Pest and Mold Safety in Your Home

Pest and Mold Safety in Your Home

It’s inevitable that your home will experience wear and tear over the years. Sometimes, damage can arise from small invaders that, while minuscule, can also be pervasive and even deadly. Common home invaders might be mold, pests and vermin. However, homeowners insurance might not automatically cover the damage they cause if you could have otherwise prevented it.

As a result, every property owner must do all they can to protect their property from pests. Therefore, consider a few of the preventative steps you should take regularly to protect your property.

Preventing Pest Infestations

When termites or vermin like mice or squirrels nest in your home, they can cause structural damage. Many feed on woodwork and can damage portions of the structure to create nests.

Often, you can prevent this damage long before it occurs. Therefore, your homeowners insurance will usually not pay for this damage.There are many protective steps that you can take instead:

Hiring a professional pest service and exterminator to spray around the home at regular intervals. This can create a barrier that both kills pests and blocks them from entering.

Keep pest prevention devices like mousetraps, bug spray or bug bombs on hand. You can often use these on small problems before they have time to get worse.

If you notice cracks or holes in your walls, foundations or roof, then have these repaired. These can provide prime entryways for pests.

You might be able to tell if you have a pest infestation if you notice sounds, holes in walls or animal droppings in the house. Immediately take remedial action upon finding this issue.

A professional home inspection performed every two years can help you catch developing problems not visible to the naked eye.

Of course, don’t forget that regular cleaning, maintenance and waste disposal helps create a safe and healthy home. With it, you can cut down on your risks of vermin infestations.

Preventing Mold Contamination

Mold can develop anywhere in a home where warm air and water meet. Not only can it cause structural damage, but it can also cause significant health risks that affect your over wellness. No matter the season, mold is a possibility, so always do what you can to prevent it.

Anywhere you have a leak, standing water might accumulate. That’s a breeding ground for mold. Repairing damaged pipes, cleaning your gutters, sealing your foundations and mopping up puddles will help you clear away that risk.

Never hesitate to call a plumber when water backups occur in the home. They can both diagnose your issues and make the requisite repairs.

Should mold develop, you might be able to clean it up yourself using bleach. However, you should always call a professional if you have a significant mold issue develop.

Again, most mold development will not have coverage under your homeowners policy if it develops slowly. Therefore, it’s your job to keep an eye out for these issues and stop them before they become unmanageable.

Check with your insurer in each instance of pest or mold damage to see if you have claims coverage. However, make preventing these items your first priority.