The garage offers a warm shelter, and sometimes food for pests. They also thrive in moist, dark environments with plenty of materials to make a home out of them. However, as garage homeowners, we want to keep them out for good and not make a living in our space. There are a lot of ways to ensure that these intruders leave pronto, but the first step is always having an eye to identify them and know what attracts them to stay put in the first place.
Rodents
Rodents can squeeze themselves through tiny openings even as small as a nail. So, if they see an opportunity, especially during harsh, cold weather, mice would seek shelter in your garage. They love to build homes in storage boxes and wall voids, and in some instances, inside the cars and eat on food crumbs and wires. Aside from chewing on your stuff, they pose threats to one’s health as they are known carriers of 35 diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Spiders
Where there are pests and small insects, you would find spiders as well. They feed on the smaller creatures. And once they see abundant supply, they will begin making webs and laying eggs.
Silverfish
Silverfish are so good at hiding that they would go unnoticed for days and weeks. These pests love to live in moist environments and get their way in the garage sneakily as they may pass through under the doors or hitch on stuff like cardboard boxes brought into the garage.But there are important signs to know that there is already an infestation in your area. Telltale signs include yellow stains or scales, black pepper-like feces, and holes, scratches or notches on surfaces, which could indicate their feeding marks. You can look through paper items like books, wallpaper, packaged food products, and clothing stacked in the garage, and most likely, you will find loads of them there. Once you see any signs, be quick to eradicate silverfish as females can lay several eggs a day, and their numbers could go rapidly, which would make it hard to contain. Another reason to contain them asap is due to the fact that many people are allergic to silverfish scales.
Termites
Termites are more damaging than one would think. More than consuming wood, furniture, fiberboard, cardboard boxes, paper products, among others, termites are responsible for billions of dollars of damage every year. In fact, termites are known as one of the most destructive pests in America, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. They enter into the garage through wood sidings or wherever there is moisture.
Flies
Another known pests that carry illness-causing disease and bacteria such as anthrax, cholera, salmonella, tuberculosis and typhoid are the flies. These intruders feed on waste, rotten food, and garbage, so it is only natural for bacteria to stick on them. So if you do not want these pests to enter your space, always keep any openings like the garage door and windows closed. Air currents and odors in your home are also attractors for them.
Ants
Ants may seem harmless, but they are actually wreaking havoc in your garage. For example, carpenter ants burrow wood and make a home inside the structures. So, if you have wooden carpentry or wooden shelves inside the space, expect that the ants will never leave them alone. Pavement ants, meanwhile, will most likely feed on food stored in the garage or food crumbs left in the car. They also mine into the concrete, and that includes your garage floors. They have stingers so you better be careful of being stung, which could swell and be very bothersome.
Overhead garage storage racks are the most in-demand organization tools nowadays. Sharing your vehicle space with your things can be troublesome and chaotic. These will take up too much floor space, which should have been dedicated for your vehicles alone. Fret not because the overhead storage rack is an ideal choice to tuck away something you do not need to use regularly. Thus, leaving more space to park your cars, and less reasons for pests to thrive in.Fleximounts have an offering of a variety of overhead garage storage racks. Among the bestsellers is the GR48-H4′ X 8′ Overhead Garage Storage Rack. This durable and heavy-duty overhead storage system provides a safe place to organize your stuff. It also helps avoid flood damage by storing your things off the garage floor and protecting your treasured items. The overhead storage rack makes your garage look neat and get away from insects and rodents.The rack is made of heavy gauge cold-rolled steel construction, which is responsible for the safety loading of up to 600 lbs. Its integrated wire grid design and frame are welded together, making the unit more sturdy and stable. Moreover, the wire grid underwent strict tests with triple load breaking strength. It is specially designed for easier assembly.The height can be adjusted from 22” to 40”, providing a convenient and safe place to store your stuff. The height-adjustable ceiling drop-down lets you customize to your preferred height.The ceiling brackets are designed to be attached to two joists for more flexibility and security. The rack is suitable for securing to either ceiling studs or solid concrete ceiling. The screws provided are thicker than comparable products available in the market and have gone through strict tests to prove the top-quality make of the hardware.All necessary hardware and instructions are included in the package. An installation template is also provided to help you devise a plan to store your stuff in the most efficient manner possible. Also included are three bags of screws, namely, wood screws, installation screws and bolts, and cement installation.In the box, accessories such as four pieces Flat Hooks (GRH1) and two pieces Utility Hooks (GRH3) also come with the racks, which are good to hang lawn tools, sports equipment, bicycle units, and more.
Rodents
