It’s just a spider. It’s just one ant. We don’t need a pest control company! That’s the thoughts of many a homeowner when it comes to having pest control done at their home. But leaving it to chance or having one-time treatments done can cause major issues. Here are just a few reasons why smart homeowners in New England have routine pest control.
What Pest Are in Each Season
Just like the weather changes with the season, so do pests. It stands to reason – even the mighty bear takes a nap during the winter. But while some pests tend to sleep the cold weather off, others like rats, mice, stink bugs, and spiders just look for warm places to live – like your home, garage, barn, shed, etc. When the spring rain comes, and the flowers start to wake up – so do the pests. Termite swarms, ants, and spiders come out to play in the spring. And we all know what happens in the summer! Mosquitoes, ticks, yellow jackets, hornets, spiders, and just about every other pest is alive and kicking – and reproducing. Backyards can be warzones and flies inside your home are disgusting, filthy little bugs. In the fall, squirrels, rats, mice, and spiders are prevalent. The moral of this long-winded story about seasonal pests is that many of them require different treatments. You don’t treat for mosquitoes the same way you treat for termites. And squirrels are certainly not the same as stink bugs. You’ll also notice that spiders are mentioned Every Darn Season. If you choose the right pest control company, the technicians will be trained to understand the biology of each of these pests (including the spiders that never seem to go away) no matter what season you’re in. And they will know how to treat to get the best results.
What Are the Benefits of Pest Control at My Home
Cost: You may think the cost of having professional pest control done at your home all year long is prohibitive. But if you consider the costly damage pests like termites, carpenter bees, carpenter ants, and mice can do, it will often cost you more down the line in repairs and emergency pest services that it would upfront with preventative pest control. Termite damage is not covered by homeowners’ insurance because it is completely preventable. So, besides saving money, you’ll be saving your largest investment – your home. We’re all looking for ways to save. Putting money out upfront may not sound like one, but with pests, it is.
Health: Stinging pests like yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps can be hazardous to your health! People with allergies certainly know that, but even if you aren’t allergic, disturbing a nest full of hornets can be painful and even dangerous. Those things will chase you and sting multiple times. Mice and rats can and will chew through everything – even your electrical wiring. That can create a fire hazard in your home you don’t know anything about until it’s too late. Squirrel poop in your attic can damage the insulation (another cost you don’t want to deal with – replacing insulation!), but the poop could degrade or be crushed into particles and potentially pushed out into the living space in your home, contaminating it and aggravating asthma. Cockroaches and flies pick up bacteria as they land on garbage, feces, and dumpsters – transferring that bacteria to your kitchen counter where you prepare your food. Ticks on and around your property may carry Lyme disease, putting your family and pets at risk. We could go on and on about the health benefits of having proactive pest control done at your home, but we think you get the point.
Peace of Mind: Besides the peace of mind that comes with knowing your home is healthier and safer without pests, you will also be able to rest easy knowing your cat won’t eat that carpet beetle and throw up on the carpet. You’ll also be saved from the scream from your 14-year-old because there’s a spider in her room. Not everyone is afraid of bugs, but many are. Heading down to the basement to grab another box of cereal shouldn’t come with a cave cricket jumping at you or finding out something has chewed through the Cheerios. In a very set-it-and-forget-it world, routine pest control whether it’s monthly treatments for mosquitoes and ticks or year-round whole home service visits gives you peace of mind without lifting a finger.
You may be one of the many homeowners whose first line of defense against pests is DIY pest control. With platforms like Pinterest and YouTube, homeowners feel they’re ready to take on their pest problems armed with tips from the internet. However, at home do it yourself pest control remedies aren’t always effective, and a misstep could amplify your pest problem, or even worse, put the safety of you and your family – including the furry ones – at risk. Even if you do the research on the over-the-counter products you want to use, they are not professional grade. They shouldn’t be, either. Some professional products are “restricted use” meaning you are required by law to have a license to apply them. At the end of the day, the products used to eliminate pests should be in trained hands. And oftentimes, you don’t need pesticides – but that determination should be made by a professional, too. On the other hand, if you do need pesticides, the proper amount is important. Too little and you won’t take care of the pests. You could actually make them hide further inside the home, force them into another room, or help them become resistant to insecticide, exacerbating the problem and making the professional service more expensive than it would have been if you called them first. Too much and you could harm your pets and family. The peppermint oil, cinnamon, cucumber peels, soap shavings, white vinegar, and all the other homemade methods may work at delaying the pests. But, they’ll be back. And unless you’re interested in having your home smell like white vinegar all the time – in every room – the ants will be back. The only true way to take care of pests safely and effectively is by a pro. They’re pros for a reason.
Clearly, having professional routine pest control services at your home has its benefits. You can even have green routine pest control services now! You just have to choose the right company. There are things to look for when choosing. Read about the five major things you should know before choosing here. Priority 1: Keeping your family members – including the furry ones – safe from pests is serious business. Choose a company that takes it as seriously as you do. One that’s been around about 135 years preferably.