Do you want ants? Cause this is how you get ants!
How many times have you heard your mom yelling that very phrase as you’re munching on some toast, scattering delicious breadcrumbs across the kitchen floor? Before you can reach for the broom, a black swarm of ants is already having a feast. Now that you’re a homeowner, you need to look out for any signs of pests in your home.
Bad gutters can lead to moisture damage and pest infestation in your stucco or EIFS clad homes.
We’ve warned you about the dangers of mold arising from moisture issues in your stucco or EIFS cladding. But, damaged stucco and EIFS could also mean that you have creepy crawly pest invading your home. Before you go spraying some bug off around your property, take a minute to find out if there is a greater underlying reason that you home has been infested by pests.
Damaged stucco and EIFS could be inviting pests into your home
Trees and bushes are great, but if they’re rubbing up against your siding or your roof, they could be paving the road for pest infestation. Literally. If you have branches reaching for your gutters or siding, you may as well put a “pests welcome” sign on your home. A branch will act as a carpool lane straight into the home. And, if that branch has been loosening your shingles or causing damage to your siding, then each little crack is the perfect entrance for pests.
You also want to watch that classic stack of firewood that any self-respecting Colorado home will have. Make sure you’re not leaning this wood directly up against your home. Sure, it’s great when you need an extra log on the fire, but while it is standing there, you can expect a large variety of bugs and insects to find a nice place to hole up for the winter. And, if they have the chance, they’ll expand their ‘living quarters” into your siding, walls, and living space.
The same goes for siding that is touching the soil. Make sure that your foundation can be seen above the ground so that your siding isn’t being compromised. No one loves exposed, wet, rotten wood like ants and termites. Make sure the dirt isn’t touching your siding, and that it is graded away from your foundation, diverting any excess moisture from your home.
YOU can set up a few rat traps. WE will inspect your stucco and EIFS for damage.
Photo by Chris Barber
Rodents can weaken your home envelope if left unattended
Ants are one thing. They are tiny, and they can get in anywhere. But there are also the bigger problem om rats and rodents finding their way into your crawlspaces or through ventilation screens in your foundation. Ants have strength in numbers, but rodents have strength in their teeth, chewing on everything, further damaging your foundation, crawl spaces, stucco, and EIFS cladding systems, and eventually chomping their way into your living spaces.
Rodents can wreak havoc on a carefully installed siding system, weakening your entire building envelope and allowing more moisture, more pests, and more problems.
Denver, Front Range, and Mountain Community Stucco Inspection Specialist
If you spot pests around the exterior of your home, get a professional to come and inspect your stucco. There could be a bigger problem behind the pest infestation. The sooner you get to the root of the problem, the sooner you can stop pests in their tracks and take back you home.