Household Pest Control

Household pests are more than annoying; they can pose serious health risks and damage to your property. Do any of these names sound familiar? They are the most common pests in our area; ants, termites, rodents, mosquitoes, fleas, wasps, bees, cockroaches, flies, spiders, silverfish, ticks and crickets. The Orkin Man says “Pests Never Rest”. Pests are lurking in your home and outside your home day and night, chomping and chewing, on the hunt for food, sometimes inflicting painful bites to we humans, they carry disease and they can damage our very best silk party dress, eat our favorite fruits and vegetables and make holes in our thank you note paper. Pests are pests and are annoying and damaging. Pests making the news headlines today are bedbugs and crickets and they are on the rise. So what is a homeowner to do to control household pest threats?

Having regular pest control service is one option and the other option is the do-it-yourself pest control. I am not so sure that I am ready to slip on protective clothing to go fight the Africanized honey bees or glove and mask up to go empty a can of Raid on the creepy crawlers and hopefully drown them so I opt for the pest control service and here are pointers on how to select a qualified company to be your pests worst enemy.

The Office of Pest Management is a State agency that licenses, educates and regulates the pest management industry. Structural pest control is the control of pests in and around structures and these include wood-destroying insets, weeds, pests of ornamental plants and turf, aquatic pests and weeds and pests affecting public health. The Office of Pest Management licenses commercial pest control businesses in Arizona and the pesticide applicators and inspectors employed by these companies. It also enforces federal and state laws governing pesticide use and storage. Consumer complaints involving licensed businesses are handled through the Agency. Consumers can obtain information from the Office of Pest Management (OPM) on any business licensee. The OPM will provide upon written request, the number of complaints for a company that you may what to hire and more detailed information about violation history is also available at the OPM. Consumer complaints involving licensed businesses are also handled through the agency. Visit www.sb.state.az.us and visit “Consumer Resources” for information on any company you are anticipating hiring and/or are already engaged in doing business with.

It is important to deal with only a qualified and licensed company for pest control services. The improper application of chemicals can force you and your family to be exposed to dangerous chemicals. Rely on a YCCA certified resource for your pest control needs. Shoo away the salesperson that shows up at your home uninvited and offers to give you a free inspection for pests. Take your time in making a decision on the company you are going to hire. It is important to trust someone that is knowledgeable as well as skillful in the application of pesticides. Before signing any contract, it is important to understand the nature of the pest to be exterminated, the extent of the infestation and the maintenance of pest control. Find out if the pest control company has liability insurance to cover any damages to your home or furnishings during treatment. If the company if offering a guarantee find out what it covers, how long it lasts and what you must to do keep it in force and what kind of continuing control, prevention and management is necessary. Remember to buy value and not price.

Now for the do-it-yourself products, there are herbicides, rodenticides, rodent baits, rodent blocks, bird control products, bird repellents, ultrasound bird blasters, ant baits, pest strips, insecticides, granules, sprays, fogging, concentrates, dust, bait boxes, traps, zappers, thermal foggers and let’s not forget the heel of a shoe and sometimes I want to even grab the sledge hammer as my zapper! As you can see there are more do-it-yourself products and treatment applications and it is not one size fits all pests. If you are seeing pests on the inside of your home, the more serious predators are sure to follow. I have learned and been extremely pleased with myself in drowning the crickets I could see with my can of Raid, however, their friends simply sidestep the chemicals when they come out of their hiding places and then we start all over again. The better strategy is to find out where these pests are hiding and lure them out with granular food bait or sticky traps. Crickets attract hungry scorpions and spiders and now we are dealing with multiple pests and not knowing what type of pest control product to use and how often and not wanting to look under large gaps under boulders in my yard, and under boxes in the garage, and not wanting to use a mirror to look for critters and their nests and thinking this is a lot to keep up with, I want to hire a pest control company to supply preventative monthly treatments, stronger and longer-lasting than the ones you can buy at a home store and they will find the pests before they take over the home.

Here are some pest risk factors that could cause pests to lurk in your home.

An open garbage can is a magnet for flies, rodents, roaches and ants. Mice, roaches and other pests can enter a home through gaps between plumbing pipes and walls. Food that is not sealed properly can attract “pantry pests” such as roaches. Improperly sealed attics or crawl spaces can become access points for spiders, rodents and other pests. A leaking roof or a blocked gutter can accumulate moisture, a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Piles of firewood stacked near your home can lead to pests such as crickets, ants and termites.

If you think you can do your own pest control – YCCA says think again. Improperly mixed or ineffective applications of various treatments can be harmful. Professional services are designed to be the safest, most convenient methods to attack pests in your home.