Fluctuation among residents, varying cleaning standards, and the closeness of units can all add up to a pest mess when it comes to multifamily properties. As a multifamily property owner, your business relies on your reputation. And more often than not, poor pest control can quickly spread by word-of-mouth. And fast.
The best way to be prepared is to know the top priority areas to focus on. Check out our list of pest control priorities when it comes to prepping your property for current and prospective residents.
Community areas: According to the National Apartment Association, 55 percent of residents said they would use a weather-sealed exterior area with a high-definition screen at least once a month if they had access to one. While these community spaces can be fun for gathering in and can be a draw to new residents, they will inevitably get a lot of wear and tear from the amount of use. While that’s a good thing (it means they are using it!), it can cause some pest issues. Here’s a quick checklist for these types of areas:
- Inspect for cracks and holes that can happen over time
- Eliminate all extra debris, especially if any is set directly against your property
- Trim shrubs and branches
- Rake leaves away from the foundation
- Clean the gutters regularly
- Don’t let still water collect anywhere
On-site fitness area: An on-site gym certainly adds value to multifamily properties. Having one saves residents commuting time and monthly membership costs. As a property manager, it’s important to keep an eye on these areas for not only pests but for normal wear and tear. Here are the ways to keep your gym area safe and healthy for your resident’s use:
- Have the fitness area deep cleaned regularly and have a professional disinfectant done weekly/monthly
- Encourage no food in the fitness area but check for it often (pest love crumbs and spills)
- Take out the trash daily
- Check for tears in screens and gaps around windows and doors and fix them promptly
A pool: Who doesn’t love a pool? It’s one of the most attractive amenities to current and potential residents. But with the presence of food and moisture comes the possibility of pests. Rodents, mosquitoes, flies, and cockroaches are attracted to these areas just as much as the people who want to enjoy the water. There are things you can do to keep this area pest-free:
- Cut back shrubbery
- Remove trash daily
- Keep nighttime lighting to a minimum
- Treat the water to kill the algae that some pests eat
Extra storage: You can’t have enough storage and giving residents extra can help sell a property. Even though it’s an excellent amenity to offer, dark and damp spaces can quickly become hotspots for pests. The best way to help keep rodents and other pests out of storage areas is to remove all food and seal all items. You should also inspect regularly for cracks and openings where rodents and pests can make their way into storage areas – don’t forget dryer vents and electrical outlets. But they’re crafty and can hide with the best of them. Knowing what to look for is a good way to catch them early:
- Rodent droppings are an obvious sign, but they are small and can be overlooked
- Nesting materials (they will use anything so even a pile of shredded paper should be inspected)
- Gnaw marks on cardboard or electrical wires
- Grease stains on walls, boxes, and baseboards
Multifamily property owners are continually working to make their amenities more attractive than the competition. But remember, the more offered, the more that needs to be cared for regularly. Pests thrive in clutter, and the more areas you have, the more clutter can accumulate making the chance of pest infestations higher. Implementing preventive measures can go a long way to keeping your multifamily property safe and healthy. But you should also have a trusted pest control partner to help. Their training and expertise mean they can spot all of this and more and will even train your staff on sanitation tips and simple techniques that can help keep your building pest-free. That way, you can focus on resident retention.