Depending on the severity, having pests in your home can be near catastrophic. One or two pests will not cause much harm, but as luck would have it when there is one, there are more to follow.

Once that happens, your home and your wellbeing are put in danger. However, there are ways to remove and prevent pests from infesting your house. Here are some examples of how pests can threaten your home and what you can do to keep them from causing damage.

Structural Integrity

Pests, whether it be rodents, birds, or insects, can cause almost irreparable damage to a home’s internal structure. This is especially true if your home contains wood. Rodents, such as mice, rats, and raccoons, leave gnaw, and scratch marks.

Insects leave tiny, tunnel-like holes on the surface. Termites are especially worrisome for homeowners, so you should look for the signs of an infestation and contact an exterminator if you suspect you have them.

Termites are honestly more of a cause for alarm than rodents as they can wear down the integrity of wood pretty quickly. If no action is taken, it’s possible that your roof could come crashing down.

Safety of the Occupants

Regardless of what kind of pest you are battling, they can cause numerous health issues. The type of health issue you can experience depends on the kind of pest you’re dealing with. For example, if rats are the issue, they can potentially carry diseases like salmonella, hantavirus, and rat-bite fever.

If it’s an insect infestation that’s the issue, the ailment depends on the insect. For example, termites can cause allergies to flare. Parasites, like ticks, can cause Lyme disease and malaria. You generally don’t have to worry about these kinds of medical problems unless you’re in an area where these insects are common.

How to Remove Pests

Pests take up residence for many reasons. Some are drawn to less-than-clean environments while others are there, to begin with. Regardless of the reason, the goal is to find the source and eliminate the infestation. You can either try to DIY the issue or hire an exterminator.

If you want to try to resolve the problem yourself, you can lure out rodents with bait and traps. Insects can be sprayed with a repellent or bug killer. However, you need to make sure the area is well ventilated. If this does not work, you can call an exterminator.

Unwanted pests can do more than make your skin crawl. When left to fester, it can impact your home's integrity. If tackling the problem alone does not work, enlist the help of a professional.

For more great housekeeping tips, read this next: Lawn Maintenance Tips to Make the Most of Your Louisiana Home

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