If it seems like you're always battling pests of some sort, it could be time to bring in a pest control professional to help you find the source of your pest problem and provide effective treatments. Once your pest problem is resolved, you may want to have preventative treatments to keep the pests away. Here are some things to know about pest control treatments.
You May Need To Prep Your Home First
The pest control company may give you a list of things you need to do before they apply the treatments so the treatments are more effective. This might include eliminating clutter, vacuuming, and cleaning cabinets and floors. These actions get rid of some bugs and eggs and make it easier for the company to apply pesticides.
The Treatment Time Will Vary
The pest control company might be at your home for a short time if all you need is pesticides applied to the perimeter of your home. However, the visit is customized for your needs, and it's possible the exterminator could be at your home for several hours.
If they need to caulk entry points or set a lot of traps or bait stations, they'll need more time than if they just apply pesticide. The following visits may be shorter since the exterminator may not even need to come inside. The first visit takes longer since the exterminator wants to check your home thoroughly for bugs to identify the type of infestation you have and its severity.
There Are Different Types Of Pest Control
The type of pest treatments you get depends on the type of pests you have. Some pests are eliminated with bait while others may need traps or liquid sprays. More aggressive treatments involve tenting your house to kill termites or heating your house to kill bed bugs.
These different types of treatment get results at varying times. For instance, heating should kill bugs right away while bait might take weeks to kill off a colony of ants. However, you may notice an improvement in your infestation in just a few days. The exterminator will let you know what to expect, since it's possible you'll see a sudden increase in bugs before they die off.
The Pesticides May Last A Few Months
When you start getting regular preventative pest control treatments, the exterminator may use residual pesticides that last for a few months depending on the type of pesticide used. This gives your home ongoing protection until the next scheduled visit when more pesticide is applied. The treatments may only be applied outdoors since most infestations come from the outside.
Contact a pest control company for more information.
