When you’re getting ready to sell a home, you want to make sure that it’s in the best possible shape before it’s put up for sale. But even with proper cleaning, maintenance, and hyper-vigilance, there are often unseen factors that can affect a home’s structure and, simultaneously, your health. Pests, mold and trees can affect homes and health in ways that aren’t apparent until plenty of damage is done.

Pests

Pests can affect all parts of your home, including your foundation, walls and roof. This is because they eat through common structural material, such as wood and concrete. By the time you even notice their presence, a lot of damage has already been done, and the structural integrity of your home has been compromised. They can also infest your lawn, causing issues with your property and making enjoying your property difficult.

According to Ehrlich, rats, cockroaches, mosquitoes and other common house pests carry diseases that can make your family sick. Mosquitoes carry notorious diseases such as West Nile and Zika viruses and malaria. Other insects may carry Lyme disease, salmonella, or strep. Stinging insects, such as bees and wasps, can trigger serious allergic reactions.

Mold

Mold typically occurs when moisture accumulates on a surface. This can be caused by humidity, pipe leaks and rain. Wood serves as a food source for mold, so it is often found within the walls, floors and ceilings. It is very unsightly and sometimes has an odor. If the growth is bad enough, parts of your home could require expensive restoration projects.

According to Steve’s Roofing Inc., mold can trigger health problems such as dizziness, memory loss, short attention span, allergies, and asthma. Toxic black mold can present even worse symptoms, such as chronic cough, wheezing, nosebleeds, nausea and vomiting. If left unchecked, toxic spores can build up in one’s system and become life-threatening.

Trees

Very few things can withstand the might of a tree, including a home. If you have a large tree in your yard, the roots can sprawl out and get under your house. This can cause cracks (usually vertical) in the walls, buckling of the floors, uneven doorways and cracks in your windows. More commonly, according to Pete & Ron’s Tree Service, roots can grow underneath your sidewalk and driveway, causing unsightly cracks and buckling. 

Buckled flooring and concrete are trip hazards that can lead to serious injury, so it’s important to have them repaired quickly. Trees that are commonly found on residential and commercial properties, such as oak and cedar, release plenty of pollen that pose the risk of allergic reactions.

You can always lower the risks of these factors by taking certain precautions. Maintain a pest control schedule in the summer months, always keep your home well-ventilated and seek professional tree services if you suspect that your tree is causing problems.