Pest control is a set of methods or tactics used to reduce the number of pests to an unacceptable level. Suppression and prevention are often joint goals.

Identifying the pest is an important first step in pest control. Then, threshold-based decisions can be made. For example, a few wasps in the yard shouldn’t prompt action, but many sightings indicate that an infestation is developing. Contact Armis Pest Management now!

Whether rodents, spiders, or insects, pests enter homes and businesses through tiny openings in walls, windows, doorways, vents, and the foundation. These small cracks and crevices often develop over time due to weather changes, settling, and other environmental factors.

These gaps and holes can easily be closed with caulk or other sealants. Using caulk to seal cracks up to one-quarter inch in size can help prevent most pests from entering your home or business. For larger openings, such as those around pipes and utility lines, a specialized product, such as expanding foam insulation, may be required to keep critters out. For window and door openings, door sweeps and thresholds should be installed to close off gaps at the bottom and improve energy efficiency.

Regularly inspecting your home and business for these gaps, and repairing or replacing damaged caulk, weatherstripping, and wire mesh, can help to reduce the risk of pest infestation. Also, ensuring that garbage and trash are securely contained can limit the amount of food that attracts pests to your property. Additionally, keeping your yard free of overgrown shrubs and trees can reduce hiding spots for these pests and make it more difficult for them to access your property.

The practice of sealing off entry points is known as exclusion. Exclusion is different from traditional pest control, which focuses on treating existing infestations with traps, chemicals, and baits. The process of exclusion, however, prevents pests from gaining access to the interior of your property, thus reducing the need for reactive treatments. For more information on how to implement effective exclusion practices, consult with a professional pest control specialist. They can conduct a thorough inspection of your property and offer guidance on creating a pest-proof barrier. They can also recommend a variety of specialized products that are designed to seal off entry points and eliminate the need for more reactive pest control services.

Keep Your Garbage Out

Whether you live in the suburbs or the city, your trash may be a big draw for raccoons, rats, cockroaches and wasps. The decaying food and waste in garbage bins, dumpsters and recycle containers can attract pests that carry harmful diseases and destroy property. In addition, these animals can introduce disease-causing fleas and ticks into your home or business. Keeping the area around your garbage cans free of pests is one of the best ways to prevent infestations.

The most important step in preventing pests from ransacking your trash is to eliminate their source of food. Use trash cans with tight-fitting lids and keep all food scraps inside them until they are collected on trash day. Also, if possible, store your trash cans indoors overnight or put them out only on the night before trash collection. This will ensure that nocturnal scavengers like raccoons and mice don’t have the chance to raid your trash bins.

If you don’t have lids that lock, add bungee cords to your trash cans or invest in metal cans with locking handles. You can also spray the area around your garbage cans and where wildlife typically congregates with a solution of water and ammonia. This will irritate the skin and senses of scavengers, such as roaches and wasps, and make them less interested in raiding your trash.

Even if you follow all of the aforementioned tips, there is always a chance that pests can still invade your waste management system. If that happens, you should contact your local pest control professionals immediately.

When pests invade your garbage cans, they are often looking for food and shelter, both of which they may find in your home. Rodents can crawl through gaps the size of a quarter to get indoors and establish themselves in walls, ceilings, attics or basements. They can also contaminate food and cause structural damage, chewing through wires or drywall. They can also spread disease-causing fleas and ticks to household pets. Keeping your garbage cans properly managed will help prevent rodents from invading your home. In addition, a well-maintained garbage bin or dumpster will reduce odors and provide a fresher, cleaner environment.

Trim Vegetation

When it comes to trimming your yard, the goal is to make the landscape as unattractive as possible for pests. This means keeping grass cut, trimming bushes and trees, removing rotting logs and brush piles, and cleaning up fallen leaves or palm fronds. It also means avoiding the use of ground cover like wood mulches and shredded wood pallets, which attract termites and other wood-destroying insects. Instead, try using a non-toxic mulch, such as gravel or rock.

Another way to reduce the number of pests in your garden is to plant vegetables and fruits away from your house. Many fruit-producing plants and some vegetable varieties tend to attract sap-sucking pests, such as aphids, scale insects and mealy bugs, leaf and plant hoppers, and white flies. In addition, some fruit crops like peaches and citrus attract rodents. These animals may even find their way inside your home to get to the food.

You can also minimize pests by avoiding over-fertilizing your garden. Too much fertilizer can lead to excessive vegetative growth and waterlogged soil, which can provide a welcoming environment for pests. In addition, you can minimize damage to your plants by removing any leaves or buds that have been damaged by pests, and pruning back any affected parts of the plant.

Remember, when you remove a damaged part of a plant, be sure to use a clean pair of pruners. Otherwise, you will likely leave behind more than just the pest; you will also leave behind a host for any parasites that are living on or in the plant.

If you have a severe problem, consider the least-toxic options for pest control before resorting to chemical sprays. If you do decide to use chemicals, follow the label instructions carefully. Remember that these sprays are washed into the surrounding soil and ultimately into our waterways, where they can impact local wildlife as well.

If you want to limit the use of chemicals, consider other options, such as beneficial insect release or horticultural oils for controlling insects and mites. If you really must use a chemical, choose one that is as low-toxic as possible and avoid sprayed areas during the day when it can harm pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Keep Your Home Clean

Keeping your home clean is one of the most effective preventative pest control strategies. Most pests enter your home looking for food, water or shelter and if you can eliminate their access to these things, you can reduce the number of pests in your home. This is true for any type of pest, including rodents, ants, spiders, termites, fleas and bees or wasps.

Keeping things clean can also help keep your family healthy and safe. When pests enter your home, they can bring germs with them that can cause illnesses like hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonella and more. Getting rid of pests is essential for avoiding these germs and keeping your family healthy.

Cleaning your home is an important step in preventative pest control and it can be done on a regular basis. Store food in airtight containers, wipe down counters, and get rid of crumbs before they have a chance to attract pests. In addition, making sure your garbage is sealed and disposed of promptly will reduce the amount of waste that is left behind.

Another way to keep your home clean is by storing your dishes and utensils in the cabinets. Leaving them out on the counters can lead to attracting flies, roaches and other pests. It is a good idea to use plastic containers for storing your dishes.

Lastly, make sure to store your clothes and personal belongings away before your pest control professional arrives. This will prevent them from being exposed to chemicals that may be used during treatment. It is best to use plastic containers for clothing as well. It will be harder to clean out a plastic container after it has been covered in pesticide than a piece of fabric that can be washed.

If you are seeing signs of pests in your home or want to take steps toward preventative pest control, contact Lookout Pest Control, formerly Any Pest Inc. Our professionals are experts at finding and sealing entry points into your home and we can also offer recommendations for preventative measures. Give us a call today to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment.