Gophers are not as cute and cuddly as some people believe. Classified as small to medium-sized rodents that are known to dig and create tunnels all through your yard and even under your home, gophers can be problematic. Of course, if you are like many homeowners, you may think these rodents are not small nuisances. Proper understanding of the potential dangers they bring to your home is essential. With this guide and the help of your gopher pest control team, you will learn a few dangers of gophers.
1. Damaged Landscape
Again, gophers like to dig, so one of the first problems of having gophers is damage to your landscape.
These rodents dig holes pushing dirt out of the holes, which creates mounds of dirt, clay, sand, or mud on your lawn and other areas of your landscape. These mounds are usually shaped like a horseshoe or a crescent. If you notice round or conical mounds of dirt, you have moles, not gophers.
On average, the holes dug by gophers will measure about 3 inches in diameter.
Gophers will not only burrow in your lawn, but also your flowerbeds, garden, and other areas of your yard. The digging is not the only way they can damage your landscape, though.
Because they are strictly vegetarians, gophers will also eat your plants. You may notice areas of your grass have been eaten or your shrubs, flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables have been consumed.
2. Decreased Home Value
Most people are surprised to learn that landscaping has a big role in your home’s curb appeal and value. By updating your landscape design, you can add up to 20 percent of value to your home. Unfortunately, if your landscaping has been damaged by gophers, you will see a decrease in your home’s curb appeal and value.
You may think spending time or money on gopher control is wasteful, but it can be a great investment. Not only will it help you gain back control of your landscape design and your home’s appearance, but it will also reduce the risk of further damage while improving home value.
3. Damaged Utilities
Remember that gophers not only dip a few inches into the ground – they can also create feeding burrows 6 feet into the ground. This means that these rodents not only dig up and damage your landscaping, but also dig up and damage parts of your different utility systems.
If you have an underground irrigation system, for example, gophers may damage the pipes while digging their tunnels. Electrical wiring, drain lines, cable, internet, and phone connections, and septic pipes and tanks could also be damaged if you have gophers wreaking havoc on your yard.
Damage to your utilities will affect their function, but this damage can also lead to water leaks, an increased risk of house fires, and costly repairs or replacements in some cases.
4. Increased Risk of Disease
Another damage of having gophers around your house is the potential risk of disease. Even though they tend to stay underground, making contact with a gopher can be dangerous because they may carry the same diseases that other rodents carry.
Rabies, plague, hantavirus, and leptospirosis are all common diseases that gophers and other rodents and wildlife around your home may carry. Therefore, if you or a pet attempt to make contact with a gopher, you may be bitten, increasing your risk of contracting one of these diseases.
Proper understanding the dangers of gophers is smart for all homeowners who care about their home’s appeal, value, utilities, and health. For assistance ridding or preventing gophers from your yard, contact Craig & Sons Termite & Pest Control, Inc. today.