Columbia MO Pest Control experts have the equipment and expertise to get rid of unwanted animals that invade your home. They also have the knowledge to keep them from coming back.
Rodents are mammals of the order Rodentia that chew on wires, walls and crops and spread diseases like Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Leptospirosis, plague and salmonellosis. They can even cause fires by chewing through electric wiring.
Cleanliness isn’t just a hygiene practice, but a pest control necessity. Maintaining cleanliness is one of the best ways to prevent pest infestation, especially in food services, retail stores, hospitals, and warehouses. Pests such as cockroaches, rodents, and insects are attracted to food scraps, crumbs, and other materials they can use for shelter and nourishment. Thorough cleaning helps to deprive pests of these food sources, and should be done on a regular basis throughout the facility.
Clutter can also attract pests, and should be removed on a regular basis. This can include stacks of paper that may provide hiding places for silverfish and cockroaches, and trash bins that are overflowing with empty boxes or bags. Organizing and shredding unnecessary papers, putting food in airtight containers, and keeping all bins closed and emptied regularly help to keep pests at bay.
The roof is another area that can be easily overlooked in terms of sanitation, but it should be cleaned on a regular basis. Standing water, mold, and debris can provide pests with food and shelter, and should be removed as soon as it is noticed. In addition, it’s a good idea to clean and disinfect garbage cans and trash receptacles, and to regularly review the pick-up schedule to ensure that the bins never overflow.
In addition to keeping the facility clean, pest control professionals should be consulted when necessary. They can advise the best time to clean, based on the type of pests being targeted. In general, it’s recommended to clean before pest control treatment, as this can improve the effectiveness of the treatment. This is because it can remove food and other materials that might be a barrier to the pesticides being used. It’s also a good idea to have your cleaning crew wipe surfaces down and sweep floors after pest control, as this will help to minimize the residues left behind by the chemicals used. If you need help implementing or maintaining an effective pest control program at your home or business, contact the team at Lookout Pest Control, formerly Any Pest Inc.
Seal Entry Points
Your home may feel like a fortress to you, but rodents and pests are adept at finding the tiniest entry points and making their way inside. Sealing these secret entrances can significantly reduce your risk of a pest infestation. Identifying and sealing these areas, as well as regular maintenance and inspections can help keep pests away.
Insects and rodents can squeeze through gaps as small as a quarter-inch in size, so it’s important to inspect the entire exterior of your house for these quiet entry points. Start by looking for cracks in the foundation, holes around pipes and vents, and other openings that can provide access to your home. If you spot any, be sure to use caulk or expanding foam to close them. For larger gaps, steel wool and caulk work well together to create a solid barrier that is impenetrable to rodents.
The areas around windows and doors are also common entry points for mice and other pests, especially if they are worn out or have been damaged by weather. Inspect these areas regularly for signs of deterioration, such as loose weather stripping or tears in screens. Replace any worn-out or damaged items and make sure door sweeps are properly in place to ensure that insects and rodents cannot slip inside.
If you spot any sign of mouse activity, such as droppings or chewed wires, it’s important to take immediate action. These pesky critters are notorious for finding ways to get into homes, and if they gain entry, they can cause damage by gnawing through walls and insulation. Sealing potential entry points with copper mesh and caulking can prevent these issues from occurring.
Another potential entry point for rodents is the underside of eaves and soffits, which can deteriorate or gap over time and offer quiet access to your home. Inspect these areas frequently for rotting or other signs of wear and tear, and be sure to seal any deteriorated areas with caulk. Vents and ducts are also common entry points for rodents, so be sure to check that they are covered with metal vent covers.
Trim Vegetation
When trees, shrubs and other plants touch or rub against the walls of your home, they create a bridge for pests to climb up into the structure, getting in through cracks and crevices. Keep vegetation trimmed 6 inches to 3 feet away from your home to prevent access points. You may also consider installing a 3-foot gravel strip, made of quarter-inch pebbles, around the entire perimeter of your home or business. Rodents, ants and cockroaches aren’t comfortable crawling on rocks, which deter them from entering.
Mulch, ground cover and other organic materials are attractive to termites, ants, cockroaches and other pests that can cause damage. Eliminate these attractive harborage areas by maintaining a clean yard, including removing ivy or other plants from the sides of buildings, and avoiding the use of ground cover such as shredded bark, pine needles and wood mulches that can retain moisture.
Planting and landscaping practices that promote healthy, vigorous plants can also help to reduce the need for chemical pest control. Adjusting planting dates to optimize crop competition with weeds, choosing varieties that grow quickly and densely, and utilizing companion crops can all help to minimize the need for pesticides.
If natural predators and pruning aren’t enough to control the population of a pest, it may be necessary to resort to chemical pesticides. When this happens, it’s essential to choose the right product and follow label instructions carefully. If a pesticide is used too often or incorrectly, it can be detrimental to beneficial insects, pollinators and other organisms.
Pests like grubs, for example, can kill lawns and be a serious problem in the garden. Using a biological treatment for grubs is an effective way to protect against these pests, but it does take vigilance on the part of the homeowner to see results; it must be repeated regularly and after it rains.
Whenever possible, try to avoid spraying any chemicals in or near water sources. This is because these chemicals are washed down the street, into sewers and then into rivers, lakes or oceans. They can then be ingested by fish and other wildlife, impacting the whole food chain.
Keep Your Home Clean
Many pests are merely nuisances, annoying people with their appearance or behavior, and others can cause health problems like fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, bed bugs, cockroaches, house centipedes and bees. Some pests even contaminate food, damage homes and gardens or make asthma and allergies worse. Pest control aims to suppress or eliminate these pests so they do not cause unacceptable harm. Pests are defined as any animal that contaminates, damages or displaces food or property and includes rodents (like mice and rats), insects (like cockroaches, ants and fleas) and birds (like pigeons, blackbirds and seagulls).
Maintaining clean living spaces is one of the best ways to prevent pest infestations. Wiping counters and sweeping floors daily removes crumbs, spills and other debris that attracts pests. Store food in sealed containers and dispose of garbage regularly. Use compost bins for food scraps but make sure to keep them sealed and away from the house. Clutter provides hiding places for pests and also allows them to spread quickly. Removing clutter and storing items in plastic or metal bins with tight lids reduces the opportunity for pests to invade.
Regular vacuuming and sweeping, as well as washing all textiles in the home on hot cycles, helps prevent pests from establishing nests and laying eggs inside. Keeping humidity levels low in damp areas of the home, such as basements and attics, is another preventive measure that deters pests like cockroaches and silverfish.
Certain natural substances are known to repel pests and can be easily incorporated into cleaning routines. Vinegar, for example, is a powerful cleaning agent and can be used as an effective pest deterrent when mixed with water and applied to surfaces or fabrics. Essential oils, such as peppermint, lavender and citronella, are also natural bug deterrents that can be added to cleaning solutions or in diffusers.
Thorough and regular cleaning of the entire home, focusing on areas that pests are most likely to target, can greatly reduce the need for professional pest control services. It is recommended to schedule periodic deep cleans that include moving and cleaning under furniture, washing all textiles and scrubbing walls and baseboards. Finding and sealing entry points is important as well, so make sure to check around the foundation for cracks and holes that pests can slip through.
Alexandria Wright