Living with household pests is never a comfortable situation, but there can be health risks involved too. Most household critters and pests carry diseases and other issues that could cause harm to humans.
Understanding the specific risks posed by various pests will help you and your family live a healthier lifestyle. Take a moment now to read through a few common household pests that can actually pose a health risk to yourself and your family.
Roaches
You probably already consider cockroaches to be yucky creatures, but they can also pose a serious health risk. If you’re dealing with a serious infestation, call local pest control professionals to get ahead of it.
Roaches actually shed their skin into your home’s air, and it can pose a significant allergy risk. Roach droppings and urine are also a source of contamination.
You have to be vigilant with roaches, as they can build a colony in your home very quickly. If you or someone in the household has asthma, they can cause the condition to worsen.
Mosquitoes
Your yard is an extension of your home, and you want it to be safe as well. Mosquitoes are real pests, and they carry numerous viruses along with their itchy injectors.
The Zika, West Nile, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis viruses all stem from mosquito bites. Keep your yard free of standing water and other moisture-ridden collections, so you’ll have a better chance of avoiding a hoard of mosquitoes.
Mice/Rats
Mice can find any entry point possible in your home, and they will subsequently find any food you may have left behind. Mice may look like sweet little creatures, but they are entirely food driven.
Their drive for food means that they will eat pretty much anything, even if it’s contaminated. Mice also urinate all throughout your home when you have an infestation, so you’re constantly being exposed to health risks. Rats are more aggressive than mice, and they leave bigger messes in your home.
Bedbugs
You really shouldn’t let the bedbugs bite, as they don’t make for great sleeping buddies. They don’t typically carry any harmful diseases, but you won’t get much quality rest.
Bedbugs can leave several bites in one evening, and their numbers build fast. Bedbugs are also hard to get rid of once they’ve made their way into your home. The bites they leave can cause rashes, lesions, and scars, so it’s best to treat the problem swiftly.
Fleas/Ticks
If anyone in your home is allergic to fleas, their bites can cause a reaction as severe as anaphylaxis. Otherwise, the bites are just really itchy and annoying.
However, accidentally ingesting a flea or its larvae presents a whole other list of possible health risks. You could get a tapeworm from ingesting these nasty little jumpers.
