How do Drain Flies Get In Your House?
Many people think that drain flies come from the pipes under the drain. In fact, they come from outside and they can get in your house quite easily. That filth, the decaying organic matter in drains can be smelled from afar.
You may not smell it but moth flies have a pretty good nose for it. It takes time for all that filth to develop in drains or around garbage cans, yet it still happens in many households. It can develop in many other places where standing water can accumulate.
Usually, when people leave their homes for a couple of weeks, their drains at home have plenty of time to become potential breeding grounds. Below, we are going to explain how drain flies can invade your home and establish breeding spots.
What are drain flies exactly? Learn more about these pests by reading our article here: Drain flies
How do Drain Flies Get in?
Drain flies live to consume all kinds of decaying organic matter. Bacteria, decaying vegetables, gelatinous film and stale water are all they are looking for. Since it is the ideal food source and breeding ground for them, they can smell it from afar.
As they mind their own business outside, they might get close to your house and catch the smell. This is when they start looking for holes where they can get in. Since tiny holes can be found on almost every house, drain flies can easily get in.
From then on, it is only a matter of time until they find those drains and lay down their eggs.
Why are there Drain Flies in My House?
The reason why moth flies have appeared in your house is because they got attracted by the smell. It doesn’t have to be a particularly strong smell, at least for us humans. Drain flies can detect decaying organic matter and stale water from afar.
You probably have a messy garbage can, a broken pipe in the bathroom, a leaking washing machine or an uncleaned drain in the house. Petty much any standing water or wet area makes a great place for drain flies to breed.
But don’t worry, this species of fly is one of the most harmless of them all.
Why are there Drain Flies in My Bedroom?
It is rare but moth flies can make their way into your bedroom as well. This usually happens because the bathroom is really close to the room you sleep in. Adult flies probably have a breeding spot there which they usually stay near to.
If you notice them in your bedroom, start looking for tubs, sinks or drains nearby. There might even be a leakage in the nearby bathroom that you didn’t notice.
- Related article: Why drain flies keep coming back
Can Drain Flies Come from Air Conditioner?
The problem with air conditioners that are mounted to your window is that drain flies can often make their way through it. This means that during the installation, the AC was not properly sealed. Drain flies are really good at finding tiny holes where they can enter your house.
If the air conditioner does not fit well to your window size, moth flies can simply walk in on the sides. Look for holes or cracks and make sure to fix them by tightly sealing them.
We covered this topic super detailed here: Can Drain Flies Come from Air Conditioner?
Can Drain Flies Come through Air Vents?
Just like air conditioners, vents can also have a problem with sealing. There can be tiny holes and cracks which are big enough for drain flies to just walk in. Finding out where these holes are is just as important as locating the breeding sources of these pests.
Once drain flies get attracted by the smell of a drain, they are going to come in through the first hole they find. If it means going through a vent, then they are not going to shy away from it.
Can Drain Flies Come from Sump Pump?
This one is closely related to the basement, since that is where sewers and slump pumps can be found. Commercial buildings tend to neglect their basement altogether. In these cases, slump pumps can become a pretty good breeding ground for moth flies.
After people start running into adult drain flies in the building, the basement is one of the first things that need to be checked.
Can Drain Flies Come from Washing Machine?
Standing water or wet lint can accumulate around a washing machine at any time. It doesn’t have to be a leaky pipe, as packing clothes in and out of the machine can make things wet as well. You might not notice the standing water under the machine and it can become stale enough for drain flies to breed in it.
Once you run into some adult moth flies, make sure to check out the area under the washing machine.
Can Drain Flies Come from Outside?
As we mentioned, their larvae grow up under gelatinous film that forms on stale water. They can find plenty of organic matter there that they can feed on. When they don’t end up in households, they look for such places outside.
In fact, that is where they come from. But if they smell some potential breeding places in your house, they will find a way to get in.
Can Drain Flies Come from the Toilet?
If the toilet was not in use for a long while, then yes, they can definitely come from the toilet. However, it is highly unlikely for them to come from a toilet that you use day by day. After all, there is some shallow water in the toilet where plenty of bacteria can develop over time if left untouched.
What Causes Drain Flies in the Bathroom?
The bathroom can be an especially wet place if not ventilated properly. They can appear in shower or sink drains, under washing machines, loose floor tiles and such. People usually run into drain flies in their bathroom after a long vacation.
Drain worms coming out of the shower drain is the most common in bathrooms. It is rather disgusting to see but they are harmless.
How to Get Rid of Drain Flies?
Basically there are two ways to get rid of drain flies? The first one is using natural remedies while the second one is using drain cleaners.
We wrote an article where there are 10 home remedies to get rid of drain fly infestation and we also reviewed a 100% bio drain gel. Whichever you choose, be sure to follow our guidelines, drain flies can be really tricky!
Here is the article: How to Get Rid of Drain Flies
