Photo Album: Plumbing Leak Causes Fruit Flies in Brick, NJ
One Bad Leaky Pipe
As we began inspecting, we noticed a few fruit flies hovering near a sink in a kitchenette. As we got closer, we noticed a build-up of water underneath the kitchenette. Turns out that one of the pipes was leaking for quite some time and the water ruined the wood underneath it. This caused a build-up of stagnant and filthy water that the fruit flies were breeding in.
What Lies Beneath
We began removing all the rotten wood and found fruit fly larvae underneath it. All that is needed for fruit flies to develop is a moist film of fermenting material. Fruit flies are fast at reproducing and, given the opportunity, they will lay about 500 eggs. Their entire lifecycle from egg to adult can be completed in a week!
Can Fruit Flies Make You Sick
Fruit flies don't directly transmit diseases to humans, however, they can carry around bacteria from one place to another and contaminate food.
Prepare for Battle
We equipped our personal protective equipment and then used a wet-dry vacuum to clean up the stagnant water, which is their breeding ground. We then used a microbial foam to disinfect the flooring. As a precaution, we thoroughly cleaned out the drain with a bio-foam solution. All these combined treatment options put an end the fruit fly issue.