Pests are more than a nuisance to your personal peace and comfort. Many cause damages to homes that eat away at your home’s value. Worst of all, pest damage is often not covered by home insurance.

Damage caused by many pests is not always obvious. For this reason, pests are often allowed to roam untreated. By the time a homeowner notices the damage, it’s a lot more expensive to fix.

Learn about the hazards caused by Memphis’ most common pests so you can make the best decision for your property. Catch problems early to prevent unwanted pest damage from occurring.

Rodents Chew Electrical Wires (and Anything Within Their Reach)

Mice and rats breed rapidly and live in hard-to-reach places – inside walls, in attics, etc. They carry diseases, but their primary threat to homes is through their chewing abilities. They have large front and cheek teeth which make them adept at chewing through almost anything.

They can damage insulation, destroy wires, and create small holes all over your house. Chewed-up wires can even start a fire.

Ants Destroy Utilities and Wood

Memphis is home to both fire and carpenter ants. Fire ants are aggressive critters with a stinging bite. They damage the exterior of homes including transformer boxes, air conditioning units, and other electrical switches.

These omnivorous insects live in large colonies outside. If their mounds aren’t thoroughly destroyed, they can rebuild and repopulate.

Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood. However, they destroy it in the process of building their homes. The trick is to find and destroy the ant’s nest thoroughly.

Termites Feast on the Wood in Your Home

You probably already know termites eat wood, but do you know about the eastern subterranean termites which are the most common termites in Tennessee? They build huge colonies that can consume up to a pound of wood each day!

They aren’t easy to spot or hear, so they can work for a while before being noticed. Left untreated, they can do thousands of dollars in damage to a home. If you’re looking to sell to prospective buyers make sure you can show you’ve done due diligence in controlling for termites — or the sale may not go through.

Bed Bugs Scare Away Buyers

Bed bugs are a nuisance because they bite and feed on blood. They’re a threat to your home’s equity because they’re hard to remove and may scare away potential buyers. If you’ve ever had an issue with bed bugs, you need to guarantee you’ve eradicated the problem before selling your home.

Bed bugs are hard to eliminate because they can live for a year without food and make their home in tiny places. You’ll find them behind baseboards, in the crevices of a mattress, on luggage, and in picture frames. They build a home wherever they find protection.

If you suspect you have bed bugs, address the issue quickly and thoroughly. A professional will have the equipment and experience to deal with bed bugs effectively.

Worried about pests affecting your home? Call Inman-Murphy Termite & Pest Control to keep your home pest-free*. Contact us today to discuss your concerns.

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Are you a landlord or property manager?

Do you have rentals that sit vacant between renters?

If so, then you probably have had to worry about pest problems while the property remained empty. This is a common issue for some of our clients, so we thought we would address the best ways for you to ensure your rental properties are pest free—especially when they’re vacant.

Preventive Maintenance is a necessity

While you’re undoubtedly aware of the importance of preventive maintenance to keep your property’s systems operating effectively—pest prevention is often one part of maintenance that gets overlooked.

Before each season you, or your trusted pest control company, should perform a check of the exterior of your property to ensure it is sealed. This is to prevent intrusion by common pests and rodents. This is especially important in the spring and summer months when pest’s colonies increase and rodents have their babies. Small holes around your foundation, holes in the windows and screens, and exhaust pipes for chimneys and dryer vents are all areas that need to be check to limit intrusion into your property.

Keep the interior clean

After a renter moves out it’s common to do a cleaning and even paint before you re-rent the property. It’s wise to invest in a major cleaning of the house—hire a professional maid service or house cleaning service to do a full clean up.

This is as much a benefit for new tenants as it is for you. These “heavy” cleanings can often help you find things that need to be taken care of before putting the property back up for rent and can save you money on maintenance in the long run.

Remove the most common infestation areas

Woodpiles, dead leaves, over grown planters and gardens—these are all common areas where pest infestations occur. Keep these areas free of debris and dead vegetation and you’ll limit comfortable residences for bugs and rodents.

Another thing to be aware of is standing areas of water. Pooling water from outdoor faucets, pots, gutters and downspouts, and other catch basins create breeding grounds for mosquitoes. No one wants to visit a property only to be bitten up by mosquitoes that could have easily been controlled.

Contract with a professional pest control company.

Ultimately the best defense against all pest control problems is to use a professional pest control services company to deal with the issues.

Often the wisest solution is to contract with a company to perform regular pest control on both your home and your rental properties. By having a contracted pest control company on standby you ensure year round control whether you have tenants or not. It’s ultimately a time saving and money saving option.

If you are looking for pest control for a rental property, contact the professionals at Inman-Murphy, Inc—we’ll provide you with a free estimate and top-notch service! (901) 388-0852.

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