10 Areas You Need To Check For Before You Move To A New Home

Where do you need to check for pests in a new home?

1. Foundation: They could be living in the wood.
2. Exterior Walls: Cracks and holes must be sealed.
3. The Roof: These are access points for rodents.
4. Indoor and Outdoor Plumbing: Any leak will cause moisture which can attract pests.
5. Windows and Doors: Make sure that potential access points are properly closed and sealed.
6. Garden: Make sure that no tree branches are near your house.
7. Drawers and Cabinets: Rats love making their homes out of these places.
8. Wood: Any piece of wood is a termite magnet.
9. Sources of Standing Water: Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
10. Attic: Since this isn’t visited often, pests find this a peaceful place to live in.

So you’ve already bought the lot and house for your new home. You’re probably thinking that moving into your new home will be the next step. Hold on a minute. First things, first: you need to check certain areas to make sure that pests (like termites) don’t abound. And if they do, immediately call termite control in the Philippines. Here are 10 places you need to survey:

The Structure’s Foundation and Exterior Walls

The first area you should immediately check is the home’s foundation, because this is the connection of the house to the ground and it’s what makes it stable. If pests are in your foundation and you don’t know about it, then it will only be a matter of time before it is ruined and your whole home may be compromised. That’s really frustrating given that your home is new.

You may think that the wood has already been used and disturbed and there’s no way that more pests will live in these after it’s used for construction. This is not true, especially with pests such as beetle larvae, they can grow and live in pieces of wood and they won’t leave it even if it is being chopped up and nailed down. For this reason, you must check the foundation and other wood parts of your home regardless if it looks good.

As for the exterior walls, look for cracks and have them sealed. This area is where ants, spiders, and rodents gain access to your home. Check around for mud tubes (small lines made of earth) as these are signs of termites infesting the place. If you see any or all of these pests located here, then have them eliminated.

The Roof

Another access point for rodents to your home is the roof. Signs that there are rats or mice are damaged wire cables, since rodents gnaw on almost anything to keep their teeth at a manageable length. If there is an overpowering odor of urine and rat droppings, then you can be sure that rodents have already pass through there.

While you’re inspecting the roof, check the gutter as well and make sure that it will dispose of any rain water that it catches on rainy days, and seal any openings if you find leaks at the sides of your walls. This will prevent a big number of moisture-loving pests from being attracted to your home.

Indoor Pipes and Outdoor Leaks

As said above, moisture attracts certain pests, namely cockroaches, termites, carpenter ants, rats, squirrels, and other pests. For this reason, you may want to make sure that there are no consistent sources of moisture in and around your home. These usually comes in the form of leaks in your plumbing.

For indoors, be sure to check the pipes. Hire a plumber to seal off any gaps in the pipes of your kitchen and bathroom sinks so you reduce the risk of a pest infestation inside your home.

Also, check for leaks that could lead to moisture around your new house (like a faulty gutter). This will attract wood-loving pests, especially since it will come from the great outdoors. If the moisture gets on the wooden parts of your home, then consider this as a sign that you have a major pest attraction.

Windows and Doors

These two are the most common entry points of insects and other pests. Rodents are infamous for squeezing through door openings (somewhat like the size of a quarter). Make sure windows and doors leading outside are closed and sealed properly with screens or any other related material. If your new home has already come with a screen and other physical pest interferences, then just make sure you repair these if they are not in top shape.

Garden

Trees, branches, and vines must be trimmed so that they are 5 to 10 feet away from your house. Insects can gain entry to your homes through branches that are in close proximity to it.

Also, make sure that the soil in your garden is 6 inches from the floor to keep insects like ants and termites away from your home. Keep plant pots off the floor area, as these only attract insects to go near your home.

Kitchen Drawers and Cabinets

Rodents and cockroaches prefer taking shelter in these places since they’re warm and usually offers moisture (if next to the sink). One way to find out if these pests are living or have live on these places is to look for urine and droppings.

Any Place in Your House with Wood

It is important to note that it takes time and the right equipment, like the ones you can find here, to build a house. This time can also be prolonged because of financial problems and weather conditions during construction. The latter is something that you have to be worried about in particular when it comes to pest control. Especially with rain, as this means that large and moist piles of wood are left out in the open for a long time.

As such, inspect your home and look for any wood that is not treated or painted over. These will pose as a termite magnet. It is imperative that you check these places like your room cabinets, living room, dining area, etc., so a possible termite infestation can be immediately treated before they cause serious property damage.

Gypsum board and fiberglass insulation are other materials that absorb more moisture than the sunlight can dry away, so you must also check these items when it rains during the construction of your home.

Pools and Other Sources of Standing Water

Some examples of sources of standing water are pools, birdbaths, and gutters. Even if these start out empty, just a little bit of rain is needed in order for it to have standing water. These are breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which serves as common transmitters of deadly diseases such as Zika and the West Nile virus. Hence, if you haven’t moved in yet, ask the house keeper to consistently remove the standing water. If you have, then be careful as you remove them yourself because there may already be an infestation. Better yet, call a professional to handle it.

The Attic and Crawl Spaces

Although these spaces are the least visited by the people at home, it is important that you check this in your new home because these are common areas the pests live in. When you do, use a flashlight so you can easily spot a nest. If you need to crawl into the space, then call a professional because you don’t want to get stuck in case you are swarmed.

Key Takeaway

That rounds up our 10 must-check areas before you move in your new home. Are there other places you believe that needs to be inspected before moving in? Do you agree or disagree with what we’ve written above? Feel free to share your ideas in the comments section below.