Moisture and Wood Destroying Insects in Virginia Beach
The intersecting bodies of water and high humidity of the Hampton Roads climate mean that homeowners in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampton, and Newport News are often battling moisture accumulation in their homes. Water damage and mold are bad enough, but water damage often attracts wood-destroying insects which can exacerbate the damage. In addition, high levels of moisture can draw out termites, silverfish, and rodents. Don’t worry, Summit Environmental Solutions can help. Our team provides the best pest control services to customers in the Hampton Roads area. Contact our team to get started today with a FREE estimate at 757-901-4455!
How Does Moisture Attract Termites, Carpenter Ants, and Carpenter Bees?
Termites are a wood-destroying insect that feeds on the cellulose within wood. Termites love to feed on dead, decaying wood, like rotting logs. When moisture saturates your wood, it begins to rot, turning it soft in the process. This makes it much easier for termites to feed on. The humid, moist conditions created in a crawl space with lots of moisture also provide termites with the mud they can use to construct mud tubes that rise from the soil into your home. Termites dry out easily and need mud tubes to keep themselves alive. Additionally, untreated, unpainted wood that is rotting and moist provides a perfect spot for carpenter ants and carpenter bees. Unlike termites, which eat the wood they destroy, carpenter ants and carpenter bees destroy wood to lay their eggs inside. As the larvae emerge, they will destroy the wood further. If you have had a leak or flood, or just water infiltration or water damage, you are leaving your home vulnerable to these pests.
How To Limit Moisture Accumulation In The Home
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The best way to limit the amount of moisture inside your crawl space or basement is to have proper waterproofing and drainage systems around your home’s foundation. Gutters and downspouts allow water to flow down the roof and away from the home effectively, so it is important to make sure they are functioning optimally by having gutter guards installed to prevent leaves from clogging the gutters up. If you have a crawl space, make sure that it is encapsulated, with the dirt floor sealed off with a vapor barrier and the crawl space vents sealed off. Sump pumps should be installed in your basement or crawl space to prevent groundwater from accumulating near your home, and exterior drainage systems can also help. A dehumidifier in your basement or crawl space can help reduce moisture in the air and prevent mold. Preventing and limiting moisture and humidity in your home will help keep wood destroying insects at bay.
How To Prevent Wood-Destroying Pests
In addition to reducing moisture, you can prevent wood-destroying organisms by reducing sources of dead or dying wood near your home. Wood-destroying insects can set up a nest inside rotting logs or decaying tree stumps and then migrate into your home, so remove all sources of dead wood in your yard to keep WDI’s out. Try to keep wood piles far away from your home, as these can also provide harborage for WDI’s. The best way to prevent wood-destroying insects on your property in Hampton Roads is to contact the experts at Summit Pest Control for preventative termite treatments and termite exclusions.
Other Pests Attracted By Moisture
Wood-destroying insects aren’t the only pest that are attracted by high levels of moisture. Rats and mice also benefit from moist conditions, especially leaky pipes or flooded basements or crawl spaces. Cockroaches are attracted to damp, warm areas of the home, so they often choose to hide in basements and crawl spaces. Silverfish can survive off the moisture in the air, so high levels of moisture will attract this nuisance pest.
Pest Control Service in Hampton Roads
No matter what type of pest is causing problems on your property in Hampton Roads, Summit Environmental Solutions can help. We offer comprehensive pest control treatments, first to get rid of the pest that is bothering you, then regularly on a monthly or quarterly basis. We also offer WDI Inspections (which are often necessary to sell or refinance a home) for $125. Don’t let wood-destroying insects create safety hazards and tank your property value, contact the experts at Summit Pest Control today for the best wood-destroying insect control services in Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach at 757-901-4455!