‘Most effective way’ to oust pests as pro warns infestation could reduce home value by 20%

Household pests: Six easy ways to de-bug your home

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Pests can turn a dream home into a complete nightmare, whether it’s rented or owned. Pests can quickly turn from a minor inconvenience into a serious problem where householders may need to vacate the premises. In fact, leaving a pest infestation could decrease a property’s value by up to 20 percent, according to Confused.com.

A new study by Confused.com has unveiled the places that have the most pest problems and the biggest pest issues.

Biggest pest problems

1. Rats

Rats are the biggest problem for UK householders, with Britons quite evidently struggling to get rid of the rodents.

The pesky rodents see a whopping 27,100 monthly searches for “rat traps” on average.

Residents in London and Liverpool struggle with it the most with 2,400 searches for “rat traps” in the capital, while there are 720 average monthly searches for “rat traps” in Liverpool.

2. Ants

Ants take second place with research showing there have been 12,100 monthly searches for “how to get rid of ants”.

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Searches for how to get rid of the ants have increased by 404 percent.

3. Bed bugs

Bed bugs currently get 12,1000 monthly searches for ways to remove them.

Residents in London have the biggest problem with the pests.

How to remove pests

With some pest problems on the rise, more people are taking out home insurance that covers the removal of pests.

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However, homeowners and tenants are expected to keep on top of property maintenance as insurance doesn’t always cover the cost of all pest removal including a mouse or rat infestation or repair the damage.

Howard Bright, president and founder of Anti-Pesto Bug Killers has shared his tips to get rid of pests in the home.

Clean

Cleaning is an obvious but important step when it comes to preventing pests.

Mr Bright said: “Pests are most attracted to sources of food like dirty dishes, leftover food, unsealed containers, etc.”

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Baits and traps

The pest expert said baits and traps are some of the “most effective DIY ways” to oust pests.

They will attract the pest and then trap the pest inside with a sticky substance.

He continued: “Baits, on the other hand, are designed to act as a food source.

“Pests ingest the bait and die from the poison inside.

“Baits are commonly used if you need quick results, while traps may take longer (up to two weeks) to be effective.”

Liquid concentrates

These are used for the “quickest results”, especially if pests need to be “gone overnight”.

Mr Bright explained: “Once diluted in water, liquid concentrates can be sprayed in the cracks and crevices of your home where pests are most likely to enter.

“Once the pest comes into contact with the solution they die very soon after.”

Jessica Willock, home insurance expert at Confused.com said: “Pests are just one of the problems to be aware of in your home.

“Home insurance can mean you’re protected against lots of issues, giving you peace of mind no matter how big – or scary-looking – the problem is.

“Homeowners and renters should read the fine print of your policy details as some providers have different definitions as to what a ‘pest’ is.

“For example, the removal of a beehive might not be covered whereas a mouse infestation could be more likely to be covered.”

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