Pests are one of the problems that no homeowner wants to ever have to deal with, and there are great reasons for this. In addition to the terror that a good number of them can cause the occupants of a house, they can also spread diseases and even damage the house itself. If you’re wondering just how they can do this, keep reading to see the main ways in which pests can damage a home.
Electrical Damage
The first kind of damage that pests can do to a home is electrical damage, and rodents are the biggest cause of this. That’s because rodents chew on whatever they can find, thanks to their constantly growing teeth. While they’re going to chew and gnaw on anything they can sink their teeth into, they’re especially drawn to electrical wiring. This may be because of the length, shape, and softness of power cords in general. In addition to potentially causing power outages and short circuits, there’s also a risk of fire.
Siding Damage
When installed properly, fiber cement siding can typically last up to 50 years, according to This Old House, unless pests intervene. This is because the same rats and mice that will gnaw at your electrical wires will also create holes in your siding. Squirrels are an addition to the list of culprits in this case, and they can cause the damage in question while trying to gain access into your home where they can make nests when the weather gets cooler.
Structural Damage
Structural damage is the other kind of damage to be wary of where pests are concerned. With wood being one of the main materials that’s used for structural elements of a building, termites take the spotlight for this damage. In fact, U.S. property owners spend about $5 billion every single year making repairs caused by termite damage, according to Realty Times. Other pests that can damage wood are carpenter bees, ants, emerald ash borers, and longhorned beetles. When these pests chew through the wood, they leave it weakened and therefore likely to fail at a time when you least expect it to.
Furniture and Fabric Damage
Your furniture is not safe from pests either, quite unfortunately. In fact, all of its parts are at risk because there are pests that damage wood, as mentioned, and others that damage fabric. The biggest culprits in terms of fabric damage include moths, carpet beetles, and silverfish. These can all destroy carpet, clothing, drapery, and even decor in short order, leaving groups of tiny holes that can’t be repaired and lead to a need for replacement.
Soffit Damage
No part of your home is high enough to keep a pest from damaging it. That’s why you should inspect and safeguard your home’s soffit from damage that’s most often caused by squirrels. This damage can take the form of holes that weaken the structure and also leave the insulation impacted. This can cause weak spots that end up leading to roof failure, an expensive and risky event. As a result, you may not reap the full benefits of your roof, with roofing shingles typically lasting up to 30 years before they need replacement, according to Forbes.
It’s clear to see that pests can leave you in misery, ripping your finances to shreds. The good news is that it’s possible to prevent these issues from coming up by putting in place measures to stop pest infestation, one of which is cleaning your home thoroughly. The time and money that you’re going to spend on prevention is minimal when you compare it to what you’d have to spend to remedy damage from an infestation.