How Spring Insects can Impact Your Home’s Value

Spring insects are a normal part of the shifting seasons, and they even provide important ecosystem services. They contribute to pollination and serve as essential food sources for birds and other wildlife. However, springtime insects can also cause serious problems for properties, and homeowners who fail to act proactively could experience significant consequences, including a decrease in their property value.

How do insects cause a home to lose value? There are multiple mechanisms at work here. Whether you plan to sell soon or stay in the home for years to come, make sure you understand how pests can ruin a home.

Structural Damage

One of the most insidious ways springtime insects might decrease property value is by causing structural damage. Termites and carpenter ants are especially notable for this, as they chew into the wooden structures of a home and decrease their integrity over time. A termite infestation may not be evident at first, as they can bore into materials behind exterior siding or gutters that obscure the view.

Competent home inspectors can easily identify signs of these destructive insects, and buyers will not want to invest in a home with a festering termite or carpenter ant problem. The home’s value will continue to decrease as buyers balk at structural concerns and the termites continue their destructive path. Promptly remediate the problem before termite colonies multiply (and before they leave evidence of their presence in wooden trenches that buyers and inspectors will see on your home’s exterior).

Smells

One less commonly considered way in which spring bugs can lower a home’s value is by producing unpleasant smells. Bugs do not often smell on their own (unless they are stinkbugs, which are also common in the spring). However, they can contribute to other odor-causing sources, which may leave a pungent aroma that spreads through the house from unknown locations.

For example, roaches can create piles of frass (waste) that may generate a sickly sweet smell. If pests are easily accessible to larger invaders, such as mice or bats, you will quickly encounter issues with larger piles of feces and a much stronger odor. Bat guano in particular damages homes and can eat through the materials in an attic.

Once these smells start, it can be remarkably challenging to eliminate them. Stop spring insects before they cause these smelly messes.

Visible Pests

Of course, if a potential buyer visits the home and sees pests, either alive or dead, their opinion of the property will tumble quickly. If they make an offer at all, it is typically much lower than the listing price; however, most will simply walk away.

Visible pests need not be insects that are generally considered problematic, such as cockroaches. An excessive number of spiders, moths, or ants can all make prospective buyers uncomfortable. Additionally, evidence of significant pest control measures, such as bait traps or sticky tape, indicates that the property is struggling to manage an infestation. Call pest control pros to handle the issue thoroughly before prospective buyers start scheduling visits.

Interior Wear

Finally, be aware of how spring bugs can cause interior wear to your home. Termites are far from the only challenge; for example, ants may chew on wood cabinets and doors, leading to flaking and discoloration. As bugs search for easier entry and exit points into the home and access to their favorite locations, they can gradually widen holes and cracks.

These are not only unsightly but can also have lingering effects, such as increasing drafts that raise the utility bill. Buyers who are conscious of energy costs will not appreciate this higher price tag. Insects need moisture to shed their exoskeletons, which means that they commonly spread moisture around them as they travel.

This can lead to stains on surfaces such as wallpaper or particleboard that make up some of the most visible installations in the home. Chewed and frayed wires, mold from spores hitching a ride on bugs, and more can all leave a negative impression on potential buyers. These issues also reduce home value simply by virtue of damage to items that will need to be repaired later.

Don’t Let Spring Insects Lower Your Home’s Value

It is normal to notice a few bugs inside a home from time to time; they may sneak in through an open door or on your shoes. However, if you notice spring insects making your home their own, act quickly before they multiply and cause long-term damage. Contact Spartan Animal & Pest Control to schedule an appointment and tackle these unwanted invaders before they ruin your home’s market value and your peace of mind.