How to Find a Good Exterminator | Pest Control

Learn how to find a good exterminator in this Howcast pest control video with expert Jeff White.

Shield Your House With Help of Experts

Your home gifts you with a sense of comfort. It is an invaluable asset anyone can possess. Over-the-years it faces many challenges - the natural attacks are visible, but the attacks performed by silent assailants weaken it from its core. Pest and rodents are the miscreants that spread through the length and breadth of your house and become its biggest nemesis. These miscreants do not come bearing a warning and can only make their presence known with scattered dirt on the floors, hollowed wooden structures, foods that are nibbled on, etc.

The Unfriendly Boarders

The three most common nuisances a dweller has to face on a daily basis are - ants, cockroaches, and spiders. Some of their ill effects are:-

• Your health may get vandalized by the attack of these winged adversaries known as cockroaches. Being the most ancient dwellers of this planet, cockroaches are not known to cause any direct harm to your house, but it is known to be the carrier of many diseases on its spiked legs. While they enjoy roaming on your cutleries, there is a risk of getting infected by the bacteria spread through the jaywalking.

• The spiders with the artistic creation of cobwebs make their presence known. Among the wide variety of it found around us, some are known to hail a poisonous attack on you, and some are known to hail attack on the ground by burrowing.

• Ants are the silent boarders of your house. With belief in the strength of unity, they can surmount any hurdle of height or length and steal the peace of your mind by attacking the edibles. They can also cause severe damage to the walls by renting your wall space to create a web of tunnels.

It is necessary to place a call to professionals to nip the population of these arch enemies right at the bud.

The Silent Killers

Like a ninja worrier, termites are known to hail attack on your house surreptitiously. Until you witness sawdust on your floors or the hollow sound made by knocking on the wooden furniture, you are completely unaware of its presence. You may even be engulfed in the darkness caused by the power failure as termites can chew through the electric wires.

The Speedy Rodents

With their wits to outsmart you and the speed to outpace you, these are the biggest contenders your sweet abode can face. These creatures can make your life hell by spoiling your food items, leaving urine stains on the floors and making the room stench of its bad odor. With the droppings left on the food cans. They can bring about an epidemic of acute diseases as these items are loaded with harmful viruses.

With the use of eco-friendly chemicals used by many experts, you are empowered to eradicate this quick-breeding population of miscreant at one swoop without bringing any harm to your health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dylan_Flint/2116691

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9167275

Tips for Selecting a Pest Control Service

How do we select a competent pest control service?
First of all, many of us as homeowners, renters and landlords can control household pests through a combination of preventive measures, including proper sanitation and good home maintenance practices. However, some pest infestations may be extensive, or a particular pest may be difficult to control, requiring the services of a pest control company.

You should select a pest control company the way you do any other service - Look for Quality and Value. Costs and competency are important. When selecting a pest control service, cost should not be the only factor that determines the company you pick. It is important to make sure the pest control company you choose is competent. If pesticides are misused, both health and property can be damaged. Before contracting with a pest control company, consider the following:

Take Your Time/Do Your Homework
When most people discover a pest problem, they want the problem eliminated immediately. However, most problems can wait a few days so you have time to select a competent, reasonably priced company. It is wise to obtain several estimates from prospective companies. Most companies will provide free estimates.

Questions to Ask a Prospective Pest Control Firm

How many years have you been in business at your present address?
Contact organizations such as the Better Business Bureau, the States Departments of Agriculture, or the States Attorney General’s Office, or the EPA to determine if complaints have been filed against the company or its applicators for misusing pesticides.

Would you provide me with a list of references?
Contact several references to find out if they are satisfied with the service provided by the pest control company.

Will the person(s) performing the services be a certified, licensed pesticide applicator or a licensed technician? Each company must have at least one certified, licensed commercial pesticide applicator in the proper service category. Other company applicators must be certified applicators or licensed technicians under the direct supervision of an certified applicator.

Licenses may be verified by calling the various State Departments of Agriculture.

Would you provide me with a copy of your pest control license, copies of the labels for all pesticides used and the rates at which they will be applied?
Reliable applicators will show you their credentials and will be able to provide you with copies of pesticide labels that indicate how the product should be applied, including the proper application rates, and the necessary precautions.

BEWARE OF COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS THAT.......

• Want to do pest control as part of a package deal, such as general home repair or tree trimming or that will give you a special price if treatment is done immediately.
• Don’t have a listed or working telephone number.
• Sell services door-to-door or target the elderly or infirm persons who live alone. CHECK THEIR IDENTIFICATION AND CREDENTIALS!!!
• Arrive unexpectedly and show you insects they have found in your neighbors house as evidence of a neighborhood problem.
• Quote a per-gallon price. Termite control can require several hundred gallons of diluted insecticide.
• Claim to have a secret formula. All pesticide products must be registered by the U.S. EPA and the States Departments of Agriculture. Registered pesticide labels contain a list of active ingredients.
• Try to pressure you into immediately signing a contract by suggesting your house is structurally unsound and may collapse if not treated.
• Claim to have excess material left over from a previous job and offer a reduced price for immediate treatment.
• Claim to be endorsed by the States Departments of Agriculture, the U.S. EPA or other government agency. Government agencies DO NOT endorse any service company or specific pesticide product.

More Points to Consider

Some pest control companies offer service contracts in which structures are routinely treated for a particular pest. Contracts may be necessary in some situations such as warehouses that receive crates often infested with cockroaches. In general, routine pesticide applications in and around your home are not good unless there is a constant infestation by a pest and non-chemical methods have failed to control the pest. Service contracts for the homeowner should include periodic inspections, but pesticides should not be applied unless the pests are actually present and cannot be controlled by other means.

Generally, it is customary for termite control work to be guaranteed from one to five years. Make sure you know what the guarantee covers and determine if there is a yearly inspection charge. In addition, find out if the pest control company is responsible for structural damage if the treatment fails to control the termite infestation. The guarantee is only as reliable as the company that offers it.

If the service person asks you to do certain things before, during or after the pesticide application, cooperate and follow instructions. For example:

• If the service person asks you to remove personal items from the floor, empty kitchen cabinets and remove pets, make sure you have done this before they arrive.
• Do not allow children or pets into treated areas until the pesticide spray has dried.
• Aquariums should be removed from the treatment site or covered with heavy plastic and the air pump turned off.
• Remove all other household pets from the treatment area.
• If the service person suggests non-chemical methods of pest control in addition to the pesticides, be sure to follow the instructions.

Good cooperation between you and the pest control company will help eliminate pests and reduce pesticide use.

Pesticides are inherently toxic and may cause health problems and/or damage to the environment if used in a manner inconsistent with the label directions. Certain pesticides may pose greater risks than others. To determine the pesticide that best fits your needs, contact your local University Extension Service.

Article Source: https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/tips-selecting-pest-control-service

Where To Find Bed Bugs In Your Home

"Good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite!" That was how many of us were tucked into bed. Unfortunately, for many, this has become a reality.

Bed bugs have been infesting homes and feeding on humans for centuries. In the early 1900's families used extreme measures to control these pests. Stories from our parents and/or grandparents of using kerosene to "wash" the springs and mattresses to kill them were common. These remedies were replaced when chemical solutions became more available to the public. In the late 1980's the reports of infestations began to rise in developed countries throughout the world. Resistance to chemicals and ease of travel seem to be the primary factors, however, the change in available chemicals resulting from the environmental movement may also be a factor. Some schools of thought are that bed bugs were accidentally controlled by application of these materials that are no longer in production and banned by the EPA.

Bed bugs can sometimes be difficult to detect. What may present as large, red bumps on some and chicken pox looking pustules on others, might not affect some people at all. Reactions to bites may take time to appear until multiple bites have occurred. Tell-tale signs of blood sucking critters can also include small blood stains on bedding as well as actual sightings of them. Most people want to know how they got the problem in the first place. Common questions to ask are: Have you traveled out of the country? Have you slept in a hotel? Have you bought or acquired used furniture? Have you had guests in your home who may have introduced them? Do you have a student living away from home in a dorm or apartment with roommates? Are you an in home caregiver? Do you work or volunteer at a shelter? Infestations are not confined to the indigent, unkempt of society. They cross all social and economic lines. It is important to identify and act appropriately to any suspected infestations.

Bed bugs live not only in mattresses and box springs, but will infest bed frames, wooden furniture, (I.e. night stands, chest of drawers, dressers) behind baseboards, door and window frames, behind pictures on walls, in draperies, luggage, etc. In recent detailed studies of their behavior at the University of Kentucky, bed bugs were noted to infest an average perimeter from the bed as far as 16' away. In some cases, bed bugs were noted up 30' away in adjacent rooms. It is common to find infestations on beds and other upholstered furniture throughout a dwelling. Occasional sightings of individual bugs on ceilings have been reported.

Control and elimination is difficult and best left to the professionals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Allen_Stagner/1999454

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8745701

How to Prevent Pantry Pests | Pest Control

Learn how to prevent pantry pests in this Howcast video featuring expert Jeff White.

Top Seven Pest Control Tips

That line of ants can be bothersome especially when you have a party at home, or guests are about to arrive at your place. Mosquitoes, rodents, mice, spiders, flies, and bugs are another category of menace that can spoil your mood and the surroundings.

Keeping the pest away is the only solution to the concerned problem. The article highlights a few effective pest control practices to keep these problem creatures at bay.

Seven Effective Pest Control Tips

• Block all their passages to your home - The simplest way is to restrict their entry to your home by covering all the open sources. With open sources, I mean all the holes and gaps. Get them repaired as soon as possible for achieving a peaceful ambience.
• Clear all the standing water - Is there any standing water around your surroundings? If your answer is yes, then let me inform you that you are giving an open invitation to the pest in your place. Keep a regular check on your property to find out if there is some water standing in your vicinity. Clear it soon for ensuring a cleaner and bug-free environment.
• The squeaky-clean kitchen is a possible solution - I advise you to get your kitchen rid of all the littered food as ants like to flock to the junk around. Wipe each corner of the kitchen, sweep floors, slabs, and countertops for the best results.
• Inspection of outdoor furniture and yards - Regular examination of the yards and outdoor furniture is essential to find out if there are spider webs, snakes, and egg sacks. If you can see these developments in the outdoor surroundings, get them cleared quickly.
• Consume fruits and veggies as soon as possible - We often store fruits and vegetables in a basket and forget to have them. In such a case, fruits and veggies get overly ripe and become a centre of attraction for the ants. The strong smell produced by such eatables works as a magnetic element to them and they get flocked to the same.
• Make use of anti-allergens to clean the floor - Make use of anti-allergens like phenyl to wash the floor. It helps to keep the pest away.
• Hire professional pest control services - If you feel that in spite of adopting all the precautionary measures, things do not seem to be working on a right direction, hiring professionals is the only choice left then. They are the only people who will come to your rescue during an emergency.

Just keeping a few pest control tips in mind can contribute to a healthy environment for you and your family members this summer. Cheers and Happy summers!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9824331

Pest Control: The What, Why, and How of Finding Reputable Services in Your Area

Insects and wild animals contribute to the spread of disease-causing bacteria that can be harmful to the health of your family. Pesky critters can also cause serious, expensive structural damage to your home. Protect your family and your home by employing a reliable pest control service and scheduling regular maintenance inspections.

Benefits of Inspections

Pest control experts provide a range of services. If your home hasn't had an inspection in a while or if you need extermination services for a specific nuisance, you'll need to call a provider for a primary inspection and request an initial estimate. Many service providers will do their primary inspection for free. After the primary inspection, your exterminator will work with you to rid your home of natural intruders. Once your home is clean, continue to have regular maintenance inspections to keep it that way. Regular building inspections can also protect your home from other structural threats such as dry rot, which occurs as a result of a fungus.

Types of Pests

Exterminators can rid your home of various nuisances, including cockroaches, termites, bees, ants, fleas, wasps, flies, and ticks. Many also provide wildlife management services for the removal of dangerous wild animals. In addition, inspections can also protect your family pets by deterring harmful fleas and ticks. Rodents such as mice, rats, and squirrels can nest in your walls, and you need an exterminator's trained eye to determine the best way to protect your home.

Signs You Need a Specialist

Bugs and animals leave evidence that is easy to spot if you know what to look for, so if you notice any of the following in your home, contact a pest control specialist as soon as possible:

- Droppings or entry points
- Dead insects or insect wings
- Live insects or insect nests
- Gnaw marks or holes in wood
- Dried blood spots on bedding from bed bugs

Finding the Right Company

To find an exterminator, ask your peers for recommendations and do some online research. Online search engines can be helpful when searching for providers and comparing prices. Select an exterminator with an established reputation and good reviews, and remember these important factors when selecting a pest control company:

- Make sure the company you select is a member of a national, state, or local pest management association.
- Before entering a contract, understand the seriousness of any problem infestations. Costs can increase once an exterminator gets into the removal process and uncovers the extent of the problem.
- If your provider offers a guarantee, make sure you understand the terms and hold up your end of the agreement. Infestations can be tricky to get rid of, so make sure you're covered.

Use these tips to aid in finding the right exterminator. If you believe you have an infestation, begin contacting and comparing providers today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Andrew_Stratton/83489

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9154414