The CDC recommends maintaining indoor relative humidity between 30 and 60% to keep pests away. Over time, a range of interior and exterior factors can push your home’s humidity outside of that range. A leaky pipe or clogged gutter contributes to excess moisture and humidity, inviting unwanted guests into your home and causing the need for pest control. The following information will help you avoid or deal with humidity- and moisture-related infestations.

What Pests Are Attracted to Moisture & Humidity?

A range of pests thrive in humidity, including cockroaches, mosquitoes, silverfish, and centipedes.

To stay active, cockroaches need warmth and hydration. They don't need much water, so a leaky pipe would prove an abundant resource for them. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water so they can develop through their water stages. So anywhere water is pooling, especially outside your house, is ideal for them.

Silverfish have scaley, segmented bodies that they need to keep moist to survive. They are flat and might find their way into your home through small cracks or gaps around windows and doors. Centipedes don't have a moisture-preserving cuticle and thus need to rehydrate frequently. You'll find them around leaks, puddles, and condensation in your home.

How Pest Control Can Help

It’s a good preventive practice to monitor your home's humidity. A device like a humidistat will monitor the humidity inside your home, so you'll know if it reaches problematic levels.

If, despite preventive measures, pests make your home their home, professionals can help. They’ll target moisture- and humidity-prone areas to remove pests from your home. If you have a cockroach problem, they might use bait or fumigation to eliminate them. Silverfish infestations can also be addressed through these methods.

For a mosquito problem, they will locate the source of the issue. If they discover mosquito eggs, they might use insect growth regulators to keep mosquitoes from maturing. Alternatively, an insecticide might be applied to vegetation to eliminate adult mosquitoes.

House centipedes are often eliminated using insecticides. Professionals will target their nesting and hiding areas, as well as their entry and exit points.

Remove moisture- and humidity-loving pests from your home with help from Aardwolf Termite & Pest Control in Bessemer, AL. They have nearly five decades of experience in helping residential and commercial customers remove unwanted guests. Whether you've got cockroaches creeping around your home or snakes in your yard, they'll provide customized solutions. Call (205) 338-6615 to schedule an on-site estimate. Go online for more information about their pest control services.