SMALL ISSUES CAN QUICKLY ESCLATE INTO COSTLY PROPERTY DAMAGE IF NOT ADDRESSED In A TIMELY MANNER

Left unchecked, these pests can wreak havoc. Rats and mice can chew through drywall, electrical wiring and pipes, leading to significant damage to the home including appliances and whole-home systems. They also spread disease through their droppings and bodily fluids, contaminating virtually every surface they touch.  Mice and rats reproduce quickly after nesting in their home creating ongoing havoc. They often die in walls creating more challenges and unhealthy conditions. 

A squirrel could get into you home via a gap in your foundation, ductwork or chimney. Squirrels are known to be very aggressive and will chew up siding, wiring, and create a nest of babies that spread disease and further damage to the home.

Raccoon are very capable intruders. They can tear off shingles or fascia boards to get into attics or wall spaces. Once inside, raccoons may tear apart insulation, drywall, and pipe insulation to build nests. They may also chew on wood and wiring, which can be a fire risk. Raccoons contaminate areas with feces and urine to carry diseases such as rabies, distemper virus, and parvovirus. And the treatment for these virus is not pleasant and can carry long term health consequences.

Bats won’t cause structural damage, but they can use your home as a bathroom, damaging the wood, attracting bugs, causing mold to grow and transmitting parasites or disease.

Unlike Bats, termites can cause structural damage quickly. Even a small colony can inflict major harm within a year.  The good news is that termites are less active in cold temperatures, but get very active in the Spring. Termite hot spots include tree stumps, mulch, concrete around utility pipes and wood piles. Consumers spend over 5 BILLION dollars a year on damage caused by Termites so addressing any signs of an infestation early is essential. 

Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but knaw out wood leaving behind frass, a tell tale sign you have them! One colony can have over 3000 ants to one queen. Subterranean termites die when they are exposed to the air too long. Carpenter ants have no such limitation. They can come out of their tunnels and crawl around all they want. When they do, they can create visible damage. This damage looks like someone took a carving knife to wood.

Carpenter ant damage often starts in a location where wood has been damaged by water. This helps in tracking down carpenter ants a little easier than termites.

Carpenter ants often target exterior wooden structures while attacking a home. You may be able to see damage at the base of fence posts, on the supports for your deck or patio, on wood borders for flower beds, and more which is why your Away Team carefully checks all your outdoor structures as well as everything inside!

Young ants reach adulthood in just 24 days. Imagine the army of ants that develop if an infestation goes unnoticed for months at a time!

American cockroaches are equally prolific, with females producing up to 150 offspring in their lifetime, which can reach maturity in just 6 months. Cockroaches are incredibly resilient and can go without food for over two months and enter the home in the tiniest of cracks and crevices along pipes or foundation and garage wall cracks. 

Stink Bugs reproduce quickly and females can produce more than 200 eggs in their short life time. Stink Bugs seek refuge in the winter, waiting for the spring to escape through walls and windows.