Roaches, bed bugs and mice...oh my! Your home is your castle, and unwanted creepy-crawly house guests aren’t just pests. They can cost you thousands of dollars in damage and even spread illness.

Here’s how to prevent five of the biggest pest threats to your home.Pest Threats to your Home

Roaches - If you’re not careful, you could be feeding cockroaches along with your family.

• Roaches need food and water to survive.
• Prevent roaches by cleaning up those crumbs and keep food sealed and out of sight.
• Roaches thrive in damp places, so check for leaky faucets or moist crawl spaces.
• Use a vacuum to regularly clean behind appliances and inside cupboards to remove inviting food particles or, possibly even, cockroach eggs.
• Roaches can spread disease such as Salmonella bacteria, which can live on their bodies.
• A pair of roaches can multiply to 400,000 in just a year if they’re allowed to flourish.

Termites - Termites cause $5 billion in damage annually.

• Water is actually a bigger draw for termites than wood.
• Prevent termites by never stacking firewood next to your house, and only bring it inside when you’re ready to burn it.
• Remove rotting wood, like tree stumps, from your property.

Moths - Silk, wool, feathers and fur are all delicious bait, thanks to a particular tasty protein found in these materials called keratin.

• Before adding a new piece to your wardrobe, examine it for bugs. And whether you buy new or second hand, it doesn’t hurt to wash the item first.
• Toss out clothes with moth-bitten holes and eliminate any cotton-like webbing in your closet.
• When it comes to moths, the infected article of clothing is like a rotting banana attracting fruit flies. If you rid of the clothing with holes or marks, you get rid of the infestation.
• Prevent moths by washing or dry cleaning clothes regularly, since sweat, perfume and food stains can lure in moths.
• Clean seasonal items before putting them away, and store in airtight bags or containers.

Bed Bugs – Bed Bugs can be picked up in taxis, planes, hotels and even movie theaters.

• A single bug can drink up to 150 gallons of blood. They’re nocturnal and attracted to carbon dioxide that humans give off.
• Before booking a hotel room, check BedBugRegistry.com to see if there have been any recent incidences.
• Inspect the linens and mattress, looking for insects or dark marks, signs bed bugs have been there.
• If you find evidence, ask to be moved to another room farther away.
• Avoid placing your luggage on the bed or luggage rack to prevent bed bugs – the bathroom is usually a safe zone.
• When returning home, vacuum your suitcase and wash/dry everything as soon as possible. Thirty minutes on high heat in the dryer will kill any bugs and eggs you might be carrying.
• If bed bugs do get inside, don’t spread them by changing where you sleep. Instead contact bed bug removal specialists and do not try to treat bed bugs on your own.

Mice – Mice may look cute, but damage property and goods and spread disease all at the same time.

• Prevent mice by storing food in airtight containers, including foods stored in your garage and basement.
• Mice can also multiply rapidly. They can go from just eight to 2,000 in a matter of months.
• Mice can climb wire vertically, chew through wires causing fires and even carry other pests like ticks, fleas and mosquitoes.
• Make sure garage and home doors don’t gap. Seal any cracks or holes in floors, walls or cabinets. A mouse can squeeze through an opening the size of a dime.
• Mice will leave behind droppings or chewed food boxes if they get cozy in your home.

Thomas Pest Services offers pest control services using environmentally responsible techniques. Animals or insects that call home, in your home are not only a nuisance but can cause damage to your home’s structure and even carry disease. Usually when pests invade your space, they are looking for food, water and shelter. Contact Thomas Pest Services, to take care of insects can bite, carry and spread disease, so it best to contact a professional exterminator - get started with a free inspection.