The brick entry stairwell is a classic element of countless St. Louis homes, particularly in areas such as The Hill, Soulard, and Tower Grove. However, those lovely architectural features can become a target for pesky insects. All that moisture, organic debris, and cracks in mortar provide just the right conditions for many pests to thrive.
Gateway City homeowners contend with an uptick in insect activity that tends to linger around these structures, especially during St. Louis’ muggy-hot summers, when temperatures regularly creep into the 90s. That, for the most part, is a welcoming entrance, but it becomes a nuisance because these stairwells could harbor everything from ants to centipedes.
If your brick stairwells are constantly infested with insects, Florissant exterminators can help identify the underlying issue and develop a long-term solution.
Moisture Problems That Fuel Insect Activity Around St. Louis’ Brick Entry Stairwells
St. Louis gets about 42 inches of rain each year, and that water has to go somewhere. Water retention often occurs in brick stairwells due to inadequate drainage, weather-damaged mortar joints, and the inherent porosity of older bricks, which are common in homes built before the 1950s. Because water enters these structures, creating a moist environment that insects prefer. The areas behind stairwell overhangs are often among the last dry spots after a storm has passed. That decade-long moisture turns into efflorescence (the white chalky deposit on bricks) and creates water sources for bugs. Further, any wood found in or around these stairwells could rot, providing a moisture source and a food source for wood-boring insects and termites.
Insects Commonly Found Around Brick Entry Stairwells
- Carpenter ants: This species of large black ants favours moist, damaged wood and can build satellite colonies in moist stairwell substrate.
- Millipedes and centipedes: They look for cool, wet spots where they can hide between cracks and particles of the brick
- Earwigs: These insects with pincers gather in humid places and can slide through cracks in mortar
- Sowbugs and pillbugs: Commonly known as rolly-pollies, they prefer to live in wet environments and munch on decomposing plant matter that is trapped in stairwell corners
- Termites: Subterranean termites will tunnel through the brick foundations if the brick is damp and reach wood components
- Spiders: These insects stalk their prey and spin webs in sheltered corners along the stairs.
How to Reduce Insect Activity Around Brick Stairwells?
It begins with moisture management, the first line of defense you have. The Missouri Department of Conservation states this can decrease the likelihood of pests in homes by as much as 60% with appropriate drainage. Make sure downspouts discharge water at least 6 feet from stairwells, or install a French drain if there is pooling.
For example, seal mortar joints with proper caulking or tuckpointing (a more common offering among St. Louis masonry contractors). Weekly, remove any organic debris, such as leaves, mulch, and soil, that accumulates in the stairwell corners. Keep vegetation trimmed at least 18 inches from the structure. Reducing ground-to-wood contact reduces termite activity by 75% in urban settings, according to research from the University of Missouri Extension.
You Should Bring in a Pest Expert!
In some cases, the DIY approach merely scratches the surface of the issue. For St. Louis homeowners, Pointe Pest Control understands the challenges of brick homes and the moisture-driven pest problems they can cause. They provide thorough inspections, finding not only the creepy-crawlies that come into your field of view but also the environmental factors that attract them to your home in the first place. The technicians know common construction styles throughout St. Louis neighborhoods and where homeowners may not expect vulnerabilities. They do not just spray pesticides; instead, they use integrated pest management tactics to identify moisture problems, entry points, and harborage areas. Their familiarity with the rest of the metro means they can offer tailored solutions that fit your unique stairwell layout and the types of bugs you face.