THE EFFECT OF WILDLIFE PESTS ON HOME VALUES
Aug 10, 2015
THE EFFECT OF
WILDLIFE PESTS
ON HOME VALUES
INTRODUCTION
Humans and animals have shared Northern California’s
ecosystems for centuries, but coexisting in peace isn’t easy
when man-made structures and animal instincts collide.
Native birds, rodents, bats, raccoons and other wildlife are
especially problematic for property owners. The same habits
that keep them alive in the wild -- such as foraging, nesting,
and nibbling -- are destructive and downright dangerous
when they move into buildings and landscaped lawns.
NATIVE BIRDS,
RODENTS, BATS,
RACCOONS AND
OTHER WILDLIFE
ARE ESPECIALLY
PROBLEMATIC
FOR PROPERTY
OWNERS.
‘‘
UNPREDICTABLE TRIGGERS
If you own real estate, or are especially planning to sell soon, the value of your
investment depends on your ability to deter these uninvited guests. Droughts, floods,
fire, new construction, and overpopulation are some of the unpredictable triggers
that push wild animals out of their natural environment and onto developed properties.
Extensive damage is often impossible to reverse. Even in urban and suburban
neighborhoods, it’s important to err on the side of caution and plan for possible
infestations. If you don’t, your property value could plummet due to pest-related effects.
DROUGHT FLOODS FIRENEW
CONSTRUCTIONOVERPOPULATION
ELECTRICAL DAMAGE
Some of the most destructive and expensive pests are
actually the smallest. When infestations of small pests
occur, even the wires within your walls and the utility lines
underground aren’t safe from their tiny teeth.
Burrowing rodents -- such as ground squirrels, voles,
moles, and gophers -- hide from predators by tunneling
underground. They clear their pathways by chewing through
anything and everything that gets in their way, including the
cables that power your entire building. The repair process
is invasive and extensive. Additionally unsightly damage to
lawns and large infestations can cause damage to gardens,
private vineyards, children’s play areas, and worst of all slope
collapse. These damages are tedious and costly to repair.
ELECTRICAL DAMAGE (CONTINUTED)
Mice and rats, raccoons, and bats meanwhile, can invade
walls, chimneys, and attics, where they chew on wires and
pipes. They also contaminate the exposed lines with their
waste, which attracts more rodents to the site. If they expose
live wires or leave fur and droppings behind, they can even
start devastating indoor fires! The risks remain after the wires
are fixed too. Home inspections and property appraisals
usually include these vital spaces, and evidence of previous
rodent infestations is a red flag that will instantly lower your
asking price.
IF THEY EXPOSE
LIVE WIRES OR
LEAVE FUR AND
DROPPINGS
BEHIND, THEY
CAN EVEN START
DEVASTATING
INDOOR FIRES.
“
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
When rodents burrow underground or infest your indoor
spaces, electricity isn’t always your biggest problem. These
animals also chew through irrigation lines and indoor
plumbing, causing leaks that quickly turn into devastating
floods. The resulting water damage may drown your plants,
soak into your carpet, rot your wooden support beams and
more.
Even flood insurance policies don’t cover this
particular kind of water damage, so you must
act quickly to correct it.
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE(CONTINUTED)
Still, it’s virtually impossible to locate all the moisture and
condensation that accumulates after extensive water
damage. The subsequent buildup of mold and mildew is
hazardous to your health because it pollutes your air quality.
Additionally, when it occurs in walls and ceilings, it also
eats away at the structures that are responsible for keeping
your property intact. The displacement of soil may also
compromise the structural integrity of your foundation and
walls, because it leaves the ground beneath them uneven
and contaminated.
THE SUBSEQUENT
BUILDUP OF MOLD
AND MILDEW IS
HAZARDOUS TO
YOUR HEALTH
BECAUSE IT
POLLUTES YOUR
AIR QUALITY.
“
LANDSCAPING DAMAGE
Curb appeal is a vital ingredient in the value of residential
and commercial properties alike. Ornamental landscaping is
inviting and flattering, gardens add year-round fragrance and
color, and a well-nourished lawn is a telltale sign of a well-
maintained home. However, your landscaping efforts may
backfire if you don’t take preventative measures.
The same lush grass, plants and trees that
attract potential buyers will also attract pests
with destructive behaviors.
LANDSCAPING DAMAGE(CONTINUTED)
Some landscaping damage, such as the underground
burrowing that destroys roots and contaminates soil,
happens gradually and goes undetected for months or years.
Other destruction happens, quite literally, overnight. For
example, raccoons are social and nocturnal animals, so they
travel in groups and forage for worms and other bugs in the
dead of night. In just a few hours, two or three raccoons can
overturn every square of freshly laid sod and dig up an entire
yard’s worth of flowers and new landscaping additions.
Of course, any animal infestation will create unwanted odors
and health risks because of the waste that animals leave
behind. Bats and skunks are particularly notorious for their
pungent, disease-infested, unsightly fecal contributions to
human property. Your property value will reflect the long-
term presence of animal waste, but inspectors, neighbors
and potential buyers will also smell and see this damage
immediately.
IN JUST A FEW
HOURS, TWO
OR THREE
RACCOONS CAN
OVERTURN EVERY
SQUARE OF
FRESHLY
LAID SOD
“
PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY VALUE FROM PEST DAMAGE
No matter what kind of pest has infested your property, acting quickly is crucial. It’s
best to act immediately at the first signs of pest damage. Work with a professional
pest control company to address the problem before it escalates. After the wildlife is
removed, a simple cleanup will preserve your property investment and prevent lingering
consequences. Every pest has the potential to create significant and immediate
damage, so you should always be on the lookout for movement and visible changes.
TO SPEAK WITH A WILDLIFE PEST CONTROL EXPERT
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CALL:
1-800-292-9845OR VISIT
ANIMALDAMAGEMANAGEMENT.COM
SOURCES
• http://www.nepma.org/problems.html
• http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7438.html
• http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74118.html
• http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74123.html
• http://www.animaldamagemanagement.com/pest-removal-professional-services/
• http://www.ibabuzz.com/garybogue/2008/10/24/raccoons-heres-what-they-can-do-to-your-lawn/
• http://ucanr.org/sites/vpce/files/86153.pdf
• http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/there-s-no-insurance-against-household-pests-1.aspx
• http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/nov/17/household-pests-rentokil-rats-mice-moths
• http://www.urbanwildlife.ca/bats/property-damages/?
• http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/misc_pdfs/004-ProtectProperty.pdf
CONTACT US AT:ANIMAL DAMAGE MANAGEMENT
HTTP://WWW.ANIMALDAMAGEMANAGEMENT.COM