There are many benefits of being a homeowner: having a space to call your own, a financial investment, a place to create memories with your family. While the perks are numerous, we also recognize that there are a few headaches that present themselves as a homeowner. One of those annoyances is pests.

No matter which pest species decide to call your home theirs, homeowners often discover they have an infestation after they begin to notice an increased number of pests around their home, many times before it’s too late. Take flying termites, for example. Because termites live inside your home’s walls, many homeowners are unaware of their presence until they begin to see winged pests flying around inside or find shedded wings around doors and windows inside their home. If you’re curious to know if you have an infestation, flying termites are a key warning sign that can indicate you … Read Full Post »

Mosquitoes are ubiquitous during the warm summer months, and many regions of the U.S. stay temperate enough year-round to make mosquitoes a perennial problem. Thus, no matter where you live, it’s likely that you’ll encounter these annoying bloodsuckers at some point when you’re outside doing yard work or relaxing on your patio. Most people have a mosquito-repelling trick or two up their sleeves: They might spray themselves down with bug repellent, or light citronella candles or tiki torches to keep these insects and their itchy bites at bay. The associated smoke, chemicals and pungent scents are too harsh for indoors, however, so what to do when you find that mosquitoes have moved inside? The next question you might ask yourself is how long do mosquitoes live indoors, anyway?

The short answer to the second question is that the average mosquito lifespan lasts between four days and a month, although most … Read Full Post »

Imagine your bed and pillows being infested with tiny bugs measuring less than half a millimeter in length that feed off the skin cells you slough off in your sleep. Sound like a horror movie? If the very thought of such a thing makes your skin crawl, you aren’t alone. Unfortunately, these little creatures aren’t something out of a sci-fi flick. They are dust mites, and dust mites in bed are a very normal and common occurrence in many homes.

It’s natural, of course, to feel a bit horrified by the idea of harboring dust mites in bed, especially if you’re among the many folks who are allergic to these creatures. But barring a dust mite allergy, are dust mites in bed really something you need to worry about? Many people have heard they should replace pillows, linens and even mattresses on a regular basis to keep dust mites at bay. … Read Full Post »