Pests can cause a lot of damage to your home or office before you even know they’re there. Buildings are full of spaces where vermin and pests can make themselves at home. In Big Stone Gap, pests are typically insects–but the common favorite, mice, are also making the rounds in Big Stone Gap homes. Here are some of the main pests to keep an eye out for in Big Stone Gap.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs, immortalized in the children’s bedtime rhyme, are making a comeback. Everywhere in the US is seeing more of these critters, and Big Stone Gap is no exception. Bed bugs are so difficult to handle because they’re so difficult to clear out. Thankfully, they’re not as damaging to walls or floors as some other pests.

The main damage component with bed bugs is the treatments it takes to get rid of them. Steam-cleaning of fabrics (to kill the eggs) can discolor them if not done properly. Add in the fact that you have to clean everything in the building, from clothes to drapes to couches, and you have a huge task with a high chance of problems. Professional cleaners are required if you want your fabrics to look awesome after the deep clean that bed bugs require.

Ants

Ants are not the “worst” offenders in terms of structural damage, but they can do more harm than people think. A crack in your grout can become an ant superhighway, slowly being widened to accommodate anything they want to take out or bring in. They’re also extremely annoying. Big Stone Gap residents sometimes hesitate to call for pest control over ants, but it’s always a profound relief when they do. Ants can sniff out just about anything, so even putting your plate down for a second in an ant-infested dining room can be a struggle.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches, of both the American and German varieties, are present in Big Stone Gap. These pests check all the wrong boxes for most people. They can carry diseases, survive just about anything that doesn’t literally crush them, and they can live anywhere. They’re also just plain gross! Cockroaches can also make nests in hard to reach areas. If you see a cockroach, it’s never just the one cockroach. Rather than battle this on your own, reach out to pest control ASAP. The risks of fighting roaches aren’t worth the hassle.

Mice

Mice do a lot of damage to the buildings they live in. Whether it’s chewing fabric for their nests, making holes in the walls to get wherever they want without being seen, or just contaminating food, storage, and everything else they find, mice are a major problem. Getting a cat may sound like a solution to the problem, but that’s not enough to keep away the most determined rodents. Chasing down and repairing all the damage that mice do is a time-consuming process, and odds are you won’t find every tooth mark and hidey-hole without the help of the professionals.

Big Stone Gap, like everywhere, has its pests. Most of them can be controlled through extra vigilance, but if you think an infestation has already taken hold, call in the professionals. It helps prevent further damage to your building and clears out the pests responsible.