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Carpet & termites

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You return home from vacation and there it is Carpet & termites. Now what do you do, call ProBest Pest Management of course 602-249-7378. This is a result of a crack in the foundation and the termites found their way into the home and through the carpet.

Easy fix for a termite company, take up the carpet and treat the crack in the slab. Termiticide does fail and once that crack begins to expand it moves the barrier treatment. So don’t just look around the foundation edge of the house or the ceiling, if you spot something like this connect immediately so we can assess the root cause.

If you ever decide to take up carpet and replace with tile or wood and you find cracks in the slab, call us. It is easier to fix the problem before the time is in place, never looks the same.

Access granted, into your home.

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access

Your home is your castle

Access into your home is your decision and seems to be in your court, right? Every home has penetrations from either the slab or flooring, I can’t think of a single exception. So if you have an example let me know about it. Every time a pipe comes through your slab or flooring there is a chance that termites might exploit the opportunity.

On top of this, there are often issues at the time of the pretreat. Construction proceeds and after we do that pretreat we never know what happens to that hole where the pipe comes up. Often times there is soil piled up and sometimes it is removed and guess where the termiticide is? Gone and there is no protection. So those are the areas where we all need to be vigilant and pay attention to walls and other fixtures.

Have you really ever thought about termites?

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According to the National Pest Management Association termites do about $5 billion in damage each and every year. Are they eating your home and do you know what to look for.

Subterranean termites enter by way of cracks or foundations here in Arizona. So if you notice soil/dirt/mud trails either outside on the foundation slab, or inside the garage or coming down from the ceilings it’s time to call a Pro.

Have you done whatever it takes to keep out rodents?

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Nothing is probably worse than seeing a mouse inside your house, everything goes through your mind. How do I capture it, what do I do with it, can I do it myself and its goes on and on? The best thing to do, is to never have one get into your home. So what can you do:

Repair all holes and cracks in your home.
Don’t take in boxes which might have room enough for a mouse.
Repair screens.
Repair door seals and thresholds.
Repair garage door seals.
Don’t leave doors open.
Don’t leave pet food out.

If they are already in the home, glue boards do work but be careful if you have pets or children. Never, never use baits inside a home. Never, never use baits inside a home, yes I said that twice.

Why does Bed Bug work cost so much?

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Bed Bugs = labor, it requires a great deal of time to look through everything in a home. This means opening everything, turning things over and investigating every crack and crevice. So where do you look”

Sofa and hideaway beds
Beds
Chairs
Wallpaper
Carpet and baseboards
Dressers
Wall decorations, paintings, nic nats etc
bed frames, headboards
Cracks in drywall or plaster
Closets

So as you can see, it may take a very long time to do a thorough and complete job and honestly that is what you want isn’t it? Oh by the way that last photo is carpet beetle larva skins, so sometimes you find more than what you were looking for.

Tricky termite treatments

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Tricky termite treatments

Pavers, flagstone and tile always make a termite treatment more difficult. Sometimes it almost impossible, these pavers are in fact put in place with cement or sand. It is possible to drill but it also is worrisome because you might crack the paver. It is essential to the treatment to get the termiticide to the area where the termites may try to get into the home.

I also run across built in cabinets and they pose another obstacle to getting the termiticide to that expansion joint. What other issues do you think we run across on our daily termite treatments and do you have any unusual obstructions at your home or business?

Are you refurbishing your Home?

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Are you refurbishing your Home?

So this last week I decided to replace a piece of carpeting in my dining room. I never liked it in the dining room to begin with and finally decided to put in tile. After removing the carpet I noticed a very large crack and YES I had the termite expert (Mike) come to my house and drill it before putting in the tile.

Nothing looks worse than tile that has to be drilled after you notice the termites.

So a piece of free advice – if you are replacing a floor with wood or tile, take the time and treat for termites. Most termite companies would prefer not to drill a new tile, it will never look the same.

A few pictures of cracks in the concrete…

Before replacing a floor take the time to have it fixed, I don’t like drilling new wood or tile floors. Trust me on this one, please!

Incredible story of those crafty termites.

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Incredible story of those crafty termites.

As good as you may think you are, termites are probably better! What’s that you say, no way. Termites have been working out their problems over the last 250 million years and what do we do but build houses (wood) right on top of their homes. If you give them an inch they will certainly take it and that is evident of the picture posted below.

You never know how or where they will enter a home and you almost have to play detective to understand and eventually solve the problem. So be prepared to investigate and you will be rewarded with the clues to solve the dilemma for the customer.

ProBest Pest Management Top 10 Tips how to keep those bugs out!

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ProBest Pest Management Top 10 Tips to keep those bugs out!

Seal up those cracks, holes and any entry points where those critters can get in.
Reduce harborage areas where those bugs hang out.
Keep trees, shrubs and vines off the house.
Check your home monthly for any signs of trouble.
Never and I mean never stack firewood against the house.
Check and repair window screens.
Store food in seal-able containers and I usually freeze it first then store.
Avoid taking in boxes and storing them in pantry – see #7 above.
Don’t forget to check out buildings, honeybees and termites can show up and do significant damage if not caught immediately.
Follow your local Pest Management Professional on FaceBook, Twitter or their home seal to stay current with local issues.

Stink bugs and other True Bugs

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Stink bugs and other True Bugs…

How many True Bugs can you guess? How about Assassin Bugs & Wheel Bug, Aphids, Bed Bugs, Boxelder Bugs, Leafhopper, Milkweed Bug, Squash Bug and of course Stink Bugs.

All true bugs have similar mouthparts, which is what characterizes the true bugs. True bugs suck. That’s right, the true bugs have specialized mouth parts used to suck juices.

The brown marmorated stink bug, or simply the stink bug, is an insect in the family Pentatomidae, and it is native to China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. They have invaded the East Coast and have made their way across the U.S. They get their name because release an unpleasant odor when you crush them or when they are protecting their homes. Stink bugs do not hurt humans, but they can cause a lot of damage to crops and plants.

Tips to prevent them from getting into your home from National Pest Management Association (NPMA):

Seal cracks around your house.
Replace damaged screen on doors and windows.
If you see a stink bug indoors vacuum them up and throw away the bag immediately.
If you see a stink bug in your garden, lightly spray the area with approved insecticides. Keep weeds around the garden in control and clean up the garden at the end of the growing season.
Hand pick stink bugs in early morning when they are slow moving.

Stink bugs were not even reported in the United States until the late 1990’s!