Pest-Proofing Tips From Professionals

Spotting an unwanted pest in your home can ruin your day and cause unneeded stress in your life. Is it time to call in a professional at the sight of a spider or cockroach? It could be, but at a minimum, it means you need to do some further inspection.

Depending on what you find, it is either time to call in a pro or for you to pest-proof your home. The following are the top pest control tips from professionals to get you started!

Keep Pests Out of Your Home

Your best defense is keeping them out in the first place. Your goal is to make it difficult for pests to find an entry point into your home. Check screens for holes, and repair if you find any. Check around your doors and windows for gaps, and replace window stripping when needed.

Here's a great way to inspect your home for entry points that you may not have noticed. At night, turn on all the lights in your home and inspect your home from the outside. Light shining through indicates where undesirables could potentially enter. Any openings will need to be sealed with a sealant appropriate for the surface it will be applied to.

Keep Your Kitchen Clean

A few innocent looking crumbs here and there on your kitchen counter or floor is more like a feast to ants and other insects. Be vigilant about kitchen clean up - wipe counters, sweep floors and remove the trash often and put food away immediately after eating.

Another place in the kitchen that can attract vermin is the recycling bin. Make sure to wash out all food containers before placing in the recycling.

A drawer used for storing pots and pans is yet another spot that crumbs tend to gather - make sure this is kept clean. A little extra attention to cleaning in the kitchen goes a long way towards prevention.

Reduce moisture in and around the home

Pests thrive in areas where moisture is present, so by reducing moisture around the home, you will be limiting the opportunity for them to invade the home. Some moisture reducing actions: clean out gutters, grade soil properly so that water moves away from the foundation, ventilate crawl spaces, and seal cracks in the foundation.

Pest-proof Storage Areas

Cluttered storage areas make attractive homes for mice, spiders, cockroaches, and others. You can keep them away by regularly cleaning and reorganizing your basement, garage, and other storage areas. Avoid using cardboard boxes - instead, use durable plastic totes that cannot be chewed through.

Store Your Firewood Properly

Termites and ants are attracted to wood piles and can easily find their way from your firewood to your home. Firewood should be stored on racks above the ground and as far from your house or shed as possible.

Use Outdoor Lighting That Does Not Attract Insects

Did you know that the type of outdoor lighting you use can reduce the attractiveness of your home to insects? It's true. Sodium vapor bulbs will reduce the attractiveness of your home to insects and in turn reduce the number of predators that feed on insects such as spiders and bats.

Know When To Bring In A Pest Control Professional

Sometimes by doing it alone homeowners can mistreat a problem and make it worse. When a problem seems to be getting worse, it's time to call in a professional. Considering how important your home is for your family's wellness and safety, knowing you have an expert protecting your home is invaluable.

There are a lot of things a homeowner can do to prevent vermin around the home. Whether you choose to do it all on your own or hire a professional pest control service, keep these tips in mind to keep your home safe.

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What Can an Exterminator Do for You?

An exterminator is a professional to call when you are dealing with pests of any sort. The fact is any type of infestation can go from being a nuisance to being a long-term problem if you do not take care of it right away. The good news is that there are plenty of options available to help you with this. You should not put off getting the help you need to bring the infestation back under control, or even to get rid of it altogether. Do you think you need a professional? If you think you can just handle the problem yourself, think again. It may be more of a problem than you realize.

Find the Source

One of the most important things that an exterminator will do is to find the source of the problem. If you have ants in your home, they may be coming from the neighbor's yard. They could be coming from the woodpile outside your home. Once the source is located, the next step can begin. That is to get rid of the pests at this location so that you stop the infestation from occurring.

Pinpoint Damage

Did you know that many types of pests do more than just annoy you? Some of them carry diseases and can be deadly to come in contact with. Others actually do damage to your home. If you are like many people, you don't crawl around in your attic often and you may not realize that the mice have destroyed the wiring or the raccoons have gotten into the insulation. A professional can spot all of the potential problems so you can take care of them properly. Some situations, such as termites eating away at the wood structure of your home, can be extremely serious if left untreated.

Treat the Problem Safely

There are both eco-friendly and chemically based products on the market for dealing with pests. It is up to you and your exterminator to determine the best possible solution for getting rid of the problem. One thing is for certain, though: with the aid of these professionals, you can cut down on the risk of your children or pets getting sick because of the chemicals you are using. They will also handle the problem safely, so that pests are kept away from you and your family.

No matter how large or small the infestation is, it is a good idea to call a professional to manage it. An exterminator can help you to get rid of the problem and find a long-term solution, and ultimately can give you your house back.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7373379

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What to Consider When Picking a Pest Control Provider

Are you having problems with unwanted bugs or rodents making themselves at home on your property? If you've set up some basic traps yourself, but haven't seen any positive results, it might be advantageous for you to call for a pest control service. Paying for a professional to do the job may seem like a pricey investment, but it's the best method to ensure that you won't have to deal with any unwanted animals crawling around in the future. If you are going to call for an extermination service, you'll need to make sure you're getting your money's worth. There's a lot to consider when picking the right person or group of people to take care of your pest problem.

What should you consider when picking an exterminator? If you flip through a phonebook or check the Internet, you'll discover that there are several pest control services in your area that are willing to get the job done. Keep in mind, that all companies are not the same. You'll have to do a little bit of homework to discover who can fit your needs the best. First, see if they have a good reputation. If you have a friend or family member who has used the same company in the past, chances are they'll do a good job for you as well. Look for positive online reviews. Does the company actually specialize in the removal of unwanted insects and rodents? You probably shouldn't do business with a company who considers their animal extermination to be a secondary ability and not their specialty. Do they train their employees? It takes more to remove unwanted bugs and rats than just grabbing some spray and putting on a suit. See if the company employees have been certified through an extensive training program. Do they guarantee their work and will they offer you money back if unwanted critters reappear? You'll want to feel reassured that you're entitled to work done free of charge if it isn't done right the first time. A guarantee also means that the company is willing to put their reputation on the line to give you the results you desire.

Try your best to learn how the pest control company's current status is with the state. Are they properly licensed and accredited? Are they financially able to back up any promotional guarantees? You don't want to have to deal with a business that closes up shop soon after completing their job with you. You also want to make sure that the company is in good standing. See if they properly screen their employees as well. You'll have strangers walking around your house doing contract work, so it's good to know you can trust anybody who has access to your house, even if you're going to be home. Finally, if the pest control company indicates to you that they have a solid knowledge about current regulatory issues in their industry, it's a good sign they take their job and your situation very seriously.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7589264

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