DO IT YOURSELF PEST CONTROL TREATMENTS

DIY PEST CONTROL TREATMENT

The number one reason people choose the path of DIY pest control methods is to save money. We get it, exterminators can be expensive and many big box stores offer products that are far cheaper than a professional service. One of the biggest issues with doing pest control on your own is lacking the educational background and actual application of chemicals, knowing which type of active ingredients work best for certain pests – sometimes even depending on which time of year it is. Another problem is that most people lack the knowledge or “field experience” of pests, their life cycles, and characteristics that can hinder achieving actual control.

How many times have you applied products purchased at some of the local stores only to have the problems resurface? Many times, these pesticides are equal opportunity chemicals for most pests. Yes, they will eliminate what you’re seeing, some of them even killing the pest on contact, but are does the pesticide leave a residual? How does it break down? Repellents tend to take an infestation and “fork” the insects into other directions. Repeating this process can spread insects to places where you hadn’t seen them before. 

This is usually when the professionals are called in. Depending on the insect(s) and scope of infestation, the cost to achieve control may be more than what it would have cost to have a licensed pest control applicator initially treat the problem.

Roach hotels and store-bought bait being applied with liquid repellent can cause utter mayhem in your home, because you’ve unknowingly repelled a portion of the insects to different areas of the house and have enticed others to consume bait that, if not properly applied, can quickly lose efficacy.

Foggers can pose a serious potential risk for anyone setting them off in their dwelling. These flammable products release pesticides into the air that, if not done correctly, can cause serious harm to people, pets, and even the house itself if activated near an open flame. Even for our services, we rarely use fogging as a form of control. We understand that seeing a bunch of dead insects after a round of fogging looks like a victory. But did you win the battle, or did you prolong the war? Most foggers leave no residual pesticides that offer continuous control. Not only that, but where did all the pesticide go? Were you fogging near your vents – namely, your intake vent? Does the filter of the vent block pesticides? 

There’s quite a bit more that goes into pest control than simply applying products. 

Dusts that claim you can apply them out in the open without concern of ill-effects on people or pets sounds like it’s too good to be true – at least to us. Our belief is that products should be applied in places that are least likely to come into contact with you or your loved ones.

Rodent baiting is a touchy one, and there are talks that there may be bans on rodenticides soon – some that may only allow Certified Applicators to apply the bait. The issue that mainly comes into focus is secondary poisoning for non-target species. We argue that the bigger concern is misapplication of the baits, storage of the baits, and overall neglect of stations applied by anybody who doesn’t have intimate training in pest control. 

ORDERING “PROFESSIONAL” PRODUCTS ONLINE

Ordering items online can be tricky, as even the best sellers on the market likely don’t have complete control over how the products are handled.

Different pesticides require different handling. When products are transported, you are putting a lot of faith that your order isn’t losing efficacy because it’s being stored somewhere without the proper temperature needed to sustain its integrity. 

Then there’s the hit and miss of some delivery companies. Ever had a package delivered to the wrong address? What’s the liability if a chemical or chemicals are delivered to the wrong address?

Theft is another issue. Crime is on the rise with delivered items. You can pay a good amount of money for products that may or may not be handled properly and never even get the opportunity to use them because they were stolen.

APPLYING “PROFESSIONAL” PRODUCTS 

In the state of Virginia, you, as a homeowner, are required to follow the label attached to each of the products, which means mixture methods and rates need to be accurate for the pests you are attempting to exterminate, the application methods (PSI, type of stream spread, etc.), as well as the allotted amount of product in the labeled areas of treatment. It is a violation of federal law to mix, apply, and store pesticides in a manner inconsistent with product labeling.

When you’re applying products, the terms drift, leeching, and runoff are just some words that you’ll need to become familiar with, as these are all potential issues that can spread pesticide mixtures to non-target areas where non-target creatures can be exposed to harmful chemicals. 

When it comes to certain chemicals, special sprayers or applicators are needed. This is an added cost to the purchase of the pesticide(s).

SUBSCRIPTION PEST CONTROL SERVICE

There seems to be a subscription service for nearly everything consumable these days. Now there are services that send you pesticides based off the needs of your areas. You receive “professional” products, disposable applicators, a set of instructions (hopefully), and possibly more. 

There is, to our knowledge, no initial inspection to help determine the cause of the issues you’re seeing and whether there are other problems that have not yet been identified that will interfere with pesticide application. Product knowledge and access to any number of formulations is paramount for an effective service.

We urge anyone looking to go this route to inquire about what exactly is received, if the amount of product is enough to handle the treatment site and pests at hand and any that may be a problem in the future. Are there any free products sent in-between the subscription landings in the event a reservice is needed, or will there be an extra fee? If there’s an extra fee, will you be talking with a professional with in-field experience to help determine which product you should be sent?

Remember, when you’re seeing advertisements that brag about cutting the cost of pest control, you’re mostly cutting out the education and experience of trained professionals. This doesn’t mean pest control should cost an arm and a leg, but it is something to consider when making your decision.

We like to go by a saying: “Pest control is 10% application, 90% education.”

It is our belief that education is invaluable, especially when it comes to the safety of you, your loved ones, your home, and nature itself.

THE BOTTOM LINE

We encourage anyone who chooses the DIY path for pest control to exercise caution and treat the products with the respect they deserve. You are handling chemicals that are intended to eliminate pests, and these products can be equally dangerous to humans and pets if not handled and applied correctly. 

Our trained staff is available to help with any questions you may have in the event you decide to do pest control on your own. Much like hiring an unlicensed and uninsured company, you can be held liable for the product(s) you apply and the damages that could come from the applications.