Hello everyone and welcome back to my Home Ownership 101 series. Today I am discussing one of the less glamorous aspects of home ownership, but an important one nonetheless…how to deal with bugs and pests. A pest problem can get out of hand fast and ruin your dream home (or at the least cause anxiety and financial strain) so it’s important to stay on top of things to prevent any issues. Today I am sharing some pest prevention and pest control tips, as well as how to know when it’s time to call a professional exterminator. *This post may contain affiliate links.
Pest Control: When Do You Need a Professional to Eliminate Your Pest Problems?
Discovering you have pests in your home can be a nerve-racking experience. But you’re not alone. IN fact it is estimated that 84% of Americans have used a pest control service in the last year. This is even more likely if you live in one of the top ten towns for pest infestations.
The good news is that pests can be dealt with successfully. You simply need to decide if you are going to try to DIY or if you need to hand over to the professionals.
Top Tip: Many pest problems can be tackled by the homeowner first but you should never waste time when dealing with termites. A professional will be able to locate all the colonies; which may have as many as 60,000 termites in; and get rid of them before they do too much damage to your home.
You can find out more about their service here.
You should be able to take preventive measures to protect your home. In many cases this will ensure that you never have a pest issue.
Prevention includes:
Once you discover you have a pest issue you can start treating it yourself.
The most common starting point is to visit your local store and get pesticides and traps. Pesticides need to be kept away from children and pets. You should only spray them at specific locations. *Opt for organic and eco-friendly pest control whenever possible.
Traps can be placed near where you think the source of the infestation is. You can opt for humane traps that catch rodents or simply put bait boxes down with poison in them. The pests will carry the poison back to their nest, potentially killing the entire colony.
When To Call The Experts
It is important to know when you’re beat. If the pest control problem is not going away then there is a good chance you’re simply killing worker pests and not the queen or colony. A professional will be able to locate the colony and deal directly with it, as they will also have the proper equipment to eliminate the pests.
You should also use a professional if you have allergies. You won’t want to make the allergies worse by approaching these pests, and the faster they are out of your home the better!
It is also important to get professional help if you don’t know what pest you are dealing with or realize that you have not identified the pest correctly. The experts will be able to identify which pests you have and will know exactly how to handle them. They should also be more effective at removing pests entirely, and they have the experience and knowledge to get the job done fast.
Well dear readers I hope that the information shared here today will help you prevent or eliminate any potential pest problems. Best of luck for keeping your home pest free!
Amber
Welcome back to my Fabulous Fall Decorating series! Today it’s officially the first day of fall, so that means it’s time to go all out on the pumpkin decor! On October 2nd I will be sharing my fall porch as part of the Fall Porch Blog Hop, so once again I have been searching Pinterest for ideas. As I was browsing I kept coming upon so many pretty painted doors with creative pumpkin displays and it put me in the mood to finally paint our back door, just in time for the arrival of pumpkins!
Hello readers, and welcome back to my Home Ownership Series. Today I am discussing leaky basements and how to fix them. I really wish I didn’t know first hand about this topic, but unfortunately I have had to deal with leaky basements in the past and as a result ended up with long term health issues due to mold exposure. A leaky basement can also cause your home to become a a money pit fast, so it’s best to address issues at the first sign of moisture. *This post contains affiliate links.
The old saying goes, “Prevention is worth an ounce of cure,” can definitely apply when it comes to leaky basements. Preventing water issues is often as easy as maintaining clean gutters or making sure down spouts are in good working order. Be sure to check your gutters and down spouts regularly and make any necessary repairs to prevent water leaks.
Check for leaking pipes on a regular basis. This could be something you do once a week. It may seem a bit excessive but it only takes one small leak to turn into a major issue. Flooding is more likely to happen in winter when you are using more water, through heating and pipes. But if the pipes are damaged, or the water in them freezes, then it can cause problems. Consider using Heat-Line heat tape for water pipes to avoid water freezing in them and check the pipes more frequently during colder months.
DIY or Professional Waterproofing
Once you have located any potential water leak sources and made the necessary repairs for preventing any more leaks, you can take steps to waterproof your basement. This can be done at home using products such as Drylok or by a professional waterproofing company depending on the severity of damage cause by previous water leaks or mold issues.
Drylok 27512 Latex Water Proofer, 1 Quart, White
Even if you do not see any signs of leaking but your basement feels or smells damp or musty, it is time to figure out the source of the dampness and smells. Wet basements can cause a myriad of health issues that are often misdiagnosed. Along with sinus allergies, even small amounts of mold or mildew can be detrimental physically and financially. Even if there aren’t any big water leaks, simply using a dehumidifier can be very helpful for removing excess dampness in the air and preventing mold growth. If you have a significant amount of water, you may need to have a professional company perform water extraction services to make sure all the water is thoroughly removed.
Frigidaire 70-Pint Dehumidifier with Effortless Humidity Control
Dealing with moldy basements is a nightmare I can personally attest to. I always hope my experiences will help others at least. Our current basement seems to have been dry and mold free since we moved here nearly five years ago, but lately I noticed some seeping in the block walls in an unused utility room in the basement, so I am calling a waterproofing company asap. It’s always a lot more exciting as a homeowner to do makeovers and decor projects, but sometimes home maintenance must be a priority.
I hope you have found these three tips for preventing basement water leaks to be helpful. If you have any questions about mold exposure illness (Mold Biotoxin Illness, Sick Building Syndrome) feel free to send me a message and I will help in any way I can.
Thanks for visiting today!
Amber