House centipedes have a monstrous appearance that is in stark contrast to their harmless nature. They rarely ever bite humans, and if they do, it does not hurt very much. In fact, they feed on the other bugs inside your home, which makes them desired by some homeowners. This also means that if you absolutely loath the creatures, you’ll need to get rid of all the other bugs before you can get rid of centipedes in your house. The other requirement for centipedes is a damp home, as they lose moisture through their exoskeleton. Decreasing the humidity of your home, especially in dark and damp areas like your basement, is a necessity. Centipedes will be especially prevalent in your house during the winter, when it’s cold outside and warm inside your home.
The catch-all solution to prevent most bugs from entering your home is to seal up all the cracks inside and outside your home. Use caulk and sealing tape to plug up cracks in window and door frames. Make sure that the mesh screens on your windows and doors do not have holes and are securely attached the frame. Remove any piles of leaves, branches, or logs outside your home. These places create the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of insects, including centipedes. Try to kill any known infestations of other pests within your home first, and possibly consider hiring a professional exterminator to have a look at your house. Run a dehumidifier in your basement and other damp areas of your home to discourage centipedes from staying. If you have any windows in your basement, fit them with window wells to prevent water from getting in.
If worst comes to worst, you’ll need a professional exterminator to get rid of all the other pests in your home in order to finally drive the centipede hordes away. However, you won’t have to spend any extra time or money to find one if you just use TalkLocal!
Please help me. I am so terrified of centipedes. Every time I see one I freak out and start screaming and have to run away and get someone else to kill it for me. There are so scary and gross looking. I see centipedes in my house pretty often, and I just want them to all be gone, once and for all, permanently. I never want to see one again in my house.
No worries Sandra. Have you tried any of the methods we mentioned in the article? If those don’t work, just go to http://www.sevacall.com/pest-control to submit a request for an exterminator. We’ll help you get rid of those centipedes 🙂