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What are My TOP 10 Tips for keeping bugs out of your home?

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TOP 10 Tips

Watch the useful Tips video below to get useful, helpful techniques for preventing bugs from getting into your home or business. I have to think that most people dislike bugs getting into the home and frankly there is no reason to put up with them. Home-sealing is probably the most economical as it will help to lower electric bills both in Winter and Summer. Keeping the heat or cooling systems at peak efficiency and keeping $$$$ in your pocket.

Think outside your house, think about the roof and out buildings. You will have to think like that pests or at least think how they might enter the house or shed. While we might need a door, they can find access through a hole.

tips

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suiWKtQ97zs[/embedyt]

Save money home-seal and keep the bugs out

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Save money

Do you want to save money? Home sealing is a critical and often overlooked piece of pest control! Sealing can save you money in the long run by saving on electricity and seeing fewer insects within the home or business. If you do a few things you can help yourself, blacklight to reduce numbers on your property. Pest control will help to reduce the food prey, which means that the scorpions may move on. Keeping clutter away from or reduced prevents hiding areas. Home-sealing prevents them from getting in.

We require an estimate, where we will look for entry points & propose a fix. For a typical home of 150 lineal feet (outside perimeter) your price would be $600 instead of $900 = a savings of $300! This includes a return visit to check caulking. Enter your contact information on the form to claim your coupon for $2 off per lineal foot!

Home Sealing Special

Oh oh, Houston we have a problem

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“Scorpion sting woman on plane”

A flight out of LA had a bit of an issue with a feisty scorpion. Scorpions can hitch a ride but accidently getting into boxes and or other objects. It doesn’t happen often but bugs and other type of wildlife will take advantage of opportunities, maybe there was water or food present or maybe it was for warmth. If you are moving boxes from an attic or shed always wear gloves and take care.

Does it get cold enough to kill pest/bugs?

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Over the last few years it certainly hasn’t been cold enough in Arizona to freeze out the bugs. Some insects actually have a type of antifreeze or so called blood within their bodies. They crawl into a nook or hiding spot and if it is cold they just don’t come out. If it warms out they will come out and possible go in search of food.

If it rains and they get flooded they search for drier land, that might be your house.
If it is really hot, they might be more active and search for food.
If its cold for only a few days, that might not be enough to kill them, Especially scorpions or the hardier of the insects.

Filling in those cracks or holes around your home will help to keep them out and also keep the cool or warm in. Caulking is an excellent tool in keeping those bugs out – buy and use the clear caulk. It really works well.

Photo by NPMA

Another weird fact – coffee.

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“Insects are having sex in our coffee beans; study“

I know, I know you probably don’t want you want to hear about it, but I’m here to past along the stories that are in the news about bugs. So if you tasted the coffee and thought there was a different taste, maybe its the bugs.

COFFEE

Wood destroyers and termites

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Wood destroyers, including termites and wood rot can play havoc on your home. Whenever you place wood directly on the ground, you are inviting termites and other creatures to that area. It is always better to place firewood or any wood for that matter on blocks or pavers. Ideally having wood stored just for one season at a time is best, there is less chance of buildup of pests in general. But as always – please wear gloves and only take into the structure what you are going to use immediately. If it is cold and you warm up the wood, the insects living inside may try to come out and infest the home. So here are a few Quick Tips:

Always place firewood or wood on blocks or pavers rather than directly on ground.
Keep that wood pile away from the home.
Always wear gloves moving wood.
Store only the wood you will use that season.
Only bring in enough wood to use that day.

wood destroyers

Are bed bugs continuing to be a big problem?

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Bed Bugs are continuing their rise to a real pest in the U.S. and according to Orkin it doesn’t look like they are slowing down. Orkin has been keeping track of bed bugs calls within their company and provide data to keep officials and the public informed. “Chicago tops bed bug cities list for second year in a row“.

Phoenix is up seven from 35 to 28, so here are a few tips from me to keep you informed as well.

Just be aware of the issue, don’t panic. Many people are bitten by various bugs like mites, mosquitoes and think they have bed bugs. If you are being bitten isolate the area (by that I mean the area in the home) see what you can see. Check beds for fecal spotting (when bed bugs bite they eject old blood feces etc), if you see something moving catch it and keep it handy for an expert.
If you travel take precautions, I hand my clothes from the shower rod and put my luggage on the bathroom vanity and that is where it stays. Check the bed and close furniture and if you see something inform management and move to another room.
Remember bed bugs just don’t hang out on beds.
When returning home, unpack in garage or outside and check luggage. Wash everything and high heat, wrap luggage in black garbage bag and if you’re AZ put it in sun especially during summer 113 – 120 degrees in ideal to bake them.
Keep an eye out if you have guests or frequent visitors, they can travel in backpacks.
I’ll repeat “Don’t Panic!” call a Pest Management Professional, as I think this is not a “Do It Yourself” (DIY) program.

Fire, fire and more fire…

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I have mentioned numerous times that fire isn’t always your friend especially when it comes to pest control. “Why kill it with fire is a terrible, terrible idea” by Gwen Pearson.

Fire and the things related are often compromised by one’s ability to think things out. People often don’t think before they do something and that is where the trouble begins. Bed Bugs for example are extremely difficult to get rid of and often requires a Pest Management Professional. They are trained to do what they do and that in itself could be the reason to hire a professional.

Rainy season brings the termites, are you ready?

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When your home was built the contractor probably was required to pretreat the soil before pouring the concrete slab. By AZ law a final grade was to be performed within a certain period, if you look in the electrical box you may find the two required stickers. One should be the original pretreat and the second is the final grade. Now that’s if they haven’t fallen off or are not legible. You can also visit the Office of Pest Management site at http://tarf.sb.state.az.us/index.php?ckset=ok – they started keeping track in 1990 I think.

Back in the day termiticides like Chlordane could last for 50 years, but in my opinion today I think it is closer to 15 years. Especially when placed under concrete without things that would break down the chemical. The outside of the home or that final grade is another completely different story. If nothing messes it up it might last 7 years but that doesn’t happen very often. Water, rodents, sun and the heat, people installing pipes or wires often disrupt that barrier. It is my opinion that you shouldn’t plant anything under the eaves of the roof line, roots and water may affect the home and you don’t need anything else to worry about.

So keep checking your foundation, clear away rocks or soil from the stucco area – you need to be able to see that foundation. Don’t stack firewood against the home or for that matter any other debris. As always if you need an inspection give ProBest Pest Management a call at 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176.

Sometimes those termites drive you daffy…

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Sometimes those termites drive you daffy…

Every once in awhile you get that termite job that is either unique or somehow just different. No matter what you do, the termites continue to do some damage in a home.

Scenario

House is about 20 years old, no record exists for a pretreatment with the state – in Arizona (Office of Pest Management)we are required by law to report all termites treatments. I actually wrote a home seal “Termite Sleuth on the Job” same house – continued issue but in a different area.

Treated entire house with Termidor, down drilled all attached slabs and garage and have drilled various areas within the home on the wooden floors. I’m almost convinced that no pretreatment was ever done. No further issues along the exterior of the home, only on the interior and once we drill the area we notice activity later. Now I did mention Termidor, but if it isn’t where they are moving through it – it won’t work. So without taking the floor up I decided to use some bait stations – FirstLine™ by FMC. I used another product in Florida and have learned a few things on bait systems after some time in Arizona. I place the units in areas where there is some shade or something with a bigger footprint to help hold cooler temperatures and maybe water.

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