By Bulwark Exterminating
The house is fresh, clean, and has that new-home smell. The home owners walk into the open, empty space and see all the possibilities of what’s to come. As they survey the room, though, they are shocked and horrified to see that they are not the first residents! A spider has set up its webby bed in the corner. Ants have found their way to the kitchen sink.
The revelation that their home has bugs in it before they’ve even had the chance for a good night sleep hits them like a ton of bricks. How is it possible that a new home has bugs already?
It may be hard to believe that a brand-new home can have an infestation on the day of closing. But it happens. In fact, most new builds are likely to have bugs of some sort lurking, even if they are unseen.
How does it happen? Here are the five top reasons:
1. You built your home on top of their home
Let’s face it, bugs were on the land long before any human arrived. The trees, rocks, and dirt all made nice, comfy homes for them until the construction crew cleared the site. Even if a builder could bulldoze all the bugs off the property, they can burrow down deep to find protection or come back from elsewhere, especially when they spot a hiding space under a fancy new rock made of thick concrete with squared edges. To us, it’s a foundation, but to them, it’s just like any other rock in the forest. Bugs love the dark, damp, protected environment.
2. Construction sites get messy
Hard-working humans like to eat their lunches and drink their drinks. Trash happens. Flies can smell sweet crumbs from leagues away. Ants are happy to carry away all the leftovers their colony can gather. If the construction site is manicured and clean, then rodents will gladly Dumpster dive for food, shiny electrical wires, pretty pink insulation, and other ratty home decor. Hopefully the rodent is taking its treasures back to store in its old home on the neighboring property and not eyeing a new vacant attic.
3. Bugs catch rides with building materials
The materials your house was made from can carry bugs. Sometimes the pests simply gather on the materials as they are being stored. In drier climates, there are wood yards with serious scorpion problems — not a pleasant thought considering that hardy scorpions establishing themselves inside of a home’s walls can take years to fully eliminate.
At other times, pests living in or around organic materials will travel from point of orgin, through the manufacturing, and end up in the new build. In the rare case of the ichneumonid wasps, or “wood wasps”, the wood framing can have baby larvae delivered in it. It only becomes obvious as wasps actually come out of the woodwork! Imagine the horror of seeing wasps drilling holes in your new home’s drywall as they emerge.
4. Landscaping has bugs
Have you ever picked through a pallet of sod? If not, try it. You will be hard pressed to find healthy, green sod without a roach in it. Bugs love water, so well-watered plants in crates and 5-gallon buckets are likely going to have bugs crawling in their soil. Further, once the landscaping is in, the watering system makes watering holes for many pests to enjoy.
5. Your home is attractive
Besides being a dream house for your buyer, the house is also a big hit with bugs because it breathes cool, moist air. A bug’s life is dependent on water, and moisture means water. During the cold season, the home radiates heat, and bugs’ keen senses pick up on that.
Plus, bugs are constantly foraging. When they have food supplies, they are always looking for more. Even an empty home void of “food” is a target, because insects don’t just eat human food. Paper, drywall, carpet, wood, other bugs: All these things are attractive to various insects.
So, now you know, new builds don’t simply come pest-free. If you want a pest-free move-in, then extra steps can be taken along the way. Reach out to Builder Partnerships to learn more about programs to help from Bulwark Exterminating.
