Drain Worms: 4 Things Homeowners Should Know
Drain worms, also known as drain fly larvae, can be found in the toilet and sink drains. Thus, if you find tiny black or brown worms in your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, or toilet, then you likely have a drain worm infestation in your house.
Whether you live in a single-family home or an apartment, drain worms or flies can be a persistent problem. Get rid of drain worms by understanding what they are first and the preventive measures you can take to keep them away from your home.
- Drain Worms And Their Appearance
Drain worms or drain fly larvae are typically less than an inch long and are black or brown. Plus, they can be mistaken for specks of dirt in the drain holes. When drain worms mature, their appearance can be similar to little brown or white maggots with no antennas or legs. They also have tiny bristles that allow them to move through sinks or drain pipes easily.
Furthermore, drain worm infestations commonly occur in the bathroom because of humid conditions and decaying organic matter like hair and dead skin cells. They also tend to gather inside hidden pipes under sinks and in other pipes in your home.
When it comes to drain worms’ life expectancy, they can live up to five days without food and fifteen days without water, which means that their eggs can survive for a long time in drain lines or drain traps before needing water or food.
- Threat Of Drain Worms
Drain flies or worms don’t bite or transfer any diseases to humans despite their breeding behavior. But as a general rule of thumb, you should keep them away from your home because drain flies or worms can trigger bronchial asthma in vulnerable individuals and can cause myiasis. Note that myiasis is a parasitic infestation when the drain worms grow inside the human tissue.
Furthermore, if the infestation is left untreated, it could result in hundreds of worms and flies in your home because female drain flies produce over 30 to 100 eggs. Also, home remedies like pouring bleach or hot water on drain worms don’t solve the problem. Drain worms will populate the same drain again unless you properly clean the pipes and remove the clogs.
To ensure effective eradication of large and unsightly drain worm infestation, you may consider contacting a professional pest control service to eliminate potential breeding and feeding grounds.
- Causes Of Drain Worms
Drain flies create drain worms by laying eggs in drain pipes. Drain worms love dampness such as stagnant, shallow water and organic waste. They’re most likely to be found close to sources of bacteria like showers and sinks. They are also usually in areas that are not used regularly, like workshop sink or basement, and are spotted after a long time of not doing home maintenance.
Accordingly, if you happen to notice drain worms, it means you have to clean your drains frequently. But keep in mind that having drain worms in your home doesn’t explicitly mean that your pipes are filthy. Therefore, you should also inspect whether or not you have a leaky pipe because it’s an ideal breeding ground for drain worms.
- Preventive Measures To Take
Since drain flies lay drain worms in moist areas, it’s essential to watch out for organic matter such as various types of home drains. Ensure your pipes are clean and washed out either with water or cleaning solutions regularly to prevent drain flies infestation. Also, if you have a drain that often goes a long time without use, close it with a stopper to ensure drain flies won’t gather and lay their eggs there for the time being.
Furthermore, regarding outside of your drains, watch out for stagnant water in other areas of your home. Ensure you have a healthy septic system and don’t leave dirty mops in buckets of water. Also, drain flies can enter through the small openings in your door screens and window, so make sure you close them frequently.
Moreover, you can consider using a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and salt, followed by hot water when you clean your drains. Lastly, ensure to always look out for early signs of an infestation, even if you only notice a few drain flies. Taking preventive measures to inspect and treat a potential infestation is crucial.
Conclusion
Drain worms can become a severe home problem if you don’t properly get rid of them. If drain worm infestation in your home is apparent, you should take proper measures to eliminate it and create a systematic drain cleaning plan to avoid future problems. Also, ensure that you clean your home appropriately or contact cleaning professionals if drain worm infestation persists.
