Home maintenance requires attention to detail and a schedule of knowing when different inspections need to take place. As soon as the summer storm season of high winds and hail ends, for instance, it is important to make sure that you take the time to have your furnace checked so that you are ready for the first time that the temperatures drop into the 40s. And while storm repairs and heating and cooling checks can be both obvious and somewhat predictable, some problems can be nearly invisible. In fact, a termite inspection service should be a requirement in some areas of the country even when you do not see signs of any damage.
Especially in areas of the country where the temperature never drops below zero, termite inspection services are necessary if property owners want to be able to protect both their homes and their businesses. And while the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that U.S. residents spend at least $1 billion on Formosan termite control and repairs each year, some other experts indicate that the number spent is probably closer to $2 billion.
Unfortunately, termites do not need much room to cause a problem in a home or business. In fact, most research indicates that they can enter a structure through a space as small as 1/32nd of an inch. This means that in the right climate where it is never too cold to kill them, termites can enter parts of your home and cause major damage in places that are so small they would otherwise go unnoticed.
Termites Are Not the Only Bug Problem That People Can Have in Their Homes
From the smallest of bed bugs to large rats, homes and businesses can face many situations where insects and rodents can be a problem. Consider some of these facts and figures about the need many property owners have when it comes to these pesky problems:
- 1600 species of fleas have been identified throughout the world, and nearly 95% of these species live on mammals while only 50% on birds.
- $1 to $2 billion is the amount of property damage that occurs every year because of termite damage.
- 600,000 homes in the U.S. are damaged every year by termites.
- Female bedbugs can lay more than 200 eggs during their life cycle.
- A rat’s home range, or territory, is generally within a 50-foot to 150-foot radius of its nest. A mouse, on the other hand, usually lives within a 10-foot to 30-foot radius of its nest.
Whether you are trying to tackle a small insect like a bid bug, or are facing a larger problem with rats, finding the right professional to help you is always a good idea. From professional termite inspection services to companies that focus on knowing how to remove bed bugs, finding the best available expert is often in your best interest.