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Avoid These Common DIY Pest Control Errors

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Black Widow SpiderHomeowners generally think they’re doing themselves a favor and saving big bucks by handling their own pest control. However, the reality is that they are usually doing themselves a disservice by not employing a trained, experienced professional to eliminate the problem for good. Do-it-yourself pest management efforts often end up a failure because of the lack of knowledge most people possess about the task, and it leads to a worsening situation. Here are some of the most common errors made when trying the DIY approach to pest control.

Misuse or Overuse of Pesticides

It’s easy for someone inexperienced to misuse or overuse pesticides, which frequently occurs during DIY pest control. People that don’t know much about the negative effects that pesticides can have on the environment and their own health, or just don’t care, are quick to purchase over-the-counter products and apply liberally all over the yard and in every nook and cranny inside.

Typical mistakes that homeowners make with pesticide use is administering too much, combining products that shouldn’t be mixed, spraying in windy conditions and using the wrong kind of chemicals for a particular infestation.

Not Getting to the Root of the Infestation

If your first reaction is to immediately stomp on or spray any bugs that come into your line of sight in an attempt to kill them off, you’re not alone. This is what most people tend to do, but it isn’t always the best line of defense. There are many pests that live in colonies (like ants and bees), and even if you get rid of the one or two you see roaming around your home, that means the rest have been left somewhere else and you’ll soon be contending with them as well.

The best course of action to take is to find out where the source of the infestation actually is and treat the entire colony accordingly. The benefit of using a pest control expert is that they know the habits of various insects and exactly where to look for them.

Black Widow SunsetOnly Inspecting For Pests During Daytime Hours

To get an accurate assessment of possible pest situations, inspections should be done at different times of the day. Many homeowners only search during daylight hours, completely missing all the insects and rodents that come crawling out at night. A quick sweep of the property generally won’t allow you to come to the most valid conclusion on your need for pest control.

Believing There isn’t a Problem if Pests Aren’t Physically Seen

Insects and rodents are masters at hiding in the smallest, darkest cracks and crevices of a building, so just because you may not see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Without periodic inspections conducted thoroughly by a professional, you could unknowingly be living with pests that are leaving germs and destruction in their wake, wreaking havoc on your health and home. A good example of this is termites since they can go undetected in the depths of a home for years, all the while feeding on wood and causing major structural damage.

If you know you’ve made some of these mistakes yourself, take extra care to correct future problems with the help of a pest control professional.

About the Author

Tiffany Olson blogs full time on home related topics. She loves sharing info with the public via social media platforms. Some favorite hobbies include camping, reading, and cooking.

 

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A Few Good Reasons For Scheduling a Termite Inspection

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Termite InspectorIf you are a homeowner that is lucky enough to have never had to deal with a termite problem thus far, you should count your blessings, but never get too comfortable and think you are forever safe. Annual termite inspections are recommended for good reason even if you haven’t come across any evidence to cause alarm. It can take several years of termites secretly chomping down on your house before you begin to see the damage they’ve created. It’s best to make sure you’re doing what you can do now to prevent a termite infestation or catch it early on before you’re stuck paying quite a bit out of pocket for home repairs. There are a few specific instances where you will want to schedule a professional termite inspection to ensure accurate results so you may take the appropriate course of action from there.

Buying or Selling a Home

An inspection is oftentimes required by the lender or insurance company before a house can be sold. If you are in the process of buying a home, arranging a termite inspection will allow you to know exactly what you are getting into before you’ve committed to the purchase. If no termite activity is found, you will be given peace of mind, and if there do appear to be signs of damage, you may have the choice of walking away from the sale, negotiating the price or working it out with the seller to take care of the situation. As a seller, you might not have any idea that termites have taken up residence alongside you, so an infestation hasn’t been disclosed, but if you’re serious about putting your home on the market, having a termite inspection done beforehand can be beneficial to assessing the problem before you have a potential buyer withdraw after their own discoveries come into the light.

Signs of Termite Activity

Any indication of termite activity means it’s definitely time to call in the experts for a termite inspection. Seeing swarms outside your home with your own eyes are never a good sign. This usually happens as a colony is relocating and looking for a place to settle in. Finding mud tubes in or around your structure reveals a termite’s means of travel into the foundation and walls from the soil. Hollow sounding wood is another signal of termites since they eat from the inside out, making them undetectable until the damage is already done. You should also keep an eye out for droppings and discarded wings, and if you notice any of these things, schedule an inspection right away to prevent further destruction.

Your Neighbors Have Discovered Termites

If your neighbors or another homeowner in close enough proximity to your beloved dwelling have uncovered a termite infestation in their home, it may be time to have an inspection done in yours. Although another house being treated in the neighborhood doesn’t necessarily mean termites are going to relocate next door or a few doors down, it can still be a scary thought. Speaking with your neighbors to determine some facts can be helpful in deciding what your next step should be, but it’s almost certain that you will want to remove all risk factors away from your home and then call a termite professional because it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Many people have false peace living in a home that is unknowingly being damaged by termites. It will be more detrimental in the long run if they just let these pests continue to consume their structure and furniture than if they take responsibility and have regularly scheduled termite inspections.

About the Author

Tiffany Olson writes regularly on pest control topics and has gleaned much information from her friends at Killroy Pest Control who specialize in termite inspections in Union City. When she’s not writing on or researching pest control, you’ll usually find her on a weekend road trip, cooking, or hanging out with good friends.

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Houston, we MIGHT have a problem.

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Bed bugs have recently been receiving a bit of the spotlight, as they’ve shown up in mass numbers in various cities across the country. New York is usually the first state to come to mind with this problem. This is probably due to the media attention given to some of the higher profile sightings. News of the Hollister and Abercrombie stores’ infestation in New York City spread as fast as wild fire. The Empire State Building had a sizable sighting of its own, which seemed to originate in the changing lockers. They figured that the bugs may have hitched a ride on an employee. And who knows if that employee is a resident of an apartment complex.

Speaking of. It seems we have a local apartment complex of our own that is battling these little critters. An apartment complex in The Woodlands is apparently having quite an issue, as reported in the Montgomery County News, and some of the residents say they have been having issues for over a year. Thirty miles from downtown Houston doesn’t seem that far away when all they need to do is hitch a ride in a sport coat, or in a gym bag.

In reality, just because you saw your first one yesterday doesn’t mean they haven’t been there for much longer. Bed bugs can go undetected for weeks, or even months, because many times their bites go undetected. Not everyone will notice bed bug bites because your reaction to those bites is individualized. So unless you, or someone nearby, has visible marks which are typically an allergic reaction to their saliva, you may be their constant source of food. Itchy red blotches are also indicative of a bed bug infestation. Currently, bed bugs are not known to carry or transmit infectious diseases.  Here’s a nice video on how to inspect for bed bugs around the room.

Bulwark Exterminating does not necessarily specialize in bed bugs, but there is a similar chord between a bed bug infestation and a scorpion infestation (which we DO specialized in). We, at the office, typically chuckle when we hear the claim “My neighbor has scorpions, but I don’t.” Or, “We had scorpions last year, but haven’t seen any yet this year, so they must be gone.” To which we reply, “If your neighbor has them, then YOU have them.” and “If you had them then, then you have them now.”  In the case of bed bugs, your neighbor would have to be be living in a completely sealed environment (no cracks or crevices to the outside world), and said neighbor would have to have never left his/her house since the first sighting.  Basically live in a vacuum.  But even before the first sighting it was probably already too late.

So keeps your eyes peeled, Houston. We may, or may not, have a problem.