Pest control encompasses a large variety of treatments to prevent, control, eradicate, and protect your home from pests. Pests include ants, bed bugs, fleas, termites, cockroaches, rodents, and even pigeons. Other wildlife such as raccoons, snakes, and spiders can also become pests if the opportunity arises.
There are several main types of pest control and management tactics proven to be effective in getting rid of pests:
- Integrated pest management
- Biological pest control
- Chemical pest control
- Physical pest control
It is crucial to use pest control and management techniques as soon as you see signs of an issue to keep them from getting worse. Pests often do damage far beyond what’s visible, leaving potentially thousands of dollars in damage for you to repair.
Understanding What Pest Control Entails
Pest control entails methods to rid your property of unwanted insects or wildlife. A pest control professional will perform an inspection to look for signs of pests or pest damage. They will then carry out effective treatment methods to take care of the problem and keep it from recurring.
Whether or not you will need multiple treatments will depend on the pest control method that you decide on. Your pest control specialist will advise you on how to continue pest prevention after the primary treatment or suggest routine follow-up treatments to maintain and ensure the highest level of protection.
Integrated Pest Management
Getting rid of pests is vital to protect your home, but many of the most widespread pest control methods can also harm the environment. Integrated pest management is a pest management process that combines different environmental, mechanical, biological, and chemical tools to reduce the effects of pests and potentially harmful solutions.
Not everyone is comfortable with the harsh effects of pest control. The goal of integrated pest management is to control the risks involved. Pest control methods like pesticides that cause problems with other organisms do not fall under integrated pest management because pesticides are known to cause harm.
At powerpestcontrol, we use integrated pest management to reduce harm across the board and can find effective ways for you to be rid of pests while keeping your property and your environment safe.
Biological Pest Control
Biological pest control weaponizes other living organisms to get rid of common pests. Your pest control professional will employ the use of your pests’ natural predators. By using a pest’s natural predators, you can rest assured that your home, pets, and local wildlife won’t be exposed to chemicals of any kind.
You can use many beneficial insects against pest insects in your home, garden, or lawn. Minute pirate bugs and ladybird beetles are excellent biological ways to control aphids and spider mites. Plants and diatomaceous earth are also effective biological repellents against ants and other unfavorable insects.
Chemical Pest Control
When dealing with an insect infestation, chemical pest control can be an effective option to eliminate pests. There is some risk when pesticides are involved, especially when it comes to pests on fruits and vegetables in your garden or during the fumigation tenting process.
Liquid insecticides are the go-to chemical pest control treatment when natural pest control isn’t an option. Fumigation is an especially popular chemical option when treating termites. It relies on toxic gas to immobilize and kill pests quickly. Both options work to reduce infestations, either by preventing future reproduction or getting rid of all current pests.
Physical Pest Control
Using poisoned bait is an effective solution for eliminating insects and rodents alike, but it can put other animals and even pets at risk. Physical pest control is most effective for rodents and other larger wildlife and much safer than many options. Trapping these pests is an easy way to get them under control.
Employing barriers to block access to areas of your property where you don’t want pests is another practical physical pest control solution that can be less harmful. If your pest problem isn’t severe, or if you’re dealing with large animals that have become pests, a barrier like a metal or electric fence may be enough to keep them away.
