Inclement Weather and Pest Activity in Hampton Roads
As the harsh effects of hurricane season batter the eastern seaboard, the coastal region of Hampton Roads is especially at risk for heavy rain, thunderstorms, and flooding. What you might not know is that these harsh weather conditions also affect the pests and wildlife that we coexist with, and a week of rainstorms might leave you with a family of squirrels in your attic or a colony of termites in your crawl space. This may sound scary, but don’t worry, Summit Environmental Solutions can help. Our team offers the best pest control and wildlife removal services in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News. Contact our team to get started today with a FREE estimate at 757-901-4455!
Squirrels and Raccoons
When heavy rain and high winds blow through the area, critters like squirrels and raccoons will be scrambling for shelter. Unfortunately, your home is the perfect sanctuary for these animals to hide from the storm outside. Squirrels and raccoons will scratch and gnaw at any potential gaps or cracks on your roof, siding, fascia board, or gable vent, and once they get inside, these critters will start ripping up and shredding your attic insulation to build their nests, often soiling it in the process with their urine and feces. Raccoons can tear through your HVAC ducts and squirrels can chew through the rubber covering around wires, which can cause a house fire. The entry points that squirrels and raccoons widen to get inside your attic can also let precipitation into your home, leading to water-damaged ceilings, walls, and insulation.
Groundhogs, Moles, and Voles
Groundhogs, moles, and voles all have one thing in common: these mammals dig long, extensive tunnels throughout yards and alongside foundations. When heavy rainfall hits and the ground becomes saturated, the burrows these critters dig can become flooded. The water from these tunnels and burrows can begin seeping into the home’s foundation, which can cause water damage in the home and lead to the foundation cracking and settling over time.
Schedule a FREE Estimate
Termites and Cockroaches
Termites are moisture-seeking pests that often make their way into homes by building mud tubes up from wet soil until they reach the wood in your home that they can feed on. Flooding and high levels of precipitation from tropical storms can saturate the soil underneath your home, creating ideal conditions for subterranean termites. Even worse, the rain can saturate the wood in your home, softening it and causing it to decay. Soft, decaying wood is ideal for termites, and they can spread from there into the rest of the home.
Similarly, cockroaches also need moisture to survive. Moist, humid conditions in your basement or crawl space caused by unrelenting storms can lead to an infestation of cockroaches, which can then spread to your kitchens and bathrooms.
How To Protect Against Pests and Wildlife
The best way to protect against pests and wildlife during hurricane season is to make sure your home is entirely sealed off, leaving behind no entry points. Crawl space encapsulations seal off your unnecessary crawl space vents, while also sealing off your crawl space from the bare earth with a vapor barrier. This can prevent termites, roaches, rats, mice, and other pests from making their way inside your crawl space. Make sure your attic doesn’t have any obvious cracks or gaps that can be exploited by wildlife. Summit Environmental Solutions can also help you protect against critters and pests. Our team can carefully inspect every inch of your home, locating any potential entry point for nuisance pests and wildlife, before sealing and fortifying these entry points, keeping your home safe. Contact our team to get started today with a FREE estimate at 757-901-4455!
Best Pest Control and Wildlife Removal Company in Hampton Roads
Hurricane season brings plenty of heavy rain and heavy winds to the coastal area of Hampton Roads, which can send wildlife like squirrels and raccoons searching for cover, which they will find in your attic. Additionally, burrows and tunnels dug by critters like groundhogs, moles, and voles can become flooded and deliver water straight to your home’s foundation, leading to cracking and settling over time. Moist, flooded conditions can also create ideal conditions for household pests like termites and cockroaches. If you are dealing with an infestation of pests and wildlife on your property in Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, or Newport News, contact the wildlife removal and pest control experts at Summit Environmental Solutions today. Our team can trap and remove squirrels, raccoons, groundhogs, moles, and voles from your property, and we can provide you with excellent pest control treatments to keep termites and cockroaches out. We also provide exclusions and seal-outs to keep nuisance pests off your property in the future. Our team offers FREE estimates, so contact us today to get started at 757-901-4455!