Frequently Asked Questions About Moisture and Pests

A thorough understanding of how moisture problems lead to pest problems can help you figure out why you have a pest problem and what you need to do about it. Take a look at the answers to these frequently asked questions about the relationship between moisture and pets.

Where Does Moisture Commonly Attract Pests?

When you look for sources of moisture that attract pests to your home or commercial facility, take a look outdoors. Your yard, garden, gutters, downspouts, or other exterior features may receive water through sprinklers or create puddles of standing water, creating breeding grounds for mosquitos and other pests.

Indoor pests often seek out a combination of moisture and warmth. This preference naturally draws them to areas such as hot water heaters, bathrooms, and kitchens, since these areas tend to offer both warm water and humid ambient air on a regular basis. Foundation cracks or basement leaks may also nourish pests.

Which Pests Flock to Moisture Sources?

Many insect pests make a beeline for any source of moisture inside or outside your residence or building. Common examples include cockroaches, earwigs, silverfish, and centipedes. The latter two insects must stay hydrated or they will dry out and die. By contrast, cockroaches can make do with relatively little moisture.

A damp environment can also summon a variety of other unwanted insect life. If you find yourself besieged by ants, spiders, scorpions, booklice, or beetles, you probably have either a damp area inside your structure or standing water supporting a pest population just outdoors, with gaps or cracks allowing them to enter.

Rodents require a reliable source of water as well. These creatures will gravitate toward the steady, dependable drip of a leaky plumbing pipe or faucet in your kitchen, bathroom, basement, or crawl spaces. Examples of rodents attracted by water include mice, rats, possums, raccoons, chipmunks, and squirrels.

How Do Pest Control Experts Handle Residential or Commercial Moisture Problems?

If your pest problem stems from excess moisture in your home or building, a skilled pest control expert can perform a thorough inspection of the entire structure, paying special attention to common sites for leakage, puddles, or humidity. This expert will also look for cracks or gaps around pipes that lead to outdoor moisture sources.

Based on these findings, your pest control provider will recommend a plan for turning your home or facility into a dry zone. Strategies may involve cleaning and drying wet areas, laying down plastic moisture barriers, sealing spaces that permit pest entry, and installing a dehumidifier and/or moisture monitor.

After controlling the moisture problem, your pest control team can eliminate the pests already invading your business or home. Depending on the pest in question, the measures used may include bait, traps, chemicals, or natural options such as diatomaceous earth (which kills many kinds of insects by dehydrating them).

What Can You Do to Minimize Future Moisture-Related Pest Problems?

Once your pest control team has taken steps to reduce moisture, you'll need to take further steps to keep your home or facility pest free. Fix any new plumbing problems or cracks in the walls immediately, keep food secured, and get rid out of outdoor puddles or debris that might attract thirsty pests.

If you believe that your home or commercial facility suffers from a moisture problem that attracts unwanted visitors, talk to the experts at American Pest Professionals. We can identify those moisture points and take corrective action to deprive pests of their water supply. Contact us today to schedule an inspection.