How Pests Can Damage Your Concrete
Our homes' concrete surfaces, including patios, walkways, garage floors, and dozens of others, are some of our properties' most exciting and essential elements. Because of their value, it's natural to want to protect them at all costs. However, while you might protect your concrete foundation from damage caused by foot traffic and stains, bugs and burrowing animals are the most prominent threats to your concrete floor.
Generally speaking, these rodents and insects hide from sight through the darkness of night or in strategic locations you don't often visit. However, it's crucial to catch these animals in the act before they destroy the most attractive elements of your yard. Read on as our Level Best team shares which critters you need to look out for, what they do to concrete floors and walls when left unattended, and how you can eliminate them for good.
Table of Contents
1. The Types of Pests That Chew Through Concrete Slabs
o Powerful Insects That Eat Through Concrete Patios
2. Risks of Letting Animals Wreck a Concrete Slab
3. Kicking Bugs and Animals From Your Property and Protecting Your Concrete
Patio
4. Schedule The Best Outdoor Concrete Care in Ohio with Level Best
The Types of Pests That Chew Through Concrete Slabs
Rats, moles and raccoons are the most significant threats to your concrete spaces. For example, rats have powerful jaws and mouths and can chew through tough surfaces like wood and concrete, while moles are mighty enough diggers to burrow tunnels through them. Similarly, while raccoons aren't as strong as those other rodents, they can dig through the nearby soil and build a shelter below the ground.
All three rodents can leave small cracks and debris on your concrete surface.
Powerful Insects That Eat Through Concrete Patios
Insects can also cause serious damage to concrete, and while there are several you need to look out for, the following two are the most common and destructive.
Mortar Bees
Mortar bees drill small holes through concrete, wood, and brick to build secluded homes. These tiny entry points can create additional cracks in your concrete foundations.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are similar to carpenter ants, but rather than chewing through porous surfaces as carpenter ants do, pavement ants burrow into sturdy concrete foundations and furniture. Like mortar bees, pavement ants look for homes when they carve through concrete, so they'll be a permanent part of your space until you remove them.
Risks of Letting Animals Wreck a Concrete Slab
In addition to surface-level damage like holes, cracks, and stains in your concrete foundations, rodents and bugs burrowing through your property can damage the nearby soil. Additionally, when these creatures make themselves comfortable, you'll have to deal with the allergies, illness, and annoyance many of them bring until you drive them away.
Kicking Bugs and Animals From Your Property and Protecting Your Concrete Patio
The two best ways to shoo animals and bugs from your property are traps and non-harmful deterrents. You'll get quality results with most store-bought animal traps, but you can make them even more enticing by leaving pet food near them to attract hungry critters. Additionally, cleaning your concrete with liquid dish soap and a garden hose will cleanse the surface, wash away little bugs, and convince other animals to stay away.
Rock salt and chemicals with ammonium nitrates are also powerful animal deterrents, but these substances will stain your concrete and destroy the pavement sealer.
Schedule The Best Outdoor Concrete Care in Ohio by Calling Us at Level Best
Level Best offers quality concrete care that reverses damage from bugs and rodents and strengthens your concrete to keep them away.
Contact us online or call Level Best at (330) 810-2422 to schedule an appointment today.