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Do You Have a Cockroach Infestation? Signs to Look Out For

When it comes to infestations, cockroaches can be deemed the most serious. The very fact that cockroaches can carry some serious diseases showcases how important it is to use cockroach control services in Edinburgh should an infestation be suspected. Recognising a Cockroach Infestation In some instance, cockroaches will make their presence known without much investigation, whereas other instances could require some exploring. Some of the checks that should be carried out in relation to cockroach infestations are as follows. An Unusual Smell: If you’ve recently noticed a lingering and unpleasant odour around the property, then it could be due to a cockroach infestation. Smear Marks: in locations where there is a lot of water, it’s not unusual for cockroaches to leave brown smears around the home. Signs of Shed Skin: A cockroach will shed its skin between five and eight times a day, and the sight of shed skin is normally near the location of they’re nesting. Small Droppings: Although the appearance of droppings can point to towards different types of infestations, the appearance of droppings in conjunction with strange smells or shed skin could help establish as to whether a cockroach infestation is present or not. What Type of Cockroaches Are There? Although it would easy to assume that all cockroaches are one and the same, there are actually different species. Those that are more common in the Edinburgh area are as follows. German Cockroaches: German cockroaches thrive on humidity, so will often reside where there is moisture, such as the kitchen and the bathroom. German cockroaches are also able to climb surfaces with ease due to the sticky pads on their feet. Oriental Cockroaches: Whereas German cockroaches settle in damp conditions, oriental cockroaches prefer cooler environments so will often reside in drains, bins and basements. Brown Branded Cockroaches: Brown-banded cockroaches are more adaptable than their German and oriental counterparts and can often survive further away from food sources. They are also able to run, and in some instances, fly should the need arise. The Dangers of a Cockroach Infestation As well as being unsightly, the presence of a cockroach infestation can mean a series of different diseases are introduced into the environment. Some of the diseases that can be introduced into the home include Salmonella Typhi and Poliomyelitis, which contribute to Typhoid and Polio respectively. The shedding of a cockroach’s skin can also lead to allergies and trigger the onset of asthma. As such, it’s important to call a pest control professional in the first instance. Can Cockroaches Be Eradicated Without a Professional? Some people may assume it’s cheaper to deal with the eradication of cockroaches themselves rather than call on the services on the professional. Although there are kits and bait traps available, they won’t always get to the root of the problem. This isn’t to say that the use of store-bought solutions should be dismissed, but for more problematic cockroach infestations a professional should be sought as soon as possible, as trying to approach the issue alone could mean the infestation worsens.

3 simple tips on how to increase the value of your home

If your long term plan as a home owner is to eventually sell your property then, it’s a high time you started thinking of home improvement ideas that will help increase the value of your home. These ideas will often go beyond construction and may even involve just some subtle changes in your home’s exterior environment. In this article we are going to share with you 3 simple tips on how to increase the value of your home.

1 Make the house more efficient

Today, home owners are looking for homes that will cut their cost of maintenance therefore part of the improvement you can do is the construction of amenities that help make the home more efficient and less costly to maintain. Some of these amenities can be solar heaters, underground water storage tanks, water filtration systems, and biogas systems amongst others. This will help in the reduction of utility bills thus increase the value of your home.

2 Adopt low maintenance landscaping

Any home owner who has a lawn will fully understand how expensive it is to maintain one. The time, money and energy required to keep it looking beautiful can be a lot. It’s therefore a good idea to adopt a low maintenance landscaping and this can include replacing your lawn with a flower garden that has plants that are originally from the region. These will require very low maintenance thereby bringing down costs and essentially raising the value of your home.

3 Do some tree planting on your compound

Trees not only increase curb appeal but will also have added benefits such as ensuring you have a good environment in your home and also some much needed shade. This essentially will bring some tranquility to your home and this is something home owners will be willing to pay extra for because it’s very rare to find. These are very doable things and the beauty is the long term payout will be way higher than the investment cost.

What are the benefits of adding a wood burning stove to your home?

One of the many home improvement projects that you could take on is switching your heating source. One kind of heater that you can get is a wood burning. These old-school stoves may seem like a thing of the past, but they actually see a rise in popularity in recent years. And if you are thinking about adding one to your home, then you definitely should! This is because there are a lot of practical benefits to be gained with the addition of a wood burning stove inside of your home. Here are all of the various benefits that you may gain from using a wood burning stove. 1. Multi-purpose A stove is not just a heater; you can obviously use it to cook or heat things up too. You could place an old-fashioned metal kettle on top of the stove to heat up a pot of tea! And you can even have a pot of food on the stove to keep it warm for dinner. The multi-purpose use of these stoves makes them a practical addition to your home. 2. Efficient A log burning stove is a very efficient heater. Depending on the size of the stove, you can keep a whole house, even a large one, warm. And even a small-sized log burning stove is pretty efficient at keeping a big room or several rooms, nice and warm. 3. Eco-friendly Wood burning stoves have a lowered carbon footprint than gas or electric heaters. This is because they use up much less fuel and also have a smaller output of C02 when compared to those other heating sources. And wood is also a renewable source of energy, making it a way more eco-friendly option. 4. Comfort The presence of a wood burning stove in your home can add to your overall comfort too. You would find that having an old-fashioned log burning stove can improve the ambiance around the house. Plus, burning certain types of wood produces a pleasant smell. All of these can contribute to having a much more relaxing environment around your home. 5. No Smoke If you are worried that burning wood inside of your home can create a lot of smoke, then you should put your fears to rest. These kinds of stoves are designed not to release any smoke at all inside of your home. Their exhausts are cleverly designed to release any smoke outside of your home if there is any at all. These are just some of the benefits that you can get if you installed a log burning stove in your own home. You can see why so many people have turned to using these kinds of stoves. Advancements in stove design have ensured that these sorts of stoves are efficient and also pleasing to have around in your home. A free standing wood stove is also rather easy and economical to install, as you would not have to sink a lot of money into a home renovation project, just to install a free standing stove. If you do want to have one in your own home, be sure to find the best wood burning stove installers in Dundee. You need the right people for the job, especially if you want a high-quality log burning stove. By choosing the installers carefully, you can rest assured that you are getting the best price for your stove and that the process of actually getting one installed goes smoothly as well. If you are planning to hire someone else to install the wood burning stove, be sure to check the background of the installers thoroughly, so you know that they are the right people for the job.