Termite Control-Detection, Extermination and Repair

Termites can put your home in danger. Here is some vital information about termites you need to know before calling in the professionals from the people at the articlesfactory.com.

Termite control is a mandatory part of home maintenance, because these insects will destroy any structures made of wood. They may be difficult to detect without regular inspections conducted by a professional. When there is an infestation, a termite control professional uses two types of chemicals to exterminate the bugs. The damage termites can cause can be very costly, especially if it goes unnoticed for a long time.

Termite control is necessary to prevent damage to anything you own that is made of wood. Whether it is the structure of your home, your furniture, or trees, termite damage can be detrimental if not handled quickly and properly. There are many different signs that termites are present. For example, you may notice dry wall crumbling for no known reason. Wood floors may begin to bow or sag in certain spots, or walls may seem to bulge or curve inward in some areas.

In many instances, there are no indications of termites that the average person would notice. This is because termites can enter the home from the ground and eat through walls, ceilings or furniture from the inside out. Wherever there is a combination of wood, soil, and moisture, there is a good chance that termite infestation will occur. Once you have detected them in your home, extermination is needed immediately. Some grocery and hardware stores carry termite repellant or killer, but it is very difficult to apply these properly by yourself. In addition, these repellants are not nearly as potent or effective as the kinds used by a licensed termite control professional.

A professional exterminator uses two main types of chemicals to get rid of termites. The first is a repellant, which the termites can sense and try to avoid completely. The second chemical is used when infestation has occurred to actually kill the insects. It is odorless and the bugs do not even know it is present. They will actually consume the chemical along with the wood they eat, ensuring their death. Termites will die from exposure to this chemical, even if they do not consume it, but they will not die as quickly.

When infestation has gone unnoticed for long periods of time, these wood-eating insects can create extensive damage to your home. In some severe cases, the home’s structures may be irreparably destroyed. Walls and roofs can cave in or allow more moisture in, which can cause rotting wood and mold. In addition to attracting more termites, moisture can cause these other problems that may be harmful to your health. Exterminating the insects before this kind of damage has occurred may not only save you money, but also save your home from being condemned.

The price for extermination will depend on the numbers and sizes of colonies that have formed in your home. Another factor affecting your overall costs is the number and sizes of affected areas within your home. The more structures that have been damaged, the more money it will take to repair them. These variables will also determine the amount of time and chemicals a termite control professional will need to exterminate the bugs. Once all the termites have been killed, you will need to make all necessary repairs as soon as possible to prevent rotting and collapses. This type of damage can continue even after the insects have been killed. You may need new drywall, trusses, beams, floors, or roofing materials.

Early detection and prevention is the key to avoid ending up in a terrible and costly situation. Take as many precautions as possible and invest in routine inspections from a termite control professional to keep your home safe and sound.

Protect your home from a wide variety of pests with Servall Pest Control. Serving the Western Kentucky region all year long. Learn more at www.servallpestcontrol.com!

DIY Ant Control Tips

Ants always lead to unpleasant situations inside you home. Here are some great DIY ant control tips to try before calling in the professionals from the people at the articlesfactory.com.

Ants can pose a considerable problem for homeowners. Due to their extensive colony network, locating and exterminating them is usually difficult. Luckily, there are many home remedies that work. These remedies are excellent forms of ant control.

• Cucumber slices can discourage ants when placed in auspicious areas where ants congregate.

• Place mint leaves or cloves in ant infested areas around your home. Mints will deter ants and freshen up the air in your home at the same time.

• Find where the trail of ants leads from their colony to their food source. Create a small line with a known deterrent across the entry point to the colony. Some deterrents include cayenne pepper, citrus oil, cinnamon, coffee grounds, or lemon juice.

• You can also use the potent strength of garlic to ward off ants.

• Changes in light can alter foraging progress. If will be valuable to leave a low wattage light on near ant activity during the nighttime.

• By mixing on liter of water, one cup of sugar, and one teaspoon of Borax, you can make a deadly ant poison. Saturate some cotton balls in this potent liquid. Place these soaked cotton balls in recycled yogurt containers. Make small holes in the lids, and place these on top of the containers. The holes will allow the small ants to access the interior. Place the containers in the path of the ant trail. The ants will consume this poison and carry it back to the colony. In this way, the colony will be killed. Keep in mind, you should keep this compound away from children and pets.

Protect your home from a wide variety of pests with Servall Pest Control. Serving the Western Kentucky region all year long. Learn more at www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Removing Cockroaches from Your Home

Cockroaches always lead to unpleasant situtaions inside you home. Here are some great cockroach control tips to try before calling in the professionals from the people at the statusclean.com.

There are several types of cockroaches that can infest homes and businesses; most commonly the German cockroach and the American cockroach. While just the thought of cockroach infestation is disturbing to most people, they also present a public health hazard. They can contaminate food and eating utensils, and may also carry certain human pathogens like E. coli and salmonella, which give rise to serious and sometimes life-threatening illnesses. The waste products left behind by cockroaches can also aggravate or trigger problems in children and adults with allergies and asthma.

German Cockroach

The German cockroach thrives in a warm, humid environment of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and is most often found in the humid areas of homes such as kitchens and bathrooms. Cockroaches often hide in small nooks and crevices in cabinetry such as cracks or beneath drawers, and also near plumbing fixtures under kitchen and bathroom sinks. They are usually concentrated in these areas, and aren't found as often in other areas of homes and businesses, unless the infestation is unusually large.

American Cockroach

The American cockroach tends to live near food preparation areas, making it far more common in restaurants and markets than in private homes. Like the German cockroach, the American cockroach also lives in warm, moist environments, but thrives in higher temperatures of 82 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Restaurant kitchens are especially prone to American cockroach infestation.

Cockroach Control

To prevent serious cockroach infestation, there are cockroach control methods that can be taken by home and business owners. The three main cockroach control methods are:

Prevention. Stop cockroaches from entering your home or business by checking bags and boxes before you bring them in, especially if they've come from somewhere that you suspect may be infested with cockroaches.

Sanitization. Do not leave food or debris in the open, and make sure all food is put away and dirty dishes are cleared daily – this includes pet dishes. Repair leaky plumbing, and improve ventilation in areas where condensation and humidity tends to build up.

Elimination. Get rid of cockroach habitats by removing boxes, especially those made with corrugated cardboard. Seal cracks and crevices with caulking. Eliminate unnecessary clutter such as newspapers, bags and boxes, and leave open space between items in storage to discourage cockroaches from hiding there.

Cockroach Extermination

Vacuums and sticky traps can help when the cockroach infestation is limited, but professional cockroach extermination is often necessary in cases of established infestations. Cockroach extermination involves the application of insecticides by an experienced pest management company, and this works best when used in tandem with prevention and sanitation measures.

Servall offers residential and commercial seamless aluminum gutters.

We specialize in:

• Several Types of Leaf Proofing
• 5 Year Guarantee on Work
• 5, 6 & 7-inch Seamless Gutters

Leaves can clog up gutters causing water damage.

Servall offers gutter protection for your home or business. Featuring Leaf Shelter, Black Diamond andLeaf Solution guards, Servall can help protect your gutters from seeds, leaves and other debris leavingyou with no more gutters to clean and no more ladders to climb.

These guards are excellent for all roofs including: slate, shake, flate, tile and metal. These guards are installed over your existing gutter and handle the heavest of rainfall. They are low-profile and barely visible from the ground. Installed by our quality installation experts.

Some of the features and benefits of these guards are that the pop in and out (pressure fit). They will not blow out. They do not have anything to do with shingles. There is no roof penetration. These guards cover the entire gutter providing you with the best in gutter and roof protection.

Protect your home from a wide variety of pests with Servall Pest Control. Serving the Western Kentucky region all year long. Learn more at www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Wood Destroying Fungus Treatments from Servall Pest Control

Servall has sent Technicians to school and certified them to take care of your Wood Destroying Fungus problems! We are the first company in the West Tennessee area to be certified and insured to treat for Wood Destroying Fungus and other FUNGI,by controling and preventing Wood Destroying Fungus issues. With Wood Destroying Fungus problems becoming a nation-wide health and structural problem, Servall recognized the need to be able to better serve and protect our communities.

What Wood Destroying Fungus Are

Wood Destroying Fungi are organisms that may be found indoors and outdoors. They are part of the natural environment and play an important role in the environment by breaking down and digesting organic material, such as dead leaves. Also called fungi or mildew, Wood Destroying Fungus are neither plants nor animals; they are part of the kingdom Fungi.

Wood Destroying Fungus can multiply by producing microscopic spores (2-100 microns in diameter), similar to the seeds produced by plants. Many spores are so small they easily float through air and can be carried for great distances by even the gentlest breezes. The number of Wood Destroying Fungus spores suspended in indoor and outdoor air fluctuates from season to season, day to day, and even hour to hour.

Wood Destroying Fungus spores are ubiquitous; they are found both indoors and outdoors. Wood Destroying Fungus spores cannot be eliminated from indoor environments. Some Wood Destroying Fungus spores will be found floating through the air and in settled dust; however, they will not grow if moisture is not present.

What Wood Destroying Fungus Needs to Grow

To grow indoors, Wood Destroying Fungus needs moisture and food. Moisture is the most important factor influencing Wood Destroying Fungus growth indoors. Controlling indoor moisture helps limit its growth.

Health Effects That May Be Caused by Inhaling Wood Destroying Fungus or Wood Destroying Fungus Spores

Inhalation exposure to Wood Destroying Fungus indoors can cause adverse health effects in some people. Wood Destroying Fungus produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances or chemicals (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching Wood Destroying Fungus or Wood Destroying Fungus spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Wood Destroying Fungus does not have to be alive to cause an allergic reaction. Dead or alive, Wood Destroying Fungus can cause allergic reactions in some people.

Allergic Reactions, Asthma Attacks, Irritant Effects

Allergic reactions to Wood Destroying Fungus are common and can be immediate or delayed. Repeated or single exposure to Wood Destroying Fungus, Wood Destroying Fungus spores, or Wood Destroying Fungus fragments may cause non-sensitive individuals to become sensitive to it, and repeated exposure has potential to increase sensitivity. Allergic responses include hay fever-like symptoms such as headache, sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Wood Destroying Fungi can cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to it. In addition, Wood Destroying Fungi can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of individuals whether or not the are allergic.

Other Health Effects

Breathing in Wood Destroying Fungus spores may also cause Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, and uncommon disease that resembles bacterial pneumonia. In addition, Wood Destroying Fungus exposure may result in opportunistic infections in persons whose immune systems are weakened or suppressed.

When Wood Destroying Fungus grows indoors, the occupants of a building may begin to report odors and a variety of symptoms including headaches, difficulty breathing, skin irritation, allergic reactions, and aggravated asthma systems. These and other symptoms may be associated with exposure to Wood Destroying Fungus. But all of these symptoms may be caused by other exposures or conditions unrelated to its growth. Therefore, it is important not to assume that, whenever any of these symptoms occurs, it is the cause.

For more detailed information on Wood Destroying Fungus and its health effects, consult a health professional. You may also wish to consult your state or local health department.

Although it is frequently found in damp buildings, it is not the only potential contaminant - biological contaminants other than Wood Destroying Fungus, and non-biological contaminants are often present and may also cause health effects. Damp buildings may attract rodents and other pests. Damp or wet building components and furnishings may release chemicals indoors.

Potential contaminants in damp and wet buildings include bacteria, dust mites, cockroaches and other pests, as well as chemicals emitted by damp building materials and furnishings.

Mycotoxins and Health Effects

As wood destroying fungi grow, some (but not all) of them produce potentially toxic by-products called mycotoxins under some conditions. Some of these are commonly found in moisture-damaged building. More than 200 mycotoxins from common fungi have been identified, and more remain to be identified. The amount and types of mycotoxins produced by a particular fungi depends on many environmental and genetic factors. No one can tell whether a it is producing mycotoxins just by looking at it. Some mycotoxins are known to affect people, but for many mycotoxins little health information is available. Research on mycotoxins is ongoing. Exposure to mycotoxins can occur from inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact. It is prudent to avoid unnecessary inhalation exposure.

For more information on mycotoxins, see the 2004 Institute of Medicine Report, "Damp Indoor Spaces and Health", published by The National Academies Press in Washington, DC, and available on the Web.

Wood Destroying Fungus Growth

Wood Destroying Fungus can grow on virtually any organic material as long as moisture and oxygen are present. There are fungi that grow on wood, paper, carpet, food, and insulation. Because it eats or digests what it is growing on, it can damage a building and its furnishings. If left unchecked, eventually it can cause structural damage to building materials.

Wood Destroying Fungus gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to buildings and building contents, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating its growth.

Protect your home from a wide variety of pests with Servall Pest Control. Serving the Western Kentucky region all year long. Learn more at www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Home Repair Services from Sevall Pest Control

Servall offers a vast range of repair solutions for your home. From ventilation to wood destroying fungus treatments, Servall offers a wide range of services for your home. Call today for your estimate!

We specialize in:

• Wood Destroying Fungus Treatments
• Moisture Barriers
• Foundation Vents with Life Guarantee
• Foundation Fans
• Crawlspace Access Doors
• Repairing Sagging Floors
• Adding or Replacing Support Beams
• Floor Joists and Sill Plates
• Dryer Vents
• Sump Pumps

Protect your home from a wide variety of pests with Servall Pest Control. Serving the Western Kentucky region all year long. Learn more at www.servallpestcontrol.com!