No one likes dealing with a pest infestation. While it may be tempting to go out and buy your own items to help control the pests in your home, some problems are simply too much to handle with DIY pest control methods alone.Â
It can be difficult to know when you need to contact expert pest control services. To help make it easier, Dewey Pest Control curated this list of tips so you can know when it’s time to pick up the phone and call professional pest control experts.
Reasons for Pest Control DIYs
Whether you are interested in the financial benefits, the convenience, or the quick nature of DIY pest control, there might be a few reasons to turn to at home pest remedies. Most stores sell pest control supplies, so they are easy enough to get your hands on them. Sometimes you can even DIY pest supplies to get rid of vermin from your home.
If you aren’t sure when is the time for you to DIY pest control in your home, here are some things that you can do at home to help keep those pests away.Â
Preventative Measures
Most pests like clutter, especially dirty clutter. Not only does it provide them with places to hide and nest, dirty areas often are a source of food for pests. One pest control DIY tip is to clean both the exterior and interior of your home to take away those spaces for pests. This involves decluttering closets and storage spaces, sealing food in air-tight packages, and cleaning outside fixtures of your home like gutters.Â
It is also important to clean up leaves and other tree or bush debris from your home even if it isn’t required by the town in which you live to demolish one more pest home. You should make sure any outdoor landscaping or vegetation is at least a couple feet away from the building.
If you do happen to find rodents or insects inside your home, it’s a good indicator that something isn’t sealed correctly. When the weather warms up, checking windows and doors for any kind of leak is a great practice. You can often notice this by a build-up of condensation on the inside of these surfaces. You should also check your roof and siding for gaps that need to be filled or replaced as those are also places pests can use to get into your home.
First Defense
Another DIY pest control method you can and should use is utilizing natural or chemical pest solutions to create an invisible border both inside and outside of your home. This first line of defense is vital if you have a garden that sits close to your home as insects and vermin will be attracted to those plants.Â
It’s best to spray in the spring (when pests are hungry) and fall (when pests are looking for shelter), but you can often spray more than that. You can find natural remedies here, but it is usually easier to purchase chemical solutions. If you do, be sure to use as directed especially if you have pets or children as they will be toxic to both.
Small Infestations
If you see an ant or two, most people will go buy ant traps before seeking help from pest control professionals. The same can be said about any other kind of pest in your home. It isn’t unusual for insects to make their way into your home as you move in and out during the year. Those can be easily taken care of by killing them with flyswatters or napkins. Small infestations or a single pest sighting is not anything to panic about as there are DIY pest deterrents you can get to take care of your pest problems.
When to Call in the Professionals
Sometimes, despite your best efforts at pest control DIY strategies isn’t enough to take care of the pest problem you have. Whether it’s time constraints, the size of the infestation, or an unseen pest, you may need to seek the help of those who know more than you do. Expert pest control services also come with a guarantee to take care of the pests in your home that DIY pest control doesn’t. Here are some tips on when to look to the professionals for help.
Large or Dangerous Infestations
The more pests that have invaded your home the harder the infestation is to get rid of. For example, cockroaches can breed at an exponential rate. Once you see one or two of them, there are likely numerous eggs behind them. Sometimes the pests you see could be dangerous as well. Pests like black widow spiders can be too dangerous to try to take care of on your own. Large infestations are better left to the professionals.
Unseen Threats
While most of the pests that enter your home will be seen, there are some that you don’t see. One of the most common of these unseen pests is termites. By the time you see one, they may have already done all kinds of damage to the structure of your home. If you suspect that you have any kind of unseen pest in your home, you should immediately contact professional pest control services to make sure this threat is taken out of your home.
Pesky Pests
If you try to DIY pest control each year and seem to continue to struggle with infestations, it might be time to hand your problems over to expert pest control services. It can be frustrating to feel like you have tried every method in the book with no success. You will likely spend more money in the long run if you try to DIY a solution for a pest that keeps sticking around. It’s better to call the professionals the first time you can’t get rid of them.When it comes to pests, it can be difficult to weigh the pros and cons of DIY pest control and pest control professionals. There are so many factors that can tell you why one method may be better than another such as cost, time efficiency, and size of your infestation. If you have a problem, the professionals at Dewey Pest Control are always there to help you. Give us a call today!