When pests get out of hand, they can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage and pose serious health risks to the people in a home. A professional extermination service is often the only way to fully get rid of pests and keep them from returning.
Pest control companies typically offer preventive maintenance as well as extermination services. The preventive measures they take are designed to stop pests from entering your property in the first place, rather than trying to kill them after they have already gotten a foothold. These methods usually involve removing food sources, sealing off entry points and using repellents.
An inspection is usually the first step in an extermination job, with the exterminator identifying the type of pests and assessing how bad the infestation is. Then the exterminator can come up with a plan for treatment. This may include chemical treatments, traps or baits and sometimes even fumigation. The exterminator will also need to document Find out more any inspections and treatments, as well as follow all local, state and federal laws regarding the use of chemicals.
Preventing pests is a more long-term approach, which is often cheaper and less damaging than attempting to kill them once they have gotten a foothold. Pest extermination is a last resort, for instance, when poisons and traps don’t work.
The main goals of pest control are prevention, suppression and eradication. Prevention is keeping a pest from becoming a problem in the first place, while suppression refers to reducing the number of pests to an acceptable level. Eradication is generally only attempted when an area has been invaded by a foreign pest that is not native to the environment.
Many pests such as weeds, insects and rodents spread germs that can cause serious illness in humans and animals. In fact, some can even be deadly. Mosquitoes, for example, can carry diseases like encephalitis, West Nile virus and Zika virus, while fleas and ticks can spread Lyme disease and plague.
Pests usually seek food, shelter and water. You can help deter them by getting rid of food sources, such as rubbish and compost piles, and storing items inside closed containers. In addition, you can make it harder for them to find a good hiding spot by cleaning your property regularly, especially if it is an older home with lots of cracks and crevices.
Some pests such as silverfish, springtails and house centipedes are attracted to damp environments. You can discourage them by fixing any leaky faucets, drains or pipes and running a dehumidifier in basements or other damp rooms. You should also make sure your house is weatherproofed, by caulking cracks and filling gaps, and by putting in new screens on doors and windows. Finally, you should seal your foundation every year and replace rotting wood.