It would be bad enough if pests just kind of hung out in your home or business. Theyโre gross. Nobody wants to live with them. Unfortunately, however, there are even more important reasons to deal with pest infestations quickly and permanently. Pests wreck literally incalculable damage on manmade structures and the natural world alike. Scientists recently estimated that invasive forest insects alone cost the US over $4 billion dollars annually.
Even common pests like rodents or beetles can do a surprising amount of damage to your home surprisingly quickly. Here are a couple of the worst problems pests can make for you if you let them. If youโre worried you have an infestation, take action immediately to save yourself the potentially expensive headache of dealing with stuff like this. Sorry about the scare tactics; we just want to make sure you know what to keep an eye out for.

Structural Damage
First, the big one. Wood is still the primary building material used in homes. Pests like termites, Longhorned Beetles, Emerald Ash Borers, ants, and carpenter bees all feed on and/or burrow through wood. That loadbearing 2×4 holding up part of your kitchen floor is just another tasty snack for them. When wood-boring pests eat through wood, they damage its structural integrity, making it ineffective and exposing it to the possibility of cracking or even collapsing.
Though itโll take time for pests to dramatically damage your home, even minor structural damage should be considered very dangerous. Damage to your homeโs framework or foundation can be expensive to repair, and might have a huge negative impact on resale value. If you have a termite, beetle, or ant infestation, itโs crucial that you deal with it quickly and take steps to prevent future infestations.

Electrical Damage
Did you know that rat and mice teeth never stop growing? Rodents like these start teething as babies and never stop. That means they need something relatively soft to chew on constantly. One of the telltale signs of a rodent infestation are tiny bite marks on a wide variety of household items. Carpeting, furniture, wood, fabric, and even hard plastics arenโt safe from the incessant gnawing.
Alarmingly, rats and mice love chowing down on wires more than almost anything else. The shape, length, and softness of a power cord make electrical cables the perfect teething tool. Repeated biting and chewing wears down on electrical wires, the same way nervously biting a pencil leaves marks and dents in it. If the rodents keep coming back for long enough, they could expose the internal wiring inside the cord, creating a major fire hazard.

Fabric Damage
Good news: adult moths donโt eat clothes. In fact, they donโt eat at all! Bad news: adult moths lay their eggs in clothes. And then the hatched babies eat your clothes. Moth larvae feed on fabrics until they reach maturity, doing considerable damage and leaving behind holes in the process. Moths are known for eating clothes, but theyโll feed on any kind of fabric, hair, or fur, including drapes, carpeting, or decor.
Moths arenโt the only fabric-feeders, either. Silverfish and carpet beetles can both do considerable damage to your flooring or wardrobe. Plus, itโs icky. You donโt want to wear a pair of underwear that baby moths have been chewing on. Even minor fabric damage can ruin expensive or difficult-to-replace items quickly, so donโt wait to take care of the moths you find in your closet.

Furniture Damage
Wow, pests really donโt leave anything alone, huh? Rodents, beetles, moths, spiders, and pretty much everything else can damage or even take up residence in furniture. Most pests prefer dark, hidden areas where they can hide, sleep, and eat in peace. Large furniture, especially sofas and fabric armchairs can be really attractive nests for some unwanted roommates.
Pests arenโt content to just crash on your sofa, either. Given the chance, theyโll use it as a food source, ripping into it and carving out holes. Pests can ruin a lot of wood, fabric, and even plastic furniture faster than you might suspect. Plus, again, itโs gross. You donโt want to sit on a sofa that has roaches in it. Trust usโฆ
Remember: a little proactive maintenance always beats a big repair or replacement paycheck. Practice good pest prevention strategies now, and hopefully youโll never have to worry about damage like this.
If youโve noticed any of the problems weโve laid out here in your house, donโt panic! Just give us a call right away. Not only can we get any pests in your house to leave your stuff alone, we can make sure they donโt come back after we kick them out. The faster you take action, the less you have to worry about–so take action now!