A pest infestation can be one of the worse things to deal with, but as spring arrives and the weather gets warmer, pests are starting to thrive in and around homes up and down the country. Pests can cause a variety of problems in your home. They will do more harm the longer they stay, so it is important to catch an infestation as early as possible. This will minimise the costs both of their removal and the subsequent repairs.
Rat infestations are not only gross and unhygienic but also a dangerous nuisance. Left undealt with, rats can do major damage to your home by gnawing at furniture, internal structures, wiring and insulation. That is bad enough, but beyond that, they are known to carry serious diseases, some of which can be passed onto humans. For both these reasons, you need to take action before rats decide to take permanent shelter in your home by doing the following.
Rats are tough pests and will eat and drink just about anything to stay alive. This is how they have been able to live alongside humans for thousands of years and why denying them food can be very difficult. However, you can make it difficult for them should they take an interest in your home.
By keeping your kitchen clean and free of debris, you will have eliminated an easy source of food and waste for the pests. Luckily enough, rats are opportunists; if they need to work hard and do not find food, they will pick another home to target elsewhere.
Rats also need a place where they can feel safe from predators and raise their young. Some rats like to use trees to get into lofts through holes and vents. Others like dark, quiet garden spaces and sheds.
Overgrown bushes can also provide adequate shelter for rats. They are nocturnal pests, so if you give them a place to hide during the daytime, they will be content enough to come out at night looking for food and water.
So, if you want to avoid a rat infestation or have seen a few rodents in your garden, deny them shelter and safety. Tidy up your garden and shed, so they have nowhere to hide. In your loft, make sure there are no holes that rats can access from the outside.
One thing to keep in mind is that a DIY approach rarely solves a rat infestation. The best thing to do is call a local pest control company that has experience removing and eliminating rats in a quick, safe and effective manner.
If you see a wasp nest in your garden or attached to the exterior of your house, warn your neighbours, keep your children and pets inside and call a professional pest control company. They'll be properly trained and have the safety equipment to destroy the nest.
Pest control specialists can visit your home and treat the potentially dangerous situations. They can take the steps need to exterminate the wasps and free the area. Furthermore, they can return as frequently as they need to ensure that your home stays free of wasps.
Fleas are more than just a nuisance; they can affect the health and well-being of your pets. But, if you notice a few fleas in your home, you need to do more than simple bathing your pets.
The vast majority of flea infestations are caused by pets. Your cat and/or dog might have caught fleas whilst in your garden or from other animals. But, wherever they caught them, this doesn't matter at this point.
The first step to eliminate fleas is by treating the source of the problem. It doesn't make sense to deep clean your home if your pet(s) keeps bringing them in.
Start by using a flea comb and pay close attention to your pets' legs, tail and neck as these are the areas fleas like the most. Make sure you drop any fleas you find into hot soapy water to kill them. Once you have done that, it would be a good idea to call your vet. They will be able to recommend a range of different flea treatments.
Using powder treatment can act as an effective measure of defence against fleas. Before using it, make sure that you have removed all of your bedding and sofa cushions and cleaned them.
If you have done the above and still have fleas in your home, you need to call a professional pest control company that specialises in flea removal.
Like many other pests, ants come indoors once they find a good source of food. They also usually enter homes when they are looking for better conditions, moisture, warmth and shelter. When a few ants find their way into your home, word normally spreads very quickly with the rest of the colony, and soon you could end up with a full-blown infestation to contend with.
Because you use your rooms to relax in and your kitchen area to prepare food, you might be a little reluctant to use chemicals and pesticides to get rid of the ants in your home. However, if you take some practical steps to eliminate the ants, you could soon take control of the problem.
First of all, you will want to know what type of ants you are going to be contending with. They will most likely be your standard ants that you see out and about on pavements, but you must take the time to observe them and the way they move around. Once you have done this, a quick search on Google will most probably let you know what type of ants are in your home.
Next, you need to find their entry point. But again, simply observing their movements will help you find where they are coming from. They could be coming through a door that you leave open during the day, a window with a broken seal or through a crack in your home's structure.
As well as finding the entry point, you need to find the source of the ants (AKA their nest). Again, observing their movements will lead you to the nest. Ants leave a scent trail when they move back and forth from their nest to a food source, so they will always follow the same route.
The next question is, how can you get rid of the ants quickly? Well, like we previously mentioned, you can use their movements to your advantage together with following our tips.
Apart from keeping your kitchen clean and sanitised, adequate food storage is really important. Ants can easily climb into a box of biscuits even if you think you think you have closed the box properly. With that being said, it's important to remember that food manufacturers rarely make their packaging to withstand ant infestations. Instead, we recommend buying airtight containers to store some of your food.
You should also make sure that you wipe down any outdoor bins or rubbish containers you may have after you use them. Ants can feed on residue that you leave behind, such as the outside of an empty jam jar or excess kitchen paper that you used to clean up a spill.
Over the counter pesticides and sprays can eliminate some visible ants. But more will arrive to replace them so you will never get rid of an infestation by using these products. Instead, use the ants as a key by putting down ant bait for them to carry back into their nest.
Ant bait is an edible material that is sweet, sugar and contains substances that are toxic to ants but have minimal toxicity to humans and other animals. When using ant bait close to ant trails but always out of reach of pets and/or children. To make the bait as effective as possible, keep your surfaces clean and sanitised so that it is the only sugar substance the ants will be attracted to.
The only thing to be aware of when it comes to ant bait is that once the ants have taken it back to their nest, it can take several days to fully eliminate the colony.
Some pests can be spotted early before an infestation gets out of control, others not so much. However, no matter when you spot the signs of an infestation, you need to take action immediately. Most of the time, you are going to need professional help, and you shouldn't delay seeking it as a pest problem can pose health issues and, in some cases, damage to your property.
Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we offer a fast response service and can get to your home fast if you need your pest problem resolved quickly. Our pest control experts fully understand that having a pest problem can sometimes cause embarrassment, which is why our services are designed to be discreet, to ensure nobody but you know you are receiving pest treatment.
Our team of pest control experts are fully qualified and experienced in the handling of all poisons, pesticides and fumigation methods that may need to be used to resolve your problem. With years of experience in treating all types of pest problems in and around homes and businesses nationwide, you can rely on Able Group to provide a safe and effective solution every time.
If you are currently dealing with a pest infestation and need our help, please do not hesitate to get in touch today by calling 0330 108 4111 or by visiting our contact page.