Is Fells Point a Pest Magnet?

Fells Point: Historic Homes of Fun… and Pests

Fells Point has always been know as a place for having a great time. Today, it has the highest concentration of bars and restaurants anywhere in Baltimore.

Even as far back as the 18th Century the area was known for its boarding houses, pubs, and other nightlife.

The traditional architecture, waterfront location, and infamous history make it one of the most intriguing places on the East Coast for painting the town red. It’s charm makes it a popular destination for tourists and local residents alike.

Unfortunately, it’s also a popular destination for mice and roaches.

These infestations can be a complex problem, even for exterminators like Brody Brothers who have seen it all.

Why Is it So Difficult To Control Pests in Fells Point?

There are two main reasons that homes and business owners have such a difficult time keeping pests at bay in Fells Point: the structure of the buildings and negligent neighbors.

Historic Homes Create the Perfect Opportunity for Pests to Hide

Many of the historic homes in Fells Point, particularly those that date back to the 18th and early 20th Centuries, are built in rows of structural brick. These row homes connect to neighboring homes with shared walls and floor joists, usually leaving a gap or space between the two homes.

This is why it’s so easy for mice, rats, and roaches to move between the homes. It’s also why our Fells Point customers often tell us that they know exactly what their neighbors are having for dinner. The cooking smells come right through those gaps.

It’s not feasible to fully correct this problem without completely gutting the adjoining homes, but we recommend that our clients in historic row homes mitigate this problem by thoroughly mortaring and filling all gaps, especially around the joists that connect the wall.

You Can’t Pick Your Neighbors

The second reason pests are so hard to control in a place like Fells Point is that not everyone is as meticulous about hygiene and pest control as our customers, and neighbors are usually luck-of-the-draw.

If you neighbor has a bad roach or rodent infestation, you are likely to have the same problem because the row home structure makes it even easier for these unwanted guests to travel from house to house.

Typically, it takes all the neighbors in a block of row homes working together to deal with a pest problem to keep the infestation at bay and this is really the only long-term solution.

Needless to say, getting an entire group of neighbors to work together toward a single goal can get complicated.

Your best bet is calling in the experts who can devise an actionable, affordable strategy for the whole block and each individual home.

The Brody Brothers team has decades of experience dealing with historic homes and making sure that all the houses in a block of row homes stays pest-free. Contact us today to help protect your home from unwanted pests.