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Home should be sweet, as the old saying goes, but when indoor allergies take hold, misery often reigns supreme. Their source is often pest invaders such as: flies, cockroaches, rodents and mites, all of which are known to trigger allergic reactions and cause asthma attacks.
According to The Medical Review of September, 2015, allergies are increasing, and they affect 30% of adults and 40% of all children living in the United States. The frequency of pest infestations translates into millions of Americans becoming potentially at risk to pest allergen exposure.
Removing indoor allergy triggers begins with sealing off the perimeters of a home or residence. Pests come from the outdoors, find their way in and wreak allergic havoc with their droppings, saliva, dander(rodents) and decomposing bodies.
For residents of Pittsburgh and outlying areas, our pest technicians at Pestco are the ones to call for complete annihilation of these vile invaders that cause so much damage to human health.
Indications of A Pest-Related Allergy
There is some difficulty recognizing pest-related allergies simply because many of the symptoms are very similar to the common cold.
The Mayo Clinic reports that the following are the most common: a runny nose; sore throat; cough; congestion; slight body aches or mild headache and sneezing. Where these symptoms diverge from those of a cold lies in their persistence.
They often occur for weeks and even months without stop, and are prolonged because the allergens causing them are still present in the environment.
How Cockroach Allergens Can Cause Asthma
Cockroaches produce substances that cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to them. These elements are mostly concentrated in their fecal matter and in fragments of their body parts.
Due to the fact that they are tiny particles, they either become absorbed in the air and adversely affect indoor air quality or they settle on heavier particles such as pillows or bedding. Simple house cleaning chores like vacuuming can stir up allergens that have settled in dust or fabrics.
Perhaps most disturbing of all is the fact that cockroach allergens can be present in a home even if roaches aren’t there! One in five homes with no history of cockroach infestation has a significant level of allergens in dust and fabrics.
Mostly found in kitchen areas where food and water are available, these allergens also lurk in bedrooms (linens and pillows specifically) where they are easily inhaled and cause problems for vulnerable residents.
Research has established that socioeconomically disadvantaged populations are more prone to exposure to cockroach allergens, and current studies are focused on finding evidence that early exposure to cockroach allergens can cause asthma to develop in preschool-aged children.
It is estimated that some 60% of all people living in urban areas are allergic to cockroaches. Some symptoms include: skin rashes; coughing; congestion; ear infections; itchy or watery eyes and postnasal drip.
Here are 10 reasons to avoid DIY pest control.
How Can Pest Allergens Be Eliminated In My Home?
Keeping pests out of the home is he only way to eliminate allergies related to the pests. Cockroach allergens spread widely throughout homes, schools and other public places. The precautions listed below can protect those who may be particularly sensitive.
1. Keep Your Home Clean
Although it must be said that roaches are opportunists and will invade a clean home just as quickly as one that is not, keeping scraps off the floor and removing crumbs from behind toasters and other counter appliances is a deterrent because these abandoned particles serve as sources of food.
Areas under large kitchen furniture, which include the stove and refrigerator, may be hard to get to but should be kept as clean as possible because food scraps can easily get trapped under them
2. Reduce Humidity
Damp indoor spaces are havens for roaches and other indoor pests. Invest in a de-humidifier and in the end, it will pay for itself. They are especially effective in basements, which usually retain high levels of dampness.
3. Use Of Catnip
Once an old wives’ tale, a prominent study presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society that was conducted by Iowa State University researchers Chris Peterson and Joel Coats, Ph.D, determined there was some truth to the idea of using catnip to deter roaches.
They concluded that roaches are repelled by two forms of the chemical known as nepetalactone, which is found in the catnip plant. Placing catnip around the house will not only keep your kitty playful, it will also discourage cockroaches.
4. Clean Up The Yard
Plant matter and other yard debris are an open invitation to unwanted pests. Once established along the perimeters of a home, they will seek entry wherever there is food and shelter.
5. Stash Trash
Garbage is nourishment to pest invaders. Emptying trash often and storing it as far away from the home as possible is an effective deterrent because even if they manage to gain ingress, they won’t be near the entrance to a home.
6. Remove Carpeting
Replace carpeting with smooth flooring in homes with susceptible individuals. If this is not possible, vacuum carpets several times a week. While the may help minimize exposure to allergens, it can also can stir up the dust and irritants trapped in the carpet and temporarily adversely affect air quality. People with allergies to cockroaches should not vacuum or be in the room while it is being cleaned.
Other Pests And Allergic Triggers
Dust Mites
Dust mites are invisible and can only be seen under a microscope. This aspect sets them apart from other allergen-bearing pests.
Despite their tiny size, some 20 million Americans are allergic to them and suffer from watery eyes, runny nose and persistent coughing.
These mites feed on dead skin cells and thrive in temperatures ranging from 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Their waste can be highly allergenic and often melds with mold and cockroach dust.
Prevention of dust mites isn’t easy, but measures like using mattress and pillow cases serve as barriers between them and the humans whose dead skin cells are their preferred nourishment.
Also, washing sheets on the hottest setting possible provides an environment in which they cannot survive.
Flies
Flies are vectors for at least 65 diseases and various species are known to cause allergic reactions.
Exposure to fruit flies examined in one study caused 30% of workers in a laboratory to develop respiratory issues and skin rashes. The salivary secretions of both horse and deer flies are known to produce wheezing and nasal allergies.
Keeping food properly stored and cleaning up crumbs behind appliances both large and small are two measures that can help deter flies. A home with no available food source will send them elsewhere.
Rodents
The droppings, urine, saliva and skin of mice, rats and guinea pigs serve as triggers for asthma attacks to susceptible humans. Rat allergies manifest themselves in symptoms that include: a stuffy nose, eczema, itchy skin and nausea. Adults and children living in inner city housing developments are at the highest risk.
Check your home for pest entry points. The smallest of openings is an invitation to rodents. Seal up any cracks as quick as possible.
A Few Disturbing Statistics
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recently reported that 78 to 98 percent of urban homes have cockroaches and some 20 million Americans have reported dust mite allergies.
In addition, 63 percent of American homes contain allergens from cockroaches, which are most commonly introduced through saliva, droppings and decomposing bodies.
That number can be as high as 98 percent in highly populated urban areas. If the image of a roach scattering across a kitchen counter isn’t enough to hold down your lunch, consider the fact that allergic reactions are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the United States.
When You Search For “Pest Control Near Me” – Choose Pestco!
In 1948, a commercial pest company called Pestco Professional Services began its long and successful climb to prominence throughout Greater Pittsburgh, Western PA counties and surrounding areas.
Our unwavering mission over the course of the years has remained the same; namely, to provide experienced, responsive and uncompromising pest-control and pest-management services to all of its loyal customers.
Pestco is and always has been a family-run business equipped with the most cutting edge and cost-effective pest-control and preventative pest-management strategies for both commercial and residential spaces.
Icky critters crawling about, whatever they may be, can be upsetting, especially in one’s own private space or home. Phobias about spiders and other bugs abound, and the potential of an allergic reaction to a stinging insect, rat or bat is very real.
Fortunately for Pennsylvania homeowners, pest-control and pest-management emergencies are what we handle best.
We are a 5-star reviewed pest-control company that offers the most advanced and cost effective insect and rodent elimination solutions found anywhere today.
All of our company technicians are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and attend monthly workshops to keep them always one step ahead of both insect and rodent behavior.
It’s always a race against time when dealing with infestations because most insect pests reproduce very rapidly. Cockroaches, fleas, bedbugs, ants, gnats and fruit flies can easily multiply almost to the point of no return without specific and very aggressive measures.
Our solutions include skillful monitoring, which also entails the careful application of approved insecticides.
Even more, our rodent control program provides a cautious balance between baiting and trapping as well as environmental management strategies. The emphasis on any insect or rodent control initiative is always geared towards prevention.
In conclusion
Our services greatly improve the indoor air quality of any home or office. Keep your staff and family safe from harmful allergens that can greatly affect both life and health. Call our teams today — (412) 252-5200!
Final thought on allergies:
I can’t wait for my allergy medication to stop my sneezing by making me fall sleep at my desk. ~someeecards.com
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