Hello everyone and welcome back to my Home Ownership 101 series. Today I am discussing one of the less glamorous aspects of home ownership, but an important one nonetheless…how to deal with bugs and pests. A pest problem can get out of hand fast and ruin your dream home (or at the least cause anxiety and financial strain) so it’s important to stay on top of things to prevent any issues. Today I am sharing some pest prevention and pest control tips, as well as how to know when it’s time to call a professional exterminator. *This post may contain affiliate links.
Pest Control: When Do You Need a Professional to Eliminate Your Pest Problems?
Discovering you have pests in your home can be a nerve-racking experience. But you’re not alone. IN fact it is estimated that 84% of Americans have used a pest control service in the last year. This is even more likely if you live in one of the top ten towns for pest infestations.
The good news is that pests can be dealt with successfully. You simply need to decide if you are going to try to DIY or if you need to hand over to the professionals.
Top Tip: Many pest problems can be tackled by the homeowner first but you should never waste time when dealing with termites. A professional will be able to locate all the colonies; which may have as many as 60,000 termites in; and get rid of them before they do too much damage to your home.
You can find out more about their service here.
Prevention First
You should be able to take preventive measures to protect your home. In many cases this will ensure that you never have a pest issue.
Prevention includes:
- Keeping food in containers and your home free of crumbs.
- Removing standing water and fixing leaks
- Get rid of clutter to avoid giving pests a breeding spot.
- Close off any gaps and potential entrance points into your home.
- Familiarize yourself with the pests that are common in your area. Contact your state or county cooperative extension office for more information.
Dealing With The Pest Issue
Once you discover you have a pest issue you can start treating it yourself.
The most common starting point is to visit your local store and get pesticides and traps. Pesticides need to be kept away from children and pets. You should only spray them at specific locations. *Opt for organic and eco-friendly pest control whenever possible.
Traps can be placed near where you think the source of the infestation is. You can opt for humane traps that catch rodents or simply put bait boxes down with poison in them. The pests will carry the poison back to their nest, potentially killing the entire colony.
When To Call The Experts
It is important to know when you’re beat. If the pest control problem is not going away then there is a good chance you’re simply killing worker pests and not the queen or colony. A professional will be able to locate the colony and deal directly with it, as they will also have the proper equipment to eliminate the pests.
You should also use a professional if you have allergies. You won’t want to make the allergies worse by approaching these pests, and the faster they are out of your home the better!
It is also important to get professional help if you don’t know what pest you are dealing with or realize that you have not identified the pest correctly. The experts will be able to identify which pests you have and will know exactly how to handle them. They should also be more effective at removing pests entirely, and they have the experience and knowledge to get the job done fast.
Well dear readers I hope that the information shared here today will help you prevent or eliminate any potential pest problems. Best of luck for keeping your home pest free!
Amber
