Pests cause a host of issues for your home and business. From spreading disease to causing water damage, it is vital that pests are eliminated quickly.
A quality pest control company will offer a treatment guarantee to inspire confidence in their services. A preventative program will also save you money as it helps keep small problems from growing into big, expensive disasters. Contact Nature Shield Pest Solutions now!
Preventive pest control is a key part of keeping your home or commercial property safe and healthy. Left untreated, pests can spread diseases and cause structural damage to buildings and their contents. By performing regular inspections and utilizing prevention techniques, it is possible to keep minor pest problems from becoming expensive and widespread infestations.
One of the most important preventive measures is to remove the food, water, and shelter that pests seek. Many common household items provide the perfect environment for pests, including crumbs and spills, loose twigs and branches, garbage that isn’t disposed of properly, and pet food that is left out overnight. Tightly sealed trash cans, removing fallen fruit, and reducing the amount of standing water around your home are also effective preventive measures.
Another effective method is to inspect and seal any entry points into your home or office. Cracks in walls, open window screens, and gaps in doors are common ways that pests find their way inside. Replacing old weather stripping on doors and securing the bottom of doors can help reduce these openings, as well as eliminating pest access to confined spaces inside.
Regularly cleaning and sanitizing garbage bins can also be an effective preventative measure, as can installing pest-proof traps in your outdoor garbage containers. Regularly empty and sanitize your indoor trash cans as well, making sure that all food scraps are removed. Additionally, you can use tight-fitting lids on your garbage cans to keep pests out until you can take the trash out regularly.
Eliminating the water and shelter sources that pests seek is just as important as removing the food and twigs and branches that they are attracted to. Leaking pipes, puddles of water under sinks, and bird feeders or baths can all provide water to pests, as well as being good hiding places for them to seek out. To prevent this, you should always turn off any leaking taps and fix any leaky faucets. In addition, storing your garbage in a pest-proof bin, putting out only the food that you will be eating for the day, and using timers for irrigation systems so that they are not running during nocturnal times when critters are most active can all make it less attractive for pests to live in or near your space.
Treatment
Pests are more than just a nuisance; they can cause significant damage and even health problems. Rodents can chew through wires, creating fire hazards and putting homes at risk of water damage and mold and mildew growth. Rodent droppings can spread Salmonella, a food-borne illness. And insects can sting or bite and cause serious allergic reactions. The best way to avoid these pests is through preventative methods, like keeping food, water and shelter away from home entry points and regularly cleaning up areas where pests are known to hide.
But sometimes a pest infestation occurs, and it’s important to take immediate action. Left untreated, pests can continue to breed, increasing the number of pests present and the severity of their presence. In addition, pests can spread diseases like fleas and mosquitoes. They can also chew through wood and cause structural damage to homes and businesses.
Treatment techniques for pest control include physical barriers, exclusion and traps. A key component of integrated pest management (IPM), these approaches use the least toxic materials possible. They also focus on prevention, such as sealing gaps or cracks in the exterior of a building and advising on changes in landscaping that can prevent pests like termites and rodents from approaching a property.
When preventative measures fail, professional pest control companies offer a range of chemical and non-chemical treatments to remove existing pests and prevent future infestations. These treatments include pesticides, baiting, heat and cold treatments, and other options depending on the specific type of pest being targeted.
After assessing the nature and extent of a pest infestation, a technician will craft a bespoke treatment plan. This is done to ensure that the method used will be safe for the home and business, while effectively targeting and eliminating the pests. After a treatment is applied, a technician will typically schedule a follow-up visit to evaluate the results and determine if any adjustments are needed. This will also be a chance to provide any preventive guidance to help keep pests away for good.
Eco-Friendly Solutions
In a state like Florida, pests are common and oftentimes difficult to get rid of. In order to minimize the use of harmful chemicals in your home, it’s important to look for eco-friendly solutions that are safe for children and pets while still managing nuisance and potentially dangerous pests. Green pest management focuses on long-term prevention strategies to eliminate the need for many harsh chemical treatments indoors and outdoors. These methods include regularly inspecting your home, sealing entry points, cleaning and covering food sources and using traps that lure or catch pests rather than poison them.
Choosing eco-friendly pest control also means supporting local businesses that prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship. Many of these companies utilize natural ingredients and products that are safer for humans, pets and the environment than traditional chemical products. They also offer pest control services that are effective against current infestations and prevent future ones from occurring.
A key component of eco-friendly pest control is Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. This is a holistic approach to pest control that relies on monitoring, accurately identifying and understanding pest behavior and preventing them by combining physical barriers, traps, and exclusion barriers with organic and natural solutions such as plant-based repellents and homemade insecticides.
For example, a mixture of soap and water can be an effective repellent for soft-bodied insects such as flies, mosquitoes and bees. Essential oils, such as those from lavender and peppermint, can also act as natural repellents. IPM also focuses on making sure that plants are healthy and well-watered in order to reduce the number of pests.
There may be times when pests are too persistent or serious and the use of a chemical treatment is necessary. In these situations, it’s important to work with a pest control professional that only uses the least hazardous chemical options available. They will carefully inspect the space, understand the type of pest and its behavior and use only a product that is the most appropriate in that situation.
Before hiring a pest control company, be sure to read the label carefully and always follow the instructions for use. Check the list of ingredients to ensure that there are no harsh chemicals that could affect your family, pet or the environment.
Year-Round Protection
Managing pests year-round requires a consistent approach to prevention techniques. The life cycles of different pests align with seasonal trends, and understanding these patterns helps control infestations effectively. For example, spring treatments target mosquitoes and other flying insects, while fall preventive strategies focus on limiting entry points.
Several preventative techniques can reduce the number of indoor pests such as rodents, cockroaches, and ants. Sealing cracks, cleaning and storing food securely, and regularly inspecting dark areas like basements and attics can help to eliminate hiding places and keep pest populations low. A regular cleaning routine can also reduce moisture levels, which is a major contributor to pest activity.
The summer is a prime time for many outdoor pests to invade homes. Pests such as ants, roaches, and fleas are attracted to warm weather and humidity, and they can quickly cause structural damage and health risks. Proper yard maintenance can decrease the number of pests that infest homes by removing potential habitats. This includes regularly emptying birdbaths, pet water dishes, and plant saucers to decrease mosquito breeding sites, relocating wood piles away from the house to limit rodent access, and properly trimming bushes and trees.
Outdoor pests can cause significant damage to the interior of your home as well, and a little prevention goes a long way. Regular visits from a pest control professional in the spring and summer can identify problems before they get out of hand, and help you maintain a pest-free environment.
In winter, pests often seek warmth and food sources inside. Rodents, cockroaches, and spiders are just some of the pests that commonly invade homes in search of shelter, and they can cause health risks for your family. Performing preventive measures in the fall can minimize pests’ ability to find their way inside, while early winter treatments may target these insects before they have an opportunity to breed.
Year-round prevention is the best way to protect your property from pests. Taking steps to address pest issues before they get out of hand is much more cost-effective and effective than treating an already established infestation.