ARTICLES

YOUR PLUMBING PROBLEMS MAY BE CAUSING A PEST PROBLEM

OCT 13, 2017

You keep all of your food in sealed containers, keep screen doors in good condition and get regular visits from a pest control company … but the bugs keep coming back. What is a homeowner to do? Not only are pests like roaches, ants and earwigs incredibly annoying — over time, some pests may even cause serious damage to your home. But did you know that overlooked plumbing problems like plumbing leaks could be what is making your home or business so attractive to pests in the first place? In this article, we will explore how plumbing problems draw pests into your home and what you can do about it.

HOW BAD PLUMBING ATTRACTS BUGS

Broadly speaking, insects and rodents will go wherever they can find water — which is precisely why plumbing leaks are such a common cause of infestations, even though most homeowners do not even realize it. Standing water caused by a number of plumbing problems tends to attract mosquitoes and the like, making even a simple plumbing leak problematic.

Insects like cockroaches (which can live for weeks without food) can climb through incredibly small holes too, meaning that even relatively small cracks and leaks can attract a plethora of annoying a gross encounters with pests in your home. The longer plumbing problems linger, the worse it will get. Over time, some plumbing leaks can soak wood structural elements of your home, thereby compounding the pest problem by attracting things like termites, carpenter ants and woodlice.

PLUMBING LEAKS AND RODENTS

Once other pests have wreaked havoc on your home and created holes for other rodents to enter (alternatively, rodents may enter through your plumbing system if it is not properly maintained), mice and rats will enter to raid your pantry and gnaw on plumbing seals. If you have plastic or PVC pipes in your home, the rodents are even known to chew through entire sections of line, dramatically exasperating the plumbing problems and potentially leading to huge amounts of water damage in addition to the direct damage to the plumbing system. Luckily, there are steps that you can take to keep plumbing problems from attracting these pests to your house in the first place.

WAYS TO FIND WATER LEAKAGE IN HOUSE

A proactive approach is the best way for homeowners to avoid the scenario laid out above. And it starts with being vigilant about your plumbing and taking the time to find water leakage in house, no matter how minor it may seem. Finding and fixing plumbing leaks will help you keep small pests (which then make way for larger pests) away from your home as well as any other preventative measure you may have heard about. You simply do not want to let water accumulate anywhere inside or outside your home.

In addition, fixing plumbing leaks quickly will also pay off by conserving water that would otherwise be wasted, save you the expense of the extra water leaking out and the headaches of costly repairs to your house and your plumbing.

Common areas to check for plumbing leaks include outdoor spigots and underneath sinks in both kitchens and bathrooms.

If you suspect that you have plumbing leaks that are not immediately apparent, look for some of these telltale signs. In addition to an increase in certain insects and pests, you may find that your water usage unexpectedly increases when you compare water bills from month to month. Is the reading on your water meter changingwhen you are not using any water? Have you seen signs of rust or loose fittings anywhere? Maybe your water pressure has changed unexpectedly — you have low water pressure in one or multiple plumbing fixtures.

Additionally, some plumbing leaks (or other plumbing problems like clogs within lines and the like) can be detected when homeowners notice grass or weeds in areas where they do not normally grow along the water line. In extreme cases, people may find pooled water in their yards or encounter a bad smell — both signs that the problem needs immediate attention.

A PROFESSIONAL PLUMBER WILL IDENTIFY ANY HIDDEN LEAKS

If you encounter any of these issues, contact a professional who will give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing that any plumbing problems you have can be identified and dealt with before the problem snowballs and gets out of hand.

At Donley Service Center, we pride ourselves on our experience and our hard-won loyalty from families throughout the Phoenix area. All of our work is guaranteed and we have excellent reviews. If you are encountering any plumbing problems — whether it is plumbing leaks that are attracting pests or something else — give us a call. With 40 years in the Valley and counting, we are dedicated to 100% customer satisfaction, exceeding your expectations to build a long-lasting relationship. No job is too big or too small!