3 Signs a Home May Need a Pest Inspection

Whether you're looking to buy a new home or already own a home, it's important to have it treated for any type of pest infestation the moment you suspect that you have rodents, roaches, termites, and the like. This is because these pests are very damaging to your overall  health and can cause damage to a home's building materials as well. Ignoring a pest infestation usually only makes it worse and can lead to larger repair bills to drywall and building studs down the road.

Note a few often-overlooked signs that a home on the market or the home in which you're living may need a pest inspection.

1. Hollow-sounding Walls

A wall will sound slightly hollow in between building studs, but it shouldn't be so hollow that you can hear an echo or feel a vibration when you knock on that section of the wall. If this happens, the home may have termites. These pests burrow into areas that are dark and which may be located near the center of a home, rather than just in the studs and building materials near the outside of the home.

If you notice that walls seem more hollow than they should, you might look for tunnels outside the home that are often left by termites, but even if you don't see these, call for a pest inspection. Termites can do a tremendous amount of damage to wood building materials and they should not be ignored if a home has an infestation.

2. Holes near the Corners of Walls

Mice and rats burrow into corners of walls and very often the holes they make are small, but still noticeable. If you see a hole in a wall near a corner or along a baseboard, don't assume it's just typical wear or rotted wood. You might check to see if you notice droppings near this area but even if you don't, have the home inspected for mice or rats.

3. Pets Acting Strangely

In your own home, you may notice that a cat runs back and forth behind furniture or crouches near certain areas of the wall. It may be chasing roaches or other large bugs and may be waiting to pounce on a mouse they sense in the walls. If you're shopping for a new home and if the owner's pet is there and also seems to be crouching or growling near the walls, this can be a sign of rodents. Have the home inspected if you notice pets acting strangely in a home.