Pinellas Pest Control

A recognized but often unseen problem, pests can bring disease into your home, while also creating damage to its structural support system. Typically, you won’t even know they exist until their population grows immensely in numbers, causing them to spill out into your living spaces. Get rid of pests with our extermination services now!

Pest Control & Extermination: What to Know & Why It Matters

The average American household has anywhere from 32 to 211 different species of bugs living on the property at any given time.

The good news is that most of these critters aren’t pests, and most of them don’t live inside the house with you full-time. However, that doesn’t mean that all bugs are the “good” kinds that help to fertilize your gardens munch on your weeds. Many household pests — including rodents — pose serious risks not just to your health, but also to your home’s foundation and structure. In some cases, you may not even know they’re in your home or commercial property until they’ve already caused serious damage.  

So, what can you do about these pests?

The experts at Brantley Termite & Pest Control are here to help you find out.

We’ll cover common kinds of pests and the dangers they can pose, pest prevention strategies, signs to watch out for, and when you need professional help to handle an infestation. Read on to learn how to stop pests from destroying your home, threatening your health, and causing you distress.

Common Household Pests

First, let’s go over some of the most common household pests that you should always be on the lookout for in your home. Of course, things like your home or property’s climate, location, and other factors can have an influence on the types of pests you may deal with.

That said, many people deal with the following pests in their homes.

Ants

Ants are the number-one pest that homeowners will have to face off against.

Ants will usually make themselves comfortable in your kitchen or bathroom, and usually come into the home during spring and summer, searching for food. You’ll likely see them around your trash can, in cabinets, or even running across countertops.

Of course, ants prefer your kitchen because of the arsenal of food it provides. Even your kitchen sink is a favorite hangout, as it’s a source of water. The high levels of moisture in your bathroom make it attractive to ants. They may hide behind your bathroom tiles, underneath your sinks, or even around your shampoo and soap bottles.

Ants don’t always have to cause damage to your home to become a problem, but many of them do. Carpenter ants, for example, can easily damage wood structures. Odorous ants cause unpleasant smells, and may nest in your patio or under stones.

Fleas and Ticks

Especially if you have pets in your home, you’re susceptible to fleas and ticks.

However, it’s important to understand that pets are far from the only things bringing these pests into your home. The often invade your home during spring, come inside after a day working in the yard or hiking, or even set up shop on a carpet or rug.

Remember that ticks don’t actually fly or even jump. Instead, they cling to your clothing and even skin, relying on you or a pet to be the entry point into your home.

Fleas may come from your grass, purchases you’ve brought into your home that already had fleas, or of course, from pet fur. Since about ⅓ of pet owners don’t take proper flea and tick prevention when it comes to their furry friends, it’s easy for an infestation to happen.

Both fleas and ticks bite and cause serious discomfort (not to mention severe health risks, which we’ll discuss later on). You need to act as quickly as you can to get the problem under control.

Cockroaches, Spiders, and Mosquitos

Cockroaches can easily get into your home through pipes, cracks, and even open doors and windows. In some cases, they may even have gotten into a bag, or been carried into the house unknowingly as eggs. Even clean homes aren’t immune to roaches. Many people aren’t aware that, in addition to being just plain nasty, roaches can also cause damage, primarily issues relating to electronics and lighting fixtures.

Spiders won’t likely hurt you or damage your property in a significant way, but their webs can feel impossible to clean. Plus, they reproduce quickly and in great numbers, so controlling a spider infestation can be a huge issue. With so many people afraid of spiders, the truth is that they can and do cause significant amounts of emotional stress.

Mosquitoes also need to be taken seriously. They are responsible for carrying about 17% of infectious diseases across the globe, cause discomfort, and keep you awake with their buzzing. Often, they’ll come right inside the house with you.

Rodents  

Rodents are frightening to many people, and they can cause serious structural damage to your home. They can chew through wires in appliances, eat your food, tear through your home’s insulation, and gnaw on copper, paper products, plastic, and wood.

They can even damage your foundation, especially if a large infestation of them burrows through your home.

The Health Risks of Pests in the Home

The number-one reason to take a pest infestation of any kind seriously is the kinds of infections and diseases that they can carry and cause.

According to the CDC, rodents can potentially carry numerous diseases, like Salmonellosis, Rat-Bite Fever, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and much more. This happens from breathing in rat droppings, coming into contact with the rodents directly, or even wounds from bites.

It’s certainly no secret that mosquitoes pose all sorts of health risks, like the Zika and West Nile viruses, Malaria, Dengue, Yellow Fever, and many more. Though complications from spider bites are fortunately rare, they can cause pain, itching, and discomfort. You may also have a rash or other allergic reaction, and even potentially an increased risk of kidney failure.

Cockroaches are known carriers of Dysentery and even Typhoid, and they can also cause nausea and diarrhea. Ants carry lots of bacteria that can cause illness and discomfort, as well. Ticks, of course, put you at risk for developing Lyme Disease, a serious and potentially life-threatening issue.

In short?

You need to take pests in the home extremely seriously, and they’re not something you should attempt to eliminate on your own.  

Pest Prevention Tips

So, what can you do to try to keep pests out of your home?

• Ensure that you’re properly storing food. This means leaving food out on the counter, even for a few hours after a meal, isn’t something you should do. When you leave food in the pantry or cabinets, be certain you’ve sealed any bags and boxes completely.
• Make it a point to repair any cracks in your walls or foundation as soon as possible.
• Frequently head up to your attic and check the basement for signs of an infestation and potential points of entry into the other parts of your home.
• Instruct family members to use screens when they need to open windows, especially during the warmer months of the year.
• Make it a point to frequently and thoroughly clean out your home. Crumbs, dust and dirt, and even clutter can make any place a haven for pests. Make sure to vacuum hard-to-reach spaces, dust underneath pieces of furniture, and mop floors.

Signs of a Potential Pest Infestation

Depending on the kind of pest you’re dealing with, the signs of an infestation may in fact be quite obvious. In many cases, you may see these creatures scuttling across the floor or up your walls.

However, you should also be on the lookout for droppings, especially in crevices in the home or in rooms where you keep food out. Also, frequently check doors and windows for potential nests or the bugs themselves. The nests may be made of twigs, leaves, and even scraps of paper or other junk. If you notice there are strange holes in your newspaper, or if it appears shredded? You may have a rodent or other pest on your hands.

Look at the leaves on your houseplants, the legs of your furniture, and even listen up for strange chewing or movement noises in the walls or in appliances. You may also smell something a bit musky or foul, a scent that seems to have come from nowhere.

How to Find Reputable Pest Control Company

While asking family and friends to recommend pest control companies to you is a good place to start, you need to do your own research to make certain you’re truly working with the best.

First of all, check out their online reviews and testimonials to get a feel for what other people are saying about them. If necessary, you may also consider connecting with past references. Ask the pest control company to let you speak to someone who had the same kind of infestation you’re currently dealing with.

Remember to ask about the company’s experience level with houses or commercial properties similar to your own. Have they worked with a property of your size before? If you have a historic home, how will they work to preserve it?

Make sure they can also clearly explain the fumigation/extermination process from you. Understand how long or if you’ll need to be out of your home, and how they make certain it’s safe for you to re-enter it.

Finally, request a quote from the company to understand the costs associated with the pest control services you need. A reputable company will provide an estimate for free.

What to Expect from Professional Pest Extermination Services

So, what should you expect when it’s time to hire a pest extermination professional?

While the exact course of action will, of course, depend on the specific types of pests you’re dealing with, there are a few steps a pest control company will likely take no matter the issue.

First, they’ll complete a thorough inspection and assessment of your property. You should feel free to describe what you’ve seen and what you suspect the problem may be, however, the experts will be able to tell you for certain.

They’ll take a close look at your property’s entry points, and even use UV lights and telescopic cameras to assess tight areas, the foundation underneath your home, cracks, and more. This process will likely take about an hour.

Next, the professionals will develop a fumigation, control, and extermination plan to tackle the problem at hand. This means both getting rid of any existing pests or termite colonies, and taking steps to ensure that they can’t get back into your home in the future. They’ll sell off any entry points they can, and talk to you about what you can do to possibly prevent future infestations.

Then, they’ll put the plan into action, using scientifically-proven strategies combined with their years of experience.

Finally, they’ll ensure that it’s completely safe for you, your pets, and other family members to re-enter the home. You may also talk about a preventative maintenance strategy and set up follow-up maintenance and monitoring services.

Need to Eliminate Pests in Your Home?

Putting up with pests in your home or commercial property isn’t something anyone should have to live with.

We hope that we’ve helped you to understand why it’s important to take infestations so seriously, both when it comes to protecting your investment and keeping your family safe. Whether you’re dealing with rodents, cockroaches, fleas/ticks, ants, or even snakes, you deserve professional, thorough, and immediate help.

We’re here to make sure you get it.

When you’re ready to fight back against pests, reach out to us to schedule a free estimate. We can also assist you with annual pest and termite inspections, lawn care, and much more.

Together, let’s make your home remains a safe and comfortable place to live.