The Top 3 Common Attic Pests You Need to Watch for During the Winter
The Top 3 Common Attic Pests You Need to Watch for During the Winter When the weather cools down, chances are that you and your
Are you planning to put your home on the market soon? Selling a home can be really exciting, but it can also bring unexpected stress to go from getting your home ready to sell to the final signatures once an offer has been accepted.
As you work on minor home improvements and clean up your space, it’s important to keep an eye out for certain red flags that must be tackled before the final listing. One of these red flags is a pest infestation in your attic or crawl space.
Pests like bats, squirrels and racoons are not only annoying, but they can cause serious damage to your home and can pose considerable danger to the future homeowners as well.
Let’s dive into more about why pest infestations can impact a home sale and what to do about one if you discover unwanted critters in your house.
If you are up in your attic and see a squirrel skitter by or hear the rustling of what you assume is bat wings, your first reaction will most likely be one of annoyance or panic. Having a pest in your house is always frustrating, but especially if you are planning to sell your home soon.
There’s nothing worse than discovering you have yet another thing to tackle before putting your home on the market! Unfortunately, dealing with a pest infestation the right way is essential to ensuring you are setting the future new homeowner up for long-term success. Pests can cause some serious repercussions the longer they go unaddressed.
To start, pests like squirrels and raccoons will cause considerable damage to your attic or crawl space. They will gnaw at the wood, ruin insulation as they make cozy beds, and leave droppings and urine everywhere that will eventually start to degrade your space. This not only makes your attic and/or crawl space an unpleasant place to be, but this damage can also invite other problems to occur in your home.
If a raccoon family gnaws away at a corner of your attic enough to create a hole in your siding, rain and snow can easily get inside your attic space when weather comes to town. While attics and crawl spaces are originally designed to circulate air, they can’t work properly if they have unexpected exposure points and direct contact with the elements.
Over time, this lingering moisture can cause your foundation to become unsteady or can impact your roof joists. It can also spark a dangerous mold infestation.
Even if you don’t notice the damage on your own, it will most likely be discovered during a routine inspection after an offer is accepted. If that’s the case, the new homeowner will want the damage to be fixed and the pest removed before moving forward. They might even back out of the sale completely if the damage is severe enough!
The most important part about fixing pest damage is making sure the repairs are done by a professional pest removal and repair team. The future homeowner is going to want a house that is safe, secure and professionally restored before moving in, so leave it to the professionals to tackle for you.
They will have the right tools and proper safety gear to remove the bats, squirrels or raccoons in a humane way while also ensuring that their entry points are sealed up. This not only ensures that your home won’t experience another infestation, but it also helps reduce the risk of suffering more damage from future neighborhood critters.
Could you imagine walking into a home during an open house and smelling the distinct odor of urine or a musty smell that you can’t seem to place? Wild animals are known to leave behind serious odors wherever they call home, so it would be no surprise if your house started to stink once a bat colony or raccoon family nestles into your attic.
The smell of urine, droppings and musty fur can permeate every level of your home. This stink can be tricky to get out, especially if your infestation is rather large or has worked its way down into your walls.
If your home smells unpleasant, you can bet that it will be much harder to sell to a prospective family. The good news is that a professional pest removal team can help remove these odors in a safe way while also protecting your home from further damage. Professional ventilation and deodorizing techniques can help your property smell fresh and clean so you can sell faster.
In addition to pest odors, your home’s air quality could suffer under the weight of your infestation. All of these odors, as well as hair, dander and grime from the outside world, can make their way into your HVAC system. Over time, you can expect your home’s air quality to suffer as your filters get clogged and overwhelmed.
Any potential homebuyers who are sensitive to air quality or have allergies will certainly notice this problem quickly and the whole sale could be compromised.
When selling a property, it is essential that you list every detail possible so the future homeowner understands the extent of the agreement. This includes listing all past infestations and repair work done on the property. This helps ensure that both parties are being transparent about the property and any negotiations can take place during the selling process.
You might find yourself in a bit of trouble if you fail to disclose your home’s infestation history. Legal issues and even lawsuits are possible, depending on the severity of the infestation. You might also be held liable for covering the cost of the removal and repairs even after the sale of the home is final.
This is why having a thorough inspection is crucial! A professional pest removal team will locate the pest and the entry point quickly, and then will clean and repair your home with confidence.
Sell faster with the team at Master Attic! Call us today at (800) 285-4009 to schedule your professional pest removal.
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