How a Dehumidifier Can Prevent Silverfish, Centipedes, and Cockroaches

A silverfish in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

There are many reasons why a pest infestation might develop inside your home, but one of the main contributors to bug outbreaks is excess humidity. Some of the main culprits that hang around in humid environments are silverfish, millipedes, centipedes, and cockroaches. In extremely humid cases, mosquitoes and fleas could also start to breed in your bathroom, crawl spaces, or other places where standing water pools up. In addition to setting up a dehumidifier, having a pest control company come and treat your property is the best way to attack a humid pest breeding ground. Read on to learn more with the expert technicians at Batzner Pest Control!

How Does a Dehumidifier Help with Pests?

Humidity levels and excess moisture may increase the number of pests you see crawling around your house. This could come in the humid summers or the rainy winters. If you’re currently experiencing pest problems stemming from unknown causes, one thing you can consider is investing in a dehumidifier to keep the humidity level down in your house. Here are four things a dehumidifier will do for your home:

  1. Prevent mold growth inside your home
  2. Minimize condensation contributing to pest infestations
  3. Deter bugs that breed in standing water pools
  4. Alleviate allergies triggered by pests that moisture attracts

Professional Advice: Do Dehumidifiers Really Work?

Karl Rowell, Quality Assurance and Safety Manager, explains, “Moisture, in general, can be a very conducive environment for bugs. Running a dehumidifier reduces the favorable conditions in your home.” Placing a dehumidifier within your home can alleviate pest activity, especially in your basement, bathroom, and even crawl spaces. Dehumidifiers work to remove moisture from the air, creating a drier environment that is less conducive to pest survival. This will keep out pests like silverfish, roaches, and more that are attracted to moisture, and it will also prevent these pests’ predators from developing a presence in your home.

Moisture Pest Control in Wisconsin

If you’re dealing with pests and can’t figure out where they’re coming from, a likely cause of your outbreak is moisture buildup. If you can’t find your infestation’s source or your dehumidifier is failing to protect your home from pests, reach out to your local exterminators. At Batzner Pest Control, we train our technicians to conduct exhaustive inspections, checking for every possible contribution to your pest problem. For a free quote, reach out to our team today!

Do I Have Silverfish?

What silverfish look like in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

There is a long list of pests that thrive in moist or damp areas—having a consistent source of moisture can provide hydration, a source of prey, or a place to hide. With a long Wisconsin winter approaching, one of the kinds of pests that we have to keep watch for in our homes is silverfish. These wingless insects love to invade our bathrooms, attics, and basements, and can easily go undetected until their numbers reach unpleasant levels.

Are you worried that you have silverfish in your home? Read on to learn more about them and what you can do to prevent them with the experts at Batzner Pest Control!

What Do Silverfish Look Like?

Silverfish are small insects, usually measuring between 1/2”-3/4“ in length, with flat bodies and short, skinny legs. They get their name from a combination of their shiny, silver tint and their fish-like movement. You might find them writhing around in the cupboards under your bathroom sink, in your damp crawl spaces or basement, or in the dark corners of your attic. Another sign of their presence is the marks they leave behind. Silverfish leave scrapes and sometimes fungus behind on items that they’ve eaten.

How to Prevent Silverfish

Speaking of their diet, one of the best ways to prevent a silverfish infestation is to limit access to what they might eat. Unfortunately, silverfish have been known to eat all kinds of things, including:

  • Carb-heavy foods, like pasta, flour, and oats
  • Books, paper, and boxes
  • Insulation
  • Glue, and much more

As you can see, it can be hard to know if you’ve taken enough measures to eliminate sources of silverfish food. That said, it is also important to eliminate sources of excess moisture. You can do so by ensuring that your crawl spaces are properly ventilated, your pipes are intact and not creating any pooling leakage, and that all spills are cleaned up as soon as they happen.

Fall Insect Pest Control in Wisconsin

Silverfish are just one of the many pests you might encounter as the temperatures drop and the rain starts to fall. If you are worried about a future infestation or already in the middle of one, you can count on Batzner Pest Control to help. Our pest control technicians are trained to find hidden vulnerabilities that pests are exploiting and teach you how to go forward with your own home pest prevention methods. For a free quote, contact us today!

What Are Those Bugs in My Bathroom?

What silverfish look like in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

In a place that is supposed to be sparkling clean, the last thing you want to find is an outbreak of nasty pests. Water accumulates in our sinks, showers, and tubs, causing many different kinds of insects to take refuge in our bathrooms. The warm and humid environment created by our showers offers a welcoming environment for lots of pests in Wisconsin, not to mention a free source of water to drink. For more information on common bathroom pests, keep reading. We’ve asked our Batzner Pest Control technicians for some input!

Common Bathroom Pests

Lots of pests are known to infest bathrooms, but these are our top three to watch out for:

  1. Cockroaches: Any warm, wet, and humid environment is the ideal home for a cockroach. Bonus points if they can find a dark cabinet to hide in during the day.
  2. Silverfish: These insects are attracted to the same traits that cockroaches are. Since they have a lot of trouble climbing up smooth, vertical surfaces, silverfish will often be found by drains or along the shower or bathroom floor.
  3. Ants: Having too much excess moisture building up in your bathroom is a sure way to attract a trail of ants. Looking for drinking water, they will travel through our plumbing systems, underneath our doors, or through cracks in siding and baseboards.

Finding spiders, centipedes, or drain flies in your bathroom should come as no surprise, either. Many pests find uses for our bathrooms, whether that be food, water, shelter, or all three.

Preventative Measures Against Bathroom Pests

Having a clean and dry bathroom is the best deterrent for pest problems. When you clean your bathroom, look out for these issues that could be attracting pests:

  • Wipe down countertops to eliminate any filth and remove standing water
  • Check for leaks in your plumbing fixtures often
  • Ensure that your bathroom is well-ventilated and not accumulating too much humidity
  • Clean up spills of soap, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, or other hygiene products

Whatever you can do to reduce excess moisture and grime in your bathroom will help you avoid pest problems going forward!

Need Pest Control for Your Bathroom in Wisconsin?

If you can’t use your bathroom without unwanted insects grossing you out, it’s time to talk to your local pest control experts. The pest specialists at Batzner Pest Control are able to locate difficult-to-spot vulnerabilities in your Wisconsin home to help you keep your bathroom clean, fresh, and free of pests. Contact us today for a free quote—we would love to help you breathe easy in your own bathroom again!