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Common Warm Weather Pests and How to Get Rid of Them

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While summer has its benefits, it also has a few downsides. One of the most common is the emergence of various pests. These not only are annoying to deal with but can sometimes cause serious structural damage. Below you’ll discover some to watch out for and how you can prevent them from getting near your home.

3 Regular Summer Pests

Ticks: Ticks might be small but they can cause serious problems, including Lyme disease. While they don’t necessarily cause structural damage, they can populate quickly. Because of this, if they enter your home you’ll notice they’ll spread swiftly through it.

Termites: Termites are yet another problem to watch out for. Known for their voracious appetite, these insects will slowly eat away at your home’s structure. This can cause it to shift and eventually crumble.

Ants: As with termites, ants can wear down your residence’s foundation. They enjoy wood and will build their nests in it. They’ll also send out brigades in search of water and food. Because of this, you might notice a large presence in your bathroom or kitchen.

How to Prevent Them

If you want to make sure to avoid having to deal with these pesky creatures keep these tips in mind.

Remove Standing Water: Many insects thrive with water puddles. These give them space to lay eggs. It also keeps them hydrated during the hot weather. By sweeping away the standing water or filling holes with gravel, you can naturally decrease their population.

Seal Cracks: Some pests will sneak into cracks to enter your home. This gives them the ability to walk through your walls and find an adequate area to make a nest. If you don’t catch them in time, they’ll quickly spread throughout your living space.

To avoid this, inspect your crawl space and foundation for cracks. You might also want to examine your windows and doors for any crevices. If you notice some, spread some caulking over them.

Clear Garbage and Waste: You’ll also want to be diligent at getting rid of loose garbage and other debris around your home. These can serve as both a food source and hiding spot for these pests.

If you must keep these items outside, make sure to place debris in thick trash bags. You’ll also want to do a thorough cleaning of the containers and area every so often.

Warm weather can unfortunately result in many unsightly and sometimes dangerous creatures. If you suspect your home might have some, contact RCS in Sonoma County. We’ll send a team out to inspect your residence and get to work eliminating any traces of them.

The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Pest Control

The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Pest Control

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Taking care of the environment is a group effort. When everyone does his or her part, small acts combine to make a big change. One way everyone can take part in helping to keep the environment clean and free from toxins is to use eco-friendly pest control methods when you need to get rid of insects, rodents and other household pests. Here are some great benefits you will get when choosing eco-friendly pest control.

The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Pest Control

Better Results

Eco-friendly pest control methods are normally more effective than using chemicals or other toxins. Further, the results last much longer, as well. Over time, insects can build up a resistance to chemical-based methods of extermination, and the resistance can be passed down to offspring However, when eco-friendly methods are used, insects do not build up the same resistance, so the results last over long periods of time.

It is Better for Your Landscaping

Landscaping is not inexpensive so it is in your best financial interest to avoid using anything that can damage it. That includes chemical-based pesticides. Traditional pest control methods require reapplication frequently. Over time, the repeated exposure to chemicals can take a toll on your landscaping and make your yard look terrible. By their nature, eco-friendly pest control methods are designed to be gentle on your landscaping. You can often use as much eco-friendly methods as much or often as you need to without having to worry about damage to your yard and landscaping elements.

No Unpleasant Odor

One of the worst aspects of traditional pest control methods is the foul smell that comes along with them. When you use eco-friendly methods, that issue is completely eliminated. Since there are no chemicals used in eco-friendly pest elimination methods, you won’t have to worry about the noxious odors that linger long after an application.

Safe for Kids

If you have kids at home, then you really need to consider using eco-friendly pest control methods. Traditional methods that are chemical-based can be harmful to children if they are exposed to them. Children love to play outside and explore the environment around them. If you have recently sprayed for pests with a traditional pest removal method, there is a good chance your kids can breathe in the chemicals or touch a surface that has been sprayed and then put their fingers in their mouths. Using an eco-friendly method to get rid of your pests eliminates the need for you to worry about exposing your kids to harmful toxins.

It is possible to use eco-friendly pest control methods yourself or to find professional exterminators who use them.

 

What is The Difference Between Roof Rats and Norway Rats

What is The Difference Between Roof Rats and Norway Rats

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If you have a rat problem, you don’t want to waste time on pest control tactics that don’t work. It is important to know what type of rat has infested your home so you can have it properly treated. Keep reading for the key differences between roof rats and Norway rats.

What is The Difference Between Roof Rats and Norway Rats

Both roof and Norway rats are not native to North America. They were stowaways on European ships in the 1700s and were brought here unintentionally. Both species can cause a real headache for home and business owners by chewing, creating nests, and eating food.

Habitat

Roof rats, as their name suggests, prefer high places. They will often be found scurrying across rafters or in attics. They also choose to live in trees or atop vine covered fences. Norway rats live on the lower level of buildings, in basements and in sewers. But don’t decide solely on this factor alone, because roof rats can venture into the lower levels as well, usually after they’ve already taken a firm hold in the higher places of the building.

Appearance

There are three common species of roof rats: the black rat (black with a gray belly), the Alexandrine rat (brown with gray streaks and a gray belly) and the fruit rat (brown with gray streaks and a white belly). Norway rats are usually brown or reddish-gray with light colored bellies.

Roof rats are more slender and graceful-looking compared to Norway rats. Their tails are equal length of the rest of their body, and their pointed muzzles and large ears easily set them apart from Norway rats. They range from 13.75 inches to 17.75 inches, and weigh between 8 and 12 ounces.

In contrast to roof rats, Norway rats have thicker bodies with short muzzles and small ears. Their tails are much shorter than the rest of their body. They are generally the same length as roof rats, ranging from 12.75 inches to 18 inches. Though they are a bit heavier, weighing anywhere between 10 and 17 ounces. Please don’t pick one up to guess its weight.

Behavior

Roof rats love to climb and often get into buildings via trees or utility lines. They are fast and agile and use their tails for balance when walking across electrical wires. Norway rats are natural swimmers who can easily get through water seals in toilets and show up in toilet bowls. They prefer flat surfaces to climbing and get into buildings at or below the ground level.

After ridding yourself of a rat infestation of either type, you can call on RCS to cleanup the area and conduct structural repairs. An electrician may be needed as well.

Roof Rats Found In More Places Than Just Attics

Roof Rats Found In More Places Than Just Attics

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Roof rats—despite their name, they don’t just live in your roof or in your attic. Roof rats generally start out in your roof or attic, usually getting there by using their superb climbing skills to walk across a tree limb that is hanging over your roof. Once they’ve settled in, though, they usually seek out spaces in your walls and even under your home. So don’t rule out a roof rat just because you found it somewhere else, and don’t assume your infestation is limited to that one location.

Roof Rat Threats to Your Home and Health

Once they’re in your walls, they can be a real problem. They love to make nests in insulation. Since they’re nocturnal animals, they’re active at night, which can be a real nuisance. When unsanitary roof rats live in houses, the odors from their urine and fecal droppings can be overwhelming, not to mention the diseases they carry. These rats can also create a fire hazard in your home by gnawing through electrical wires.

What Does A Roof Rat Look Like?

Roof rats are brown or black, and smaller than the more common house pest known as the Norway rat, which make their nests underground as a burrower. Roof rats usually make their nests in higher places located off the ground, but they can adapt to almost any environment, which makes them harder to get rid of if you have an infestation.

Roof Rat Farm in Your Home

They breed like, well rats! Males become mature at five months of age and roof rats can produce four to six litters per year. With each litter having up to eight mice, one female can give birth to 40 new mice in a year’s time.

What Can You Do?

Prevent roof rats from taking up residence by:

  • Sealing up cracks and openings that may provide easy access into your home.
  • Trimming back trees and tall shrubs to keep them from touching your roof.
  • Refraining from keeping food stores or seeds in your attic.
  • Eliminating food and water sources from your yard such as fruit on the ground, unsecured trash cans, and open water.

If you already have a roof rat population in your home, call a pest control service. They will come out and do a full assessment to look for nests—indoor and outdoor—and get rid of your pest problem once and for all. Then you can call restoration specialist to clean up after them and repair any structural damage they’ve done. An electrician may also be needed.

Carpenter Ants Damage Your Home, What You Need to Know

Carpenter Ants Damage Your Home, What You Need to Know

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If you see wood damage around your home, you will probably assume you have termites, but it might be a carpenter ant infestation. Carpenter ants also lead to structural damage because they build nests in the wood of your home.

Carpenter Ants Damage Your Home, What You Need to Know

How Serious Is Carpenter Ant Damage?

Carpenter ant damage is not as severe as termite damage, but the ants can cause extensive damage over a period of several years. The colony may go undetected, and as it grows over time, the ants expand through your wood, leading to a potentially dangerous and costly situation.

Where You Can Find Carpenter Ants

The ants damage any wood in which they nest, but usually they nest in wet wood. Look for nests around windows, sinks and bath traps. The ants always have a point of entry into your home—through the foundation or a crack in the home. They can enter along electrical wires, telephone lines and water pipes. To find them, try to follow their trail into your home.

Once inside your home, they prefer to build nests in structural lumber areas like hollow walls or doors and around windows. If you see piles of wood shavings around your home, you very likely have an infestation. The ants create the shavings as they burrow into the wood to make nests. The shavings actually look like pencil shavings you’d see after sharpening a pencil. You also might hear them at work—a faint rustling sound inside the walls. Finally, if you see large ants with wings coming out of ceilings, walls or crevices, your home is almost certainly infested.

Carpenter ants can also build their nests outdoors in trees that have moist or rotting wood. If you see them outside, be particularly proactive about checking for carpenter ants inside.

Carpenter Ants Versus Termites

Many people mistake carpenter ants for a termite infestation. Carpenter ants have winged ants called swarmers that reproduce in warmer months, usually March to June. While termites actually eat the wood, the ants do not. Instead, they just damage the wood as they make their nests. The U.S. has 24 species of carpenter ant, and because the ants have wings, they are often mistaken for termites.

Carpenter ant nests are very difficult to find. They can go undetected in your home for years. A large colony can grow to 2,000 worker ants in a few years time. If you suspect an infestation, call a professional pest control company. When they’re done, call us to repair carpenter ants damage.

Maintaining a Crawl Space: Unseen but Important

Maintaining a Crawl Space: Unseen but Important

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When is the last time you looked around in the crawlspace under your house? Crawl spaces are notoriously damp, uncomfortable places so most homeowners tend to avoid them. The main people that venture into crawl spaces are home service specialists like HVAC technicians, plumbers and electricians who may or may not tell the homeowner about any issues they see under there. Unfortunately, there are actually a lot of home issues that can be prevented by properly maintaining your crawlspace. At Restoration Certification Services, we want to help you prevent the damage to your home and your family’s health that can come from a poorly maintained crawl space.

Maintaining a Crawl Space: Unseen but Important

Here are the problems you face if your home has a crawlspace:

Moisture In Your Crawl Space

Moisture is the most common issue in crawl spaces and leads to mold and wood rot. If you haven’t made any improvements to address moisture (like a moisture barrier, dehumidifier or sump pump), then you are probably going to have a moisture issue. The nature of a crawlspace being dark with little ventilation almost guarantees that you will have to do something to combat moisture. If left unchecked, moisture will rot your floor joists and supports and eventually your floor will have to be replaced. Moisture and mold can also rise up through your floor and into your living areas triggering allergies and breathing problems.

Pests in Your Crawl Space

Rats, insects and larger animals can get into your crawl space and leave droppings and/or damage duct work. It is really important to thoroughly check all possible entrance points to keep pests out of your crawlspace. As mentioned before, since most homeowners don’t go in their crawlspace often, it is possible for pests to do a lot of damage before they are noticed.

Your Crawl Space’s Insulation

Poor or no insulation in your crawl space means that you will spend more money on heating and cooling your home. It also means that mold can easily travel through the floor and into your living space. Getting your crawl space insulated will lower your power bills and extend the life of your floors.

You need to get your crawl space checked out. Our team at Restoration Certified Specialists is experienced, and we are dedicated to both making your home safe and saving you money. We offer full crawl space services from cleaning to installing protective measures. Contact us for more information.