Pests to avoid when moving house

Moving to a new home can be an exciting experience for you and your family. However, it can also open up the perfect opportunity for many pests. Whether you’re escaping a previous pest issue that you don’t want to take with you or anxious about any unwanted visitors in your new home, here are the top pests to avoid when moving house:

1. Bed bugs

Bed bugs are considered a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Once they have infested a property bed bugs can be extremely hard to get rid of. Bed bugs are one of the most important pests to avoid when moving.

If you’re thinking of leaving a bed bug infestation behind when you move, think again. Bed bugs can easily move with you on your belongings – furnishings, mattress, bedding, etc. Unfortunately, the most likely way to avoid taking bed bugs with you is to eradicate the problem before you leave.

To prevent relocating your current infestation to your new home, we recommend a professional bed bug treatment. We also advise washing all clothing and bedding on a hot wash and drying on the highest possible setting. The high temperatures will kill off any bed bugs or larvae nesting among the fabrics.

If you have managed to rid your items of bed bugs before the move we also advise purchasing new packaging materials. Old boxes and suitcases are often forgotten about when treating for bed bugs. They provide a perfect nesting place for these tiny insects. Pack your belongings in new, clean and sealable bags away from the previously infested area to prevent bringing bed bugs with you on the move.

Another thought to keep in mind when avoiding bed bugs in a new home is secondhand furniture. Any secondhand items with fabric may already be hosts to an infestation. It’s wise to inspect secondhand furniture to ensure no new infestations are being introduced to your new home. Secondhand items can also be professionally treated for bed bugs as a precaution.

Bed bugs for those moving home can be tough to get rid of but not impossible if professional pest control help is used. DIY remedies for bed bugs are rarely successful as they are often not strong enough to eradicate the entire infestation.

Learn more about bed bugs and the procedure to follow when treating for them here.

2. Cockroaches

Regardless of if they were a result of the previous tenant or snuck along on the move with you, cockroaches are also fairly hard to get rid of without professional pest control help. Cockroaches are pretty tough and can survive almost anything including up to 3 months without any food, so relocating to a whole new home might be a breeze for these pests.

Cockroaches are often found behind and under kitchen appliances. Check these items thoroughly if you’re taking them with you or moving into accommodation with them already fitted. To help prevent existing cockroaches from moving with you we also recommend inspecting and cleaning all boxes and packaging before packing.

In your new home, we advise checking the perimeter of the property for small cracks and crevices before properly unpacking. Seal any off before cockroaches get the chance to enter.

Learn more about cockroaches here.

3. Fleas

Many people think of fleas as being purely pet-based pests, however, they can also live in carpets. Flea eggs lie dormant and can survive, even without a pet, for months after moving into a new property. One flea is capable of laying 2,000 eggs in its lifetime so it’s wise to deal with flea infestations before they get out of control.

It’s possible that if you’re moving into a carpeted property and the previous tenants had pets with fleas, the fleas may have stayed behind. Additionally, if you do not have any pets, a flea infestation will be even more obvious to you as you will be the one being bitten.

It’s a good idea to thoroughly vacuum carpets in your old house and any new carpets in your new property, as well as deep-cleaning any rugs you may be taking with you.

To avoid bringing any existing fleas on your furry friends, we advise bathing pets and giving them regular flea treatments.

If you’re worried about a flea infestation in your new or soon-to-be old home, invest in a professional flea treatment to completely eradicate the issue.

Learn more about fleas here.

4. Rodents

Although it’s unlikely that rodents will move with you, it’s wise to check your new property for any potential entry points for rats and mice. We advise sealing up even the smallest of gaps as rodents, especially mice, can squeeze through tiny holes.

We also recommend ensuring any vegetation around the outside of your new home isn’t untidy or touching the roof of the building as this can provide a route in for squirrels. Squirrels love to cause havoc in loft spaces so it’s worth checking these areas of your new home when unpacking.

Older properties with old sewer systems can also encourage rodent activity. They can provide another entry point to the building as rats can swim up through the pipes. We offer sewer-system-related rat issue solutions for situations just like these.

Finally, once settled in your new home, you could invest in professional proofing to prevent any rodent issues from arising. We advise this especially if you have relocated to an area with neighbours that have chickens or feed birds – two huge contributing factors to rodent infestations.

Learn more about rodents here.

There are many pests to avoid when moving. If you want to ensure your property and belongings are pest-free before making the move or prevent any pests from also moving into your new home, call us on 0330 100 2811 or email services@pestuk.com.

PESTUK

PESTUK are full members of the BPCA, the governing body for pest control in the UK. Using a BPCA member company ensures you have a qualified, fully insured company treating your pest problem. You can have peace of mind knowing that you are dealing with a professional pest control service near you.

PESTUK have offices in Bracknell, Edgware, Salisbury, St Albans, Stevenage, Swindon, Thame, Wantage, Ware, Watford, Woking and more.