Did You Know That Homeowners Insurance Is Unlikely To Cover Termite Damage?

Did You Know That Homeowners Insurance Is Unlikely To Cover Termite Damage?

Destructive? Yep. Expensive? You bet. Not covered by your homeowners insurance? Probably also a yes.

Termites cause extensive damage to homes all across the Knoxville area, with species ranging from destructive drywood termites to dirt-loving subterranean termites.

No official numbers are collected by a government body, but the National Pest Management Association estimates that United States home and business owners pay out over five billion dollars a year because of termites. Without an insurance policy or a preventative pest control plan, termite infestations can become dangerous to your health and your wallet.

Termites won’t just effect furniture and firewood, but will weaken the very structure of a home. Some forms of termite damage include:

  • Buckling, hollow walls
  • Weakened support beams
  • Ruined furniture
  • Unsafe attic spaces
  • Drooping floors

Without immediate assistance from a qualified pest control company, your home could be facing a very real threat without the comforting support of an insurance policy.

Why Insurance Doesn’t Cover Termite Damage

Insurance companies don’t usually cover termite damage for a number of reasons that vary from provider to provider. It’s important to remember that insurance policies in general will apply to circumstances that are:

  • Accidental
  • Rapid or sudden
  • Unpreventable
  • Immediately perilous

While a termite infestation may feel like all of these things after an unfortunate discovery, the fact is termite invasions can be prevented with regular maintenance work and inspections completed by a certified pest operative. Reading up about termite behavior is a snap, especially through the informative blog posts found right here at Russell’s.

It might be surprising to learn that homeowners insurance won’t aid policy holders with termite-related property damage, but the result is very clear: Knoxville residents need to be aware of what kind of pests are around their home. To start getting more information about the types of termites and termite activity you should be aware of, reach out to Russell’s Pest Control today.

 

Russell’s Pest Control is Here for You

Pest control doesn’t need to be difficult to get. That’s why Russell’s Pest Control is proud to offer East Tennessee residents some of the most effective, safe, and results-driven techniques on the market for pest control companies today.

Termite protection is a cinch under one of Russell’s powerful residential care plans. With programs that cover more than thirty outdoor pests with quarterly visits, it’s impossible to miss infestations that may be creeping around your property.

Are you ready to protect your home from termites for the fall season and beyond? Contact our Knoxville office today to get the ball rolling. With or without homeowners insurance policies, Russell’s Pest Control is here to help.

Infuriated Yellow Jackets Buzzing Around Knoxville

Infuriated Yellow Jackets Buzzing Around Knoxville

This fall you may experience swarms of yellow jackets buzzing around Knoxville. As winter approaches, yellow jackets are more aggressive as they are busy trying to get the next generation’s queen ready for overwintering. A yellow jacket Is a type of wasp which means it can sting multiple times. You want to avoid these stinging insects, especially if you are allergic to their stings. Take precautions as a homeowner to keep your property free from yellow jackets. If you are struggling with yellow jackets or have a nest on your property, it is best to call for professional help with removal.

Identifying Yellow Jackets  

Yellow jackets have narrow segmented bodies, thin wings, and distinct black and yellow markings. Typically, they are around an inch long. Yellow jackets typically nest in the ground, often in holes formed by burrowing rodents. This differentiates them from other wasps.

Aggressive Yellow Jackets    

Yellow jackets are aggressive stinging insects. They will sting if they are disturbed in any way. This can include walking over the top of their nest, but even vibrations from a lawnmower nearby or children playing in the yard can agitate them. If a yellow jacket stings, they can leave a scent that alerts other yellow jackets that you are a threat.

Preventing Yellow Jackets  

It’s a good idea to make your Knoxville yard less attractive to yellow jackets. You can do this by reducing the things they like to feed on on your property, including fruits and meats. If you have fruit trees, remove any overripe fruit that has dropped. Clean up immediately after picnics and outdoor social gatherings where food is served. Avoid bright patterned deck and patio furniture. And reduce the number of brightly colored and fragrant flowers near your outdoor entertaining areas.

Professional Help for Yellow Jackets    

It’s safest to contact the professionals at Russell’s Pest Control to remove yellow jackets from your Knoxville-area home. Because of their aggressive nature and in-ground nests, yellow jackets are difficult to get rid of with DIY methods and it can be dangerous to try. With one of Russell’s Power programs, your Knoxville home will be protected from wasps and yellow jackets, year-round. Contact us today for help with infuriated yellow jackets buzzing around your Knoxville home this fall.

Why Is Knoxville’s Common House Spider So Common?

Why Is Knoxville's Common House Spider So Common?

The name “house spider” encompasses a large range of common home-invading spider species. Though the most notable of these species is the common house spider. Occasionally, common house spiders are called American house spiders. These pests are usually brown, tan, or gray in color with darker markings across their bodies. Common house spiders are small, measuring between 4 mm and 8 mm in length, depending on the gender. Female spiders are larger than male spiders. Common house spiders love to hide in dark or undisturbed areas, such as closets, attics, basements, wall voids, and crawlspaces.

Are common house spiders dangerous?

Although all species of spiders are venomous, only a few are dangerous to humans. Black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders are the only dangerous spiders in the United States. Common house spiders use their venom to paralyze their insect prey, but rarely bite humans unless threatened or provoked. If you are bitten by a common house spider, you may experience mild pain, swelling, and redness around the bite site.

While common house spiders aren’t dangerous, finding an infestation in your Knoxville home usually indicates a larger pest problem. Spiders are nomadic, which means that they travel to wherever their food sources are found. If insect pests have invaded your property, it doesn’t take long for spiders to show up shortly after. Spider infestations always indicate deeper pest problems on your property.

 

Spider Prevention Tips

Without a food source on your Knoxville property, spiders will not have a reason to invade. One of the best ways to avoid attracting spiders to your home is to remove all the factors that provide spiders with sources of food and shelter. Keep spiders at bay with these simple spider and insect prevention steps.

  • Insects love moisture. Remove moisture from your property by filling in low-lying areas of your lawn, clearing your gutters of debris, and dumping water out of items that collect rainwater (such as flowerpots).
  • Both spiders and insects are most comfortable in areas with thick vegetation and plant cover. Cut tree branches, shrubs, foliage, and weeds away from your exterior walls. Not only will this reduce how attractive your property is to pests, but it will also allow sunlight to hit your foundation and dry up excess moisture.
  • Common house spiders and insects will invade your home through just about any entry point they can find. If you seal up these areas, fewer pests will be able to invade. Seal cracks in your foundation, install door sweeps, and replace torn window screens.

The most effective way to remove spider and insect infestations is with the help of the licensed pest specialists here at Russell’s Pest Control. We provide a variety of home pest control services, including inspections, general pest management, rodent control, and much more! For assistance with your spider infestation or any pests that encourage spiders to invade, contact Russell’s Pest Control.

Putting The Heat On Bed Bugs In Knoxville

Everything You Should Know About A Bed Bug Heat Treatment

Knoxville is home to pests of all shapes and sizes. Among those pests are bed bugs. These small, flat, blood-feeding insects are some of the most problematic pests around. Not only are bed bugs difficult to prevent, but they’re often difficult to identify as well.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

Bed bugs are elusive insects. As a type of hitchhiking pest, bed bugs travel from place to place by crawling onto clothing, bags, or belongings. However, this means that bed bugs can only invade your property if you or someone you know brings them inside. Once they’ve entered your Knoxville home, there are a few signs you can look for that indicate that your home is infested.

  • Rows or clusters of small red bite marks on your skin
  • Spots of excrement on bed covers
  • Bloodstains on bedclothes, sheets, or pillowcases
  • Molted bed bug skins
  • Tiny white eggs the size of a pinhead
  • A strong, unpleasant musty odor, which usually indicates a larger infestation

Problems Bed Bugs Cause

What harm could one tiny bed bug do, right? Unfortunately, a lot. A single female bed bug can lay up to 500 eggs in its lifetime. If even one or two bed bugs are brought into your Knoxville property, you could have a severe infestation in less than 4 months. Early detection of a bed bug infestation is the best way to avoid most of the problems these tiny pests cause. Some problems bed bugs cause include sleeplessness, restlessness, and recurring bite marks. Many infestations aren’t discovered until after they have had time to become severe. Prolonged bed bug infestations can lead to health conditions such as anemia. (This disease is when there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells being circulated to muscle and body tissues.) The best way to avoid these problems is with professional bed bug treatment services.

Why You Need Bed Bug Heat Treatments

Bed bugs are resilient insects that often become resistant to chemical treatment methods. Also, these tiny pests are able to survive without a blood meal for up to five months. The most effective and efficient way to eliminate a bed bug infestation is with heat treatment services from Russell’s Pest Control.

Our bed bug heat remediation services use industrial heaters that are effective against even the largest bed bug infestations. These heaters radiate heat into areas where bed bugs like to hide, such as inside mattresses, electrical outlets, furniture, walls, and box springs. The bed bug heat treatments here at Russell’s Pest Control are eco-friendly and ensure the full elimination of your bed bug problems. For more information about our bed bug heat remediation services, or to ask us about any other pest problem, reach out to Russell’s Pest Control today.

Smelly Stink Bugs Invading Knoxville

Smelly Stink Bugs Invading Knoxville

Brown marmorated stink bugs are an invasive insect species native to Asia but were introduced to the United States in the state of Pennsylvania in 1998. Since that time, stink bugs have become a widespread problem across our continent, causing many problems for U.S. residents, including those in Knoxville. Brown marmorated stink bugs are brownish-gray in color and often described as “shield-shaped insects.” These invasive insects got their name from the putrid smell they release when crushed or threatened.

Why do stink bugs invade?

Stink bugs are classified as an agricultural pest because of their tendency to destroy crops. Some of the plants stink bugs damage include fruit trees, ornamental plants, and gardens. Stink bugs aren’t threatening or dangerous to people, as they don’t bite or sting. Brown marmorated stink bugs are considered more of a nuisance pest. Stink bugs are a type of overwintering pest, which means they find warm, sheltered areas to become dormant during the colder months. Now that fall has arrived, stink bugs are actively searching for places to overwinter. They often try to invade Knoxville homes to hide in walls, attics, or crawlspaces. In winter, if the weather warms up, stink bugs overwintering in your home may be tricked into thinking spring has arrived and become active inside your home.

Stink Bug Prevention Tips

Stink bug infestations can be prevented with several basic pest prevention tips, as well as a few that are stink bug-specific. Keep stink bugs out of your Knoxville home by doing the following.

  • Cut thick brush and foliage away from your exterior walls
  • Remove clutter from your lawn
  • Reduce moisture on your property by repairing leaky faucets and dumping out items that have collected water
  • Replace torn window screens
  • Seal all possible entry points, including gaps in your foundation, holes made for utilities, and crevices around your exterior walls
  • Wipe your window sills and doorways with scented dryer sheets
  • Kill stink bugs found around the outside of your home to deter other stink bugs from invading

It’s important to remember that prevention tips are not 100% effective and you may still end up with an infestation. If you find stink bugs in your Knoxville home, it’s time to contact the professionals at Russell’s Pest Control. We understand how frustrating pest problems can be, which is why we are dedicated to keeping your property pest-free all year long. For assistance with your pest problem, give Russell’s Pest Control a call today.