H & H Pest Control Blog

Now that it’s termite season, you should be on the lookout for signs of a termite infestation, including discarded wings, swarmers, mud tubes, wood damage, paint blisters or uneven paint, and frass. Frass is drywood termite droppings. It looks like a pile of little pellets. As soon as you see signs, you already have an infestation of termites and you should implement termite control immediately.

Before you spray for mosquitoes, you need to rid your property of their breeding grounds. They love standing water, and many breeds lay their eggs in the standing water. Mosquito lifecycles are short and consist of four stages, so without getting rid of their breeding grounds, you’re just inviting more. Mosquito control is most effective if you get rid of these pests favorite spots, such as old tires and birdbaths. If you want birdbaths, you can change the water every day to prevent mosquitoes from being attracted to your yard.

Most people already know that mosquito bites are more than just itchy nuisances. While the majority of bumps will clear up in a few days and heal entirely on their own, some of these winged monsters carry dangerous — sometimes deadly — diseases. But that's no reason to stay inside when there's so much beauty to be found in the beautiful state of North Carolina. If you're searching for how to get rid of mosquito bites, over-the-counter treatments such as ice, topical corticosteroids, and antihistamines can bring down the mosquito bites swelling and control the inflammation. Taking these steps may help speed the healing process, so you can stop pausing to scratch every few minutes. Find out more about what's normal for a mosquito bite and how you can control these pests. 

As the weather starts to warm up, termites are ready to hit the ground running. And while they rarely emerge from the actual ground, that doesn't mean that you can't be on the look-out for their calling cards. These tiny pests eat all cellulose-based plants, and there are no homes immune from their wrath. Termites may appreciate wooden structures the most but that doesn't mean they can't thrive in all construction types. Their insidious nature is such that they can remain invisible until they start causing serious damage to your property. You don't want to take a chance with termites because the costs of ignoring them will always be higher than the costs of a preventative termite inspection or proactive treatment. 

Moisture in your home comes from many sources, including showering, cooking, using a humidifier and moisture that seeps in from your basement or crawlspace. While you do need some humidity in your home to be comfortable, too much encourages the growth of mold and mildew. In turn, the mold and mildew attract bugs, cause wood to decay, damages electronics and cause health problems. If you have excess moisture in your home, H&H Pest Control and Waterproofing’s waterproofing services help remove the excess moisture.

If you have moisture or water running into your basement, the waterproofing either was not installed on the home or it has worn out. Basement waterproofing not only keeps water and moisture out of the basement, but it keeps excessive humidity out of your house. When you have too much moisture in your basement and in your house, you give mold and mildew the perfect environment to grow. Our waterproofing services at H&H Pest Control and Waterproofing stop the excess moisture that causes mold and mildew.

Moisture and mold can be silent killers in your home. Not only can moisture wear away at the foundation of your home and damage flooring, baseboards, furniture, and appliances, but it can also cause chronic, debilitating illness for those exposed. Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that many renters and homeowners don’t know there’s moisture because it hides in places that aren’t always visible or accessible.

If you don’t use moisture control practices in your home, you could have mold hiding under wallpaper, baseboards and other trim. You create humidity in your home by cooking, showering, doing dishes, using an unvented clothes dryer and using a humidifier. When water gets in through the basement or crawlspace because of poor drainage, the humidity increases, which could cause mold to form.

A basement or crawlspace built with blocks needs to be waterproofed. Cement and blocks are not waterproof, so water seeps through to the inside. Most builders put waterproofing on the blocks, but it does wear out after some years. When excess moisture gets through the waterproofing or the cement, if it wasn’t waterproofed, your house becomes damp, which encourages mold to grow. Putting in moisture control measures while you are building is less expensive than having to do it later.

French drain systems divert water from where it pools to a place where the water cannot hurt buildings or your landscaping. Often, people install a French drain and let it evacuate water to a part of the landscape that requires extra water. A deeper French drain, or a footing drain, moves a lot of water, while a shallow French drain, also known as a curtain drain, is uphill of the area you want to dry out. The curtain drain stops the water from flowing downhill and forces it away from the soggy spot. Footing drains are suitable for keeping water out of your basement. They are placed at the footing for the basement, so are easier to install while you are building your house, but we can install them after the build is finished.