The detached garages that Northglenn homeowners adore. Great for storing your tools, working on projects, or parking that second car out of the elements. However, what most people fail to realize is that while you are busy decluttering your space, unwanted guests are making themselves at home.
Mice, spiders, and insects view these structures as a five-star hotel with minimal human traffic and plenty of places to hide. The space between your garage foundation and the door, the cardboard boxes piled in the corner, and the untouched insulation up high all provide excellent breeding grounds for pests.
And if you are finding droppings, hearing noises, or finding cobwebs where they should not be, it is more than a minor nuisance. Early intervention by professional Northglenn exterminators can prevent structural damage and future health risks.
Common Pests Hiding in Northglenn’s Detached Garages
- Rodents (Mice and Rats)
Due to winter temperatures that routinely plunge to cold and below-freezing, Northglenn sits at 5,256 feet, where warm garage spaces must be the equivalent of a rodent’s version of heaven, according to city data. They can fit through gaps as wide as a dime and can create nests in stored goods or insulation.
- Spiders (Black Widows and Wolf Spiders)
Black widow spiders are found in Colorado, especially in the dark, undisturbed areas of detached garages. Wolf spiders inhabit these spaces as well, where they, in turn, prey on other insects. You usually find them behind storage containers or in ceiling corners.
- Insects (Ants, Beetles, and Silverfish)
Adams County is a good fit because it has a mix of suburbs and farmland to support insect populations. Carpenter ants destroy the wood structures of garages, while beetles and silverfish consume paper products, fabrics, and cardboard boxes in which many homeowners store these items.
What Makes Detached Garages a Perfect Spot for Pests?
For starters, they come away from your main living space, minimizing traffic and interruptions. Without constant human engagement, pests can make themselves at home. Second, these structures usually have many more crevices and fractures than your home. Space under the garage door, vents, and foundation cracks can serve as entry points.
Third, because of Northglenn’s relatively dry environment, pests are always on the lookout for a source of moisture, which is plentiful in garages due to condensation or plumbing lines.
5 Things to Do Immediately if Pests Invade
- Inspect the entire space thoroughly. Inspect corners, overhead beams, behind stored items, and around the door seals. Signs such as droppings, nests, gnawed materials, or strange smells are indications that something is amiss with your pests.
- Immediately seal all potential points of entry. Steel wool and caulk can help with small gaps, while weatherstripping for doors and wire mesh for larger openings. Be particularly aware of the utilities’ point of entry into the building.
- Eliminate food sources that the ants eat and places where they can nest. Seal and store pet food, birdseed, or fertilizers in plastic or metal containers. Purge anything that can go in cardboard boxes or paper products.
- Set traps strategically. Set snap traps or humane traps along the walls in areas with activity. Use the right baits or sticky traps in problem areas for insects.
- Document the problem with photos. Photograph damage, droppings, or the pests themselves. Inspection assists pest control professionals in assessing and recording progress.
Time to Speak to an Expert!
Professional help makes sense for more serious pest problems, such as repeat infestations, large rodent populations, or potentially dangerous spiders. Saela Pest Control has provided Northglenn homeowners with localized pest treatments to eliminate common pest issues in detached garages. Knowing how Colorado’s climate cycles throughout the year, along with Northglenn’s unique geography, they know when to expect pests to be active!
