What Arizona Homeowners Should Check After Monsoon Season

Monsoon season, beginning on June 15 and running through September 30 each year, gives Phoenix a much-needed break from the heat, but all that wind and rain can also change what’s happening around your home.

With heavy rains, water can start to collect in places that are normally dry. Storm debris can pile up against the house, and wind can damage screens or expose small gaps that weren’t noticeable before. These changing conditions can also make your property more inviting to pests.

In fact, monsoon weather can bring some pests to life while driving others indoors where they can potentially cause trouble for you. Outside, mosquitoes take advantage of newly available water, while winged ants and termites may swarm during their reproductive season and then target (and try to enter) your home.

That said, paying attention to monsoon season lets you get ahead of these challenges. Once the worst of the storms have passed, walk around your property and see what’s changed. A post-monsoon check can help you catch conditions that encourage pest activity before they turn into a bigger headache.

Here’s more on what you can do to arrest the pests that may be around your home.

Where to Begin: Water Damage

When it comes to water, mosquitoes are a big issue. Mosquitoes don’t need a backyard pond to reproduce, so first, look for water that hasn’t drained properly. You might find it in flowerpots, buckets, toys, clogged gutters, or low spots in the yard — and don’t forget less obvious places for water, such as on top of a pool cover. This kind of standing water is a perfect invitation for mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs on or near water, and homeowners can help reduce mosquito populations by regularly emptying or removing standing water. The CDC recommends removing water weekly.

While you do that, check whether the storms damaged or shifted irrigation lines, too. A small leak can keep part of the yard consistently damp long after the rain stops. Pay attention to drainage near the foundation, as water repeatedly collecting against the house deserves attention, especially if you’re also noticing pest activity nearby.

If mosquitoes keep making your yard miserable after you’ve addressed water sources, professional mosquito control can target areas where mosquitoes breed or rest.

Clear Storm Debris Away from the House

Branches, leaves, twigs, and even things like paper and plastic from flooding tend to accumulate during monsoon storms. This debris can pile up against your home or on your property, creating sheltered areas where insects and other pests can hide.

Move fallen branches and yard debris away from the foundation as soon as possible. If wooden items, whether they’re benches, firewood, lumber or cardboard, got wet during a storm, pull them back from the house and, when possible, cover them up or throw them away.

This is also a good time to trim vegetation that has been pushed against the house and remove anything blocking your view of the foundation. You’ll have a much easier time spotting potential trouble when you can actually see the area you’re inspecting.

Be careful when moving anything that hasn’t been disturbed in a while. In Phoenix, debris can provide hiding places for pests such as ants, cockroaches, spiders and scorpions that are looking for safe, dark, but not completely wet environments to live in, and some of them can be dangerous. Moxie’s Phoenix pest control service can take care of these pests, but our priority is keeping you safe during yard cleanup.

Start Looking for Gaps That Let Pests Inside

A house sealed up before monsoon season may have new weak spots afterward; cracks in the foundation, failing mortar, damage to door frames or windowsills, and other issues can all let pests inside.

Walk around the exterior of your home and check screens, weatherstripping and areas where pipes or utility lines enter. Also check around doors and windows for damage or visible gaps. If a storm loosened a screen or shifted exterior material, then you could be looking at a pest’s highway into your space.

If you find gaps, it’s time to seal them. Some gaps can be repaired once the surrounding area is dry and safe to work around. If you’re finding pests indoors repeatedly, though, you may want to reach out to our team to check your property and identify any likely sources of ingress.

Watch Out for Potential Signs of Termites

Termites deserve extra attention after Arizona’s monsoon season.

Summer is a reproductive period for termites, and winged termites typically swarm during monsoon season. Seeing winged insects around your property doesn’t automatically mean you have an active termite infestation inside your home. In fact, ants also swarm, and distinguishing between the two isn’t always easy.

You can watch for changes, though. Keep an eye out for groups of winged insects, discarded wings, sawdust-looking material in piles, or unfamiliar mud-like material around the foundation and other parts of the house.

If something looks suspicious, a professional termite inspection can determine whether termites are present and what action, if any, is appropriate to take next.

Monitor for Indoor Pests

After monsoon season, you may notice ants, roaches, termites, or other pests showing up in places where you don’t usually see them. One insect doesn’t necessarily mean you have a major infestation, but it’s still a good idea to look for patterns.

You should ask questions such as:

• Are you seeing the same pest every night?
• Is activity concentrated around the kitchen, bathroom, or another part of the house?
• Are you finding insects in several rooms?
• Are you seeing signs of active pest infestations, such as lines of ants or sawdust-like material piling on the floor?

Monitoring where and when you see activity can give you useful information about the kinds of pests you might be dealing with and if the issue is a one-time or ongoing problem. If pest activity keeps returning despite cleanup and prevention efforts, it’s usually time to call one of our helpful pest professionals.

When Is It Time for Professional Help?

Much post-monsoon cleanup is manageable on your own, and it can help keep pests away if you remove standing water, move debris away from the house, check for foundation or wood damage, and repair screens or other cracks that could let pests in, but not everything is that simple.

Consider requesting a professional inspection if you’re seeing recurring pest activity indoors after cleaning up the area and correcting the conditions that could cause issues. Also consider a professional inspection if you see possible termite evidence or pests entering through areas you can’t safely access; calling in our team is a safe, efficient way to get rid of these unwanted house guests.

We’re Here to Help at Moxie Pest Control

Arizona’s monsoon season can quickly change the environment around your home, but once the rain settles down, checking for damage and doing a general cleanup can help you address the conditions that could lead to problems with pests. If your inspection turns up more than you want to handle yourself, Moxie Pest Control in Phoenix can inspect your property and help you regain control.