Thirsty Pests and Leaky Pipes

A leaky pipe at home does not only mean a structural damage or defect. It can bring uninvited guests to your cosy home. Read on to find out which pests and what signs you should look out for to prevent a pest infestation at home due to the leaky pipes.

Thirsty pest 1 - Ants

With the sweltering heat and dry weather, you may face stray ants wandering into your homes in search for moisture and water. Although ants may get most of the water they need through the food they eat, some ants may soon face dehydration during times of dry climate.

If you have a leaky pipe at home, the supply of moisture attracts these active ants into your homes to forage for more. Besides water, any food crumbs, oil stains or sugary stuff left behind not cleaned up are all attractive food sources for ants.

Furthermore you may have the high potential to also attract a very troublesome and damaging type of ant species- the carpenter ants. If you have a leaky pipe leading near to any of your wooden items, dampened wood attracts carpenter ants.

Carpenter ants are capable of hollowing out wood just to build their nests in there. Leaky pipes and areas with high moisture are highly attractive for these ants.

Be careful not to get confused between carpenter ants with termites, both which are wood-damaging pests. Read further and get to Thirsty Pest 3 to find out more!

Thirsty pest 2 - Cockroaches

You probably didn’t know: Cockroaches die without water for a mere 1 week. Yet they can survive without food for up to 1 month!

If you have a leaky pipe at home, that is a sure way of getting cockroaches to decide in your favor to share the house together for now they have a steady source of water to drink. And if that is not intimidating enough, you should also know that cockroach eggs hatch in less than a month and a nymph can become a fully grown adult in less than 6 weeks!

Quick tip: Check and clean hard to reach areas such as behind cupboards or refrigerator to prevent the start of breeding. An area under the sink is also a hot spot. If you notice a strong, pungent musty odour, this could be a sign of cockroach infestation. Many home owners also resort to using DIY methods, one of the most popular ones is using pandan leafs. Read more on the cockroach pandan leaf myth busted here.

Thirsty pest 3 - Termites

You would have heard many times when mothers nag at you for wetting the wooden cabinets at home. The reason they would say is ‘white ants’. What exactly are these white ants and why would damp wooden stuff at home result in them?

It is true in a way of what mothers say about wet cabinets and white ants. They do attract termites (white ants) to come and feed on them. And in good judgment, it is wiser to keep your wooden cabinets and drawers dry and crisp.

If you have a leaky pipe at home, structures around these become wet and provide termites sources of water. Termites are well known to invade ceilings, windows, door frames and wall panels, they can consume beyond timber, attacking any cellulose material.

How to identify the termite species and signs of a termite infestation

Differentiating between the 2 most common types of termite species in Singapore is important to get the right type of treatment done. In Singapore, there are the drywood termite and subterranean termite species.

• Drywood termite is usually brown in colour, feeds and expands its nest most likely within a piece of wooden furniture.
• Subterranean termite nests in underground soil with a much larger colony. They built mud tubes to travel around to the food source, bringing back food for its termite Queen.

Typical signs of drywood termite include damaged door frames, kitchen cabinets and bedroom wardrobe.Whereas typical signs of the subterranean termite includemud tubes built on wall, concrete, skirting, flooring and baseboards. Drywood termites create “saw dust” surface which is actually their droppings. Subterranean termites cause wood damages such as blisters and hollow sounding wood pieces.

You may also like: 3 Common Guilty Pest Acts

How to keep pests away through housekeeping?

Firstly, make sure you do not leave puddles of water on the surfaces that not only attracts mosquitoes to breed, but also provide as a food source for pests. Secondly, moisture build-ups result from poor ventilation and the warm and humid condition in Singapore, hence keeping premise cool and free from moist helps to keep pests away. Thirdly, make use of home tools such as floor mats and hand towels to dry your hands and feet to avoid flicking excess water on the surfaces. Finally, do mop and wipe dry the flooring or table top whenever you spot leaks and drips can help make a difference. Above all, do conduct regular home checks and inspection especially with defective plumbing and piping facilities that result in water spills and chokes. Pest prevention requires regular home maintenance and as well as changes to the lifestyle habits in a positive manner.

Read also: 5 reasons why you should not procrastinate housework

Get a peace of mind with a home check

Drywood termites, a once challenging to manage pest, can now be treated with foaming technology. Different treatment options are also available to treat a termite, cockroach or ants infestation. Find out more with our pest control specialists for more details and book a free home check today.

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