Pest infestations are never fun to deal
with, especially if you're preparing to sell, appraise or refinance your home.
Infestations are not always apparent, and in many cases people don't know that
their homes are infested until an inspector notices it. By then, it may be too
late to deal with the problem without drastic measures.
Whether you are having your home
appraised or you just want to make sure you don't have pests in your home, a
pest inspection will be very thorough and will require some preparation on your
part. Different pests and inspections may call for different preparation
methods, but there are some things that any homeowner can do when faced with an
inspection.
Clear
Out Your Cabinets
The first thing any homeowner should do
for to prepare for a pest inspection is to clear out all their kitchen and bathroom
cabinets, especially if the offending pests are roaches or
silverfish. These pests like to hide in dark places, so you can count on
inspectors to take a look in your cabinets. They may also be able to find signs
of mice or rats in these empty cabinets.
Trim
Back the Bushes Near Your House
A thorough inspector will need to know
how vermin are getting into your home, something that will require you to trim
back any bushes and pull any weeds that are too close to your house's outer
walls. These bushes may be hiding points of entry such as mouse holes or soft
places where animals can dig. They can also hide nests and burrows that these
pests call home. Naturally, exposing them will make getting rid of the pests a
lot easier.
Keep
All Items at Least Two Feet Away from Your House
This really goes hand-in-hand with the
previous tip, but all items should be kept at least two feet away from the
sides of your house. Inspectors have to be able to check for the aforementioned
points of entry, and
that cannot happen if there's a grill or any gardening equipment in the way.
Keep
Crawlspaces Clear
If your house has a crawlspace, chances
are that the inspector will need to see it. Make sure it isn't blocked and that
everything has been emptied out of it if you were using it for storage. This
also goes for an attic that has standing room, especially if you use it for any
reason.
Vacuum
All Carpeted Areas and Upholstered Furniture
If you think you may be dealing with
ticks, fleas or ants, you will want to vacuum all carpeted areas before the
inspection. This includes upholstered furniture. The soft fibers of a carpet
could easily hide tiny pests that are practically invisible, so it's important
to keep it clean. If you have the opportunity to shampoo your carpets, you
should do so as well. A clean carpet is a lot easier to inspect than one that
hasn't been vacuumed recently. Besides, there is a chance you can take care of
your pest problem in the process.
Above all else, the important thing to
do before any kind of inspection is to simply clean your home thoroughly. This
will make any problems that may exist easier to see while the inspectors do
their job.
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About the author:
This
article was written by Chase Roberts, interior decorator and avid gardener. If
you are looking for professional pest control in MA,
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Lifestyle