not sure whether a particular area is infested or not, you can always call an exterminator or even a home inspector. Do not try to cut corners on this one – it may end up costing you your health and your home.
Moreover, if you are buying an older home, ask the current owner whether they have taken any pest prevention steps. For instance, calling the exterminator once a year, installing screens on windows and doors, sealing the cracks in the walls and floors, removing the tree branches from the windows, etc.
How to Spot Mice, Rats, and Wildlife
Mice, rats, and wildlife are the easiest to notice. So, to spot pest issues in your potential future home, the first thing you should do is stand in the middle of the room, be quiet, and listen. Are there any suspicious noises? Tapping, scratching? Then, open every cabinet, closet, etc., and look for droppings and chewed wiring. Pay special attention to areas such as basements, attics, garages, storage areas, and any rooms that have not been used often – mice, rats, and all sorts of wildlife will make nests there. All these pests can cause you health problems, so either run away from that house or start looking for pest removal tips and tricks right away.
How to Spot Bed Bugs
Just thinking about bed bugs makes you have the quivers, right? It should make you feel like that because these blood-sucking pests can be hazardous for your health and home. They usually hide in bed mattresses, blankets, linen, inside the bed frames and headboards, in picture frames, behind the wallpaper, in all sorts of holes and crevices. They are tiny and can crawl pretty much anywhere – even between walls!
If you are moving into an older home, the chances of having bed bugs everywhere are big! Thus, call the exterminator to check the house before you sign any papers. Otherwise, you will have to start planning to move again. Even after you have managed to relocate without any issues, it’s unlikely you will want to go through the process again. Alternatively, you will have to look for ways to exterminate bed bugs – a process that is time, energy, and money-consuming.
How to Spot Insects
If you spot an insect or two inside the house, there is probably nothing to worry about. But, if you spot tons of them, both alive and dead, then you should definitely be worried. Cockroaches, bees, wasps, and hornets can be dangerous for your health. They can even be deadly if you are allergic. So, inspect your home, both inside and out. When inside, look for holes in the walls, doors, and windows. And, when outside, look for nests attached to the home and the trees around the house. If you do see a nest, do not try to remove it by yourself! Chasing away these kinds of insects should only be done by a professional.
How to Spot Ants
Ants cannot be a health hazard, but they can cause some damage to your home (and your food) and be an annoyance that is difficult to get rid of. Usually, only older homes will have this infestation, but sometimes, they can also appear in homes that are new but poorly built. By poorly built, we mean homes that have cracks through which ants can find their way in. Luckily, ants are easy to spot and exterminate. All you have to do is get an exterminating spray and patch the hole they were using to come in.
However, carpenter ants are a whole other story! They can hide all over the home and eat away anything wooden – floors, beams, doors, windows, furniture, etc. Exterminating them and replacing the damage they have caused will be an expensive undertaking. So, make sure you check the home for them before you buy it. Look for these ants in the cracks around the wooden pieces – they are black and bigger than regular ants.
Spot pest issues before buying a home and avoid many troubles
As you have seen, pests can be a health hazard and an annoyance. Some of them may even cause severe damage to your home by eating away your floors and furniture. Thus, do not take this precaution lightly. Before you purchase a home, check every inch of it! Follow our guide on how to spot pest issues when buying a home. If you find something suspicious, call a home inspector or an exterminator. These people can save you from making a wrong decision and unnecessarily spending your time, energy, and money. And, of course, they will protect your health – physical and mental!
Ant exterminators will remove all types of ants. Click here or call Pest Off Environmental at 201-878-5227 to remove ants from your Jersey City, NJ home.