Is Your Plumbing Attracting Insects?
In the plumbing business, we see our fair share of bugs, especially in the Phoenix/Anthem area. There is nothing insects love more than moisture from a good plumbing leak. Today we’re going to talk about some of the bugs you can expect a plumbing leak or a bad irrigation situation to attract. Some are destructive, others are unsanitary or even bite. But none of them are welcome in your home. Here is the lineup:
Termites
With seventeen different types of termites in Arizona, we have our share of termite trouble, but there is one in particular which is drawn to water. They love it so much, they make mud tubes to travel through your home in. Damp wood makes them happy, too.
Cockroaches
Those skittery little brown German Cockroaches which infest your kitchen like being close to water. Leftover food on dirty dishes in the sink isn’t the only thing attracting them; the water is also alluring. American cockroaches, the big 1 to 1-½ in variety that can fly, live in sewers. Cockroaches are a filthy visitor to any home.
Silverfish
Another nasty surprise awaits beneath the sink with a leak, and that is the well-named silverfish. They love the damp, paper, especially boxes, and clothing. They don’t have the greasy, disgusting quality of roaches, but they rate a nine on the shudder scale.
Ants
Not only do ants really love sweets and water, but they also offer the additional bonus of having a painful bite. So, while they don’t make us shudder like some other insects, they can actually hurt us. They also chew up the wood in your home to create nests, not to eat it.
Scorpions
Scorpions don’t need a lot of food, but they do need water. If you find scorpions, there’s a pretty good chance you have a leak which other insects have come to enjoy, and the scorpions, in turn, have also come to sample the insects drawn by the water.
Spiders
Spiders are another insect which aren’t so much drawn to the water as to the provision of bugs created by the plumbing leak. These opportunists take advantage of the bug population at hand.
Mosquitos
Mosquitoes are attracted to standing water, such as puddled water, which is where they breed. These beauties often turn up after a few days of rain, when our caliche-packed soil refuses to absorb the water. So, if you’re being bitten by mosquitoes and there hasn’t been a standing-water type of storm lately, there is definitely a source of water close at hand.
If you start to see a proliferation of insects in or around your home, it’s worth the effort to go on a little hunting mission for a plumbing leak. You can look for leaks, or watch your water meter. If the leak is in an irrigation pipe or underground, it might be a little harder to trace. If you know it’s there but can’t find it, or you suspect a leak but don’t want to try to find it, you can always call us and we’ll be happy to come out and do that.
If you need a licensed, bonded, insured plumber for your Phoenix area leak or your next plumbing project, call MNS Plumbing today at 602-362-4524.
