Pest Infestation: What Is It and What Are the Red Flags?

Whether you have a home or business, being a responsible property owner means protecting your occupants from unwanted guests. This step is crucial to safeguarding your employees’ physical and mental health. It will also help defend your valuable assets.

Besides the robbers and scammers, another nemesis you should look out for are pests like rodents, cockroaches, termites, and ants. They can harm your employee morale and cause fear, especially among those with intense phobias. These pesky creatures can also damage your property and equipment. For this reason, you must immediately call professional pest control to handle infestations in your office.

If you’re serious about protecting your workspace from these small but terrible intruders, this article will define pest infestation and the warning signs you should never overlook. 

What Is a Pest Infestation?

A pest infestation occurs when a species classified as a nuisance invades a particular location, alone or in a group. It can threaten the environment and the people in the area, possibly resulting in health problems or damage. You should also know that businesses consider pest infestation a significant warning sign of disease risk. Moreover, the incident in your workplace puts the entire workforce and customers at a higher risk of getting sick.

5 Warning Signs of a Pest Infestation

After defining pest infestation, here are five warning signs that warrant an immediate call with your professional pest control company. 

1. Property and Equipment Damage

Regardless of your business’s size or offer, there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing property and equipment damage. While you’ve invested much time and money into these assets, pests can cause extensive property and equipment damage in a snap. These pesky creatures can also affect your business’s budget because their actions lead to costly repairs and replacements. 

For instance, termites can chew through wooden structures, causing them to weaken and break. Rats and mice can gnaw through wires, leading to electrical faults and fires. Insects like cockroaches and ants can burrow through walls, damaging the plaster and leaving unsightly holes. Contact a local pest control company immediately if you notice spots, faulty wires, and hollow wood. 

2. Nests

Rodents and insects often build nests in your business’s dark, secluded areas, like warehouses, basements, and crawl spaces, to give birth and nurse their young. While spotting these nests can be challenging, they indicate your office has a pest infestation. You should also know that rats create their nests from materials like shredded paper and fabric, while insects create theirs from mud or other substances. 

Regardless of who made these habitats on your property, you must immediately call your local pest control company. Otherwise, they can multiply and worsen your already stressful situation. 

3. Droppings

Pests can leave droppings as they navigate your business. Besides being unappealing, they can be a health hazard because they may contain harmful bacteria. When you spot this unsightly and dangerous fecal matter on your business, immediately call your local pest control company to address the issue. 

4. Footprints

Pests also leave footprints behind as they move around your property. These footprints can be visible on floors, walls, and countertops. Rodent footprints are typically small and clawed, while insect footprints may be harder to spot.

5. Foul or Unusual Odors

Besides being unsightly for you and your employees, pests’ foul or unusual odors can cause health issues like headaches and nausea. For example, rodents’ musky odor can be particularly intense in enclosed spaces. In contrast, cockroaches can produce a musty smell that can be difficult to eliminate.

Managing a Clean and Pest-Free Property

No business owner or homeowner deserves to experience a pest infestation because it can be stressful, cause health issues, and damage your assets. You can protect your space by educating yourself about the signs of an infestation and calling a professional pest control company. 

If your property needs professional pest control in Birmingham, AL, let Magic City Pest Control help! Our company prides itself on providing quality services to customers in our locality. Contact us now to get a quote!

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