Dealing With Cracks and Infestations

The homes in Virginia Beach, VA, have a long and beautiful history of cohabitation with the area’s local wildlife. Unfortunately, a human home has always held appeal for animals in the area. After all, isn’t it easier to curl up in a home’s insulation than it is to make a burrow and forage for food in the wild?

As you might guess, then, the cracks that appear in your foundation after prolonged exposure to hydrostatic pressure are the perfect doorways for Virginia Beach’s animals and insects. If cracks lead to infestations, though, shouldn’t your foundation repair contractor be able to help you clear out your home?

When Foundation Damage Begets an Infestation

Your foundation can crack for a number of reasons ranging from poorly placed trees to environmental stress. It’s when your foundation cracks that uninvited guests start to make their way inside.

Not all cracks, of course, turn into leaks. The ones that do, though, often become large enough for insects to come into your home. Once the insects get in, it’s only a matter of time before your local animal population takes advantage of the structural weakness.

That’s why it’s so important to act quickly if you suspect your foundation has cracked. Leaving a foundation crack not only puts the structural integrity of your home at risk, but it threatens to compromise the health of other parts of your home, too.

Contractors and Infestations: Can They Treat Them?

If foundation cracks so often lead to infestations, is your foundation repair contractor able to help you get rid of pests?

The short answer is no. Foundation repair contractors have to receive specific certifications and licenses to operate on your own. These licenses do not allow them or encourage them to help you remove live animals or treat insect infestations.

If you need that kind of assistance, you may need to reach out to both a foundation repair contractor and an exterminator.

Infestation Signs To Look Out For

If you suspect you have an infestation on your hands, keep an eye out for any combination of the following:

• More insects than normal – The more insects make their way into your home via the crack in your foundation, the more you’re going to see. If there’s an unusual number of ladybugs, for example, gathering by your windows, or if you’ve killed more stink bugs this month than normal, it may be time to call an exterminator.
• Movement in your walls – Are you hearing things moving inside your walls? This isn’t Stranger Things – you’re more likely dealing with squirrels or mice than the Demogorgon.
• Unusual amounts of unidentifiable debris – Once critters have made their way into your home, they’re going to try and make themselves comfortable. As such, keep an eye out for little piles of nesting materials or for sudden piles of wood, insulation or other housing materials. It’s possible that your uninvited guests may cause more damage making themselves at home than they did first coming inside.
• Peeling paint – Your home feels stress just like you do. As such, you can watch your surroundings to get a better idea of what’s going on in your walls. If paint starts to peel in one area and not the others, get ready. Not only may you have a leak near that area, but there’s likely to be critters causing that wall stress.
• Weakened floors – As mentioned, animals will use the materials in your support system to make themselves at home. Not only that, but the ambitious termite will enthusiastically make a meal out of your support beams. If you notice one area of your floor squeaking or bowing, it’s time to reach out to a professional.
• Open containers in the kitchen – When the materials and insects in your walls will no longer suffice, visiting animals will make their way into your kitchen or pantry to find food to sustain themselves. If you keep finding holes in your bag of sunflower seeds or find the pantry a mess on a regular basis, it’s not the kids – it’s an infestation.
• Disrupted trash – Similarly, a hungry animal will just as quickly raid your trash can for a meal.
• Water damage – Finally, the signs that point to a leak in your foundation may also reveal an infestation. If water damage can reach your belongings, it’s not going to take long for insects or animals to reach them, too. 

Foundation repair contractors are not exterminators. While they will be able to patch up the crack that’s letting unwelcome guests into your home, they won’t be able to remove these guests themselves or treat your home for termites. If you want help removing animals from your property or treating your basement for termites, it’s best to call an exterminator or Virginia Beach, VA, animal control.

Don’t wait to reach out for help. Both foundation repair contractors and your local animal experts can help you take back your home.

If you want to start with your foundation repairs, reach out for a free services quote ASAP.