Pestige Solutions

Why pest control is important in winter

excitemedia — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 03:34:38 +0000

Unknown to many, winter is actually a major pest season. Just because you don’t have flies and mosquitos buzzing around your head, doesn’t mean your home is pest-free.

We may have just had the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year), however, the damage pests can do in winter is not over yet. What damage do pests do over winter? Why are they even in your house during winter? We will discuss why pest control is just as important in winter as it is in summer.

Pests seek warmth

When the temperature starts to drop outside, especially overnight in Sydney, the bugs and rodents get worried. They seek shelter from the harsh temperatures. Where do they go? Well your home becomes their prime winter sanctuary. Your home is warm and is full of food, just perfect for pests.

Overwintering Pests

Overwintering essentially means to survive the winter. So, overwintering pests are the pests that are seeking warmth, and/or also enter a type of hibernation period.

Overwintering pests may be spotted during winter in your home by venturing into the higher traffic living spaces. Keep an eye on the west side of your home, as the bugs are likely to sunbathe in Sydney’s warmer winter afternoons.

However, those bugs in a hibernation state are most likely to stay hidden. The bugs will emerge in the spring when the temperature warms up. At this stage, you may have an infestation on your hands. A dramatic increase in bugs in your home during spring means they were most likely hiding out during the winter.

If you notice an influx in pests, you need to call a qualified pest controller. If not treated the situation will only worsen, which further damages your home and puts your family’s health at risk.

Insects that commonly ‘overwinter’ include:

Ladybugs
Caterpillars
Moths
Flies
Crickets

Prevent an infestation

By calling a Sydney pest control expert, your home can be inspected and any overwintering, present pests can be identified and exterminated accordingly. As they say, it is much easier to prevent a problem rather than fix a problem. The same is true with pest control.

No matter how many pests you have, Pestige Solutions can get rid of them.

However, damage to your home may have already occurred (which is obviously not desirable).

Common winter household pests

Rodents

Rodents, like humans, seek warmth and comfort in the colder Sydney months. Where we may light a fire, mice and rats find a nice cosy hiding place in your home. Rodents commonly make their nests in wall cavities, ceiling cavities, and any other warm, dry places they can find. Sometimes their nests are obvious, sometimes you never find the nest but you see them flash along the floor at night. Or worse, you begin to see the damage they are causing before you even set sight on the little devils.

Whilst rodents are famous for getting into the food in your cupboard (which is gross and a complete nuisance), they can actually cause more severe damage than that. As you may already know, rodents’ teeth continue to grow throughout their life. This means that they chew on things to keep their teeth shortened. What they chew on, then becomes your problem. Rodents aren’t picky when it comes to chewing, so will gnaw away at anything including timber, cladding, electrical wiring. Now it becomes particularly dangerous when electrical wiring is chewed through because that can cause a house fire. House fires are more common in winter than in summer, so keep that in mind.

Termites

Heads up, white ants (termites) don’t hibernate in winter. In fact, they remain just as active and like in every other month, they can do serious damage to your home. We have a past article on, 4 Reasons You Need to Clear Your Property of Termites Immediately, which will highlight for you the damage termites can cause.

German Cockroaches

German cockroaches are a big problem across Australia. They love living in kitchens because that’s where they have a constant source of food and water. Due to their sneaky nature, cockroaches often go undetected as they find many hiding places. Winter is an important time for cockroaches as it is when they breed. So, where you may have a couple cockroaches at the start of winter, by spring you may have a very big problem on your hands. Your best course of action is to call Pestige Solutions in order to control your cockroach problem before it turns into an infestation.

If you are worried that your house has become home to some pests this winter, please complete an enquiry form to receive a Pestige Solutions quote. We will be in contact within one business day, ready to discuss your individual pest problem. If reading this article has made you a little jumpy about what pests could be hiding in your house, we can perform a swift pest inspection, just give us a call on 1300 850 751.

The post Why pest control is important in winter appeared first on Pestige Solutions.

Pest Inspections vs. Pest Control – What’s The Difference?

excitemedia — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 03:00:05 +0000

There can be a lot of different confusing terminology and jargon being thrown around when it comes to pest control. While you don’t need to understand it all, grasping the basics will help you get the service you need.

To clear some confusion, we have put together a guide to understanding one of the biggest misunderstandings. The difference between a pest inspection and pest control. Essentially, you can not have an effective pest control treatment without a comprehensive pest inspection.

But what do these terms even mean and how do you know if your pest solution provider is doing it right?

What exactly is a pest inspection?

A pest inspection is the examination of a home for the signs which indicate the presence of pests and rodents. It is more than looking behind the fridge to see if there is a cockroach or two. A pest inspection is a thorough examination of accessible areas of the house. Pest control experts, also known as exterminators, will look inside the house, around outside, at the foundations and through the yard. When access allows, they will also inspect the roof and under the house.

An extermination and pest professional are trained and equipped to identify the tiniest indications of pests.

You should request a pest inspection if you:

Notice animal droppings, inside or outside
Are having trouble eradicating ants
Are worried you may have termites – never leave this concern to fester, immediate action is essential
Are purchasing a property (this is a requirement for all Queensland mortgages)

What happens during an inspection?

Experienced professionals are looking for the signs of pests, rodents, spiders, ants or termites. Equipped with torches, headlamps, a camera, and a device to probe the property’s structural wood and foundation. Professionals can immediately recognise the difference in dirt mounds from wood-boring pest like termites compared to earthworms. Pest inspectors are also keeping an eye out for dry-rot.

A pest control inspector will be looking for tell-tale signs such as:

Animal droppings from rodents or bed bugs
Excavated wood inside and outside the house
Damaged furniture, gnawing marks or droppings
Damp patches in the ceiling indicating damage to, or nesting in, the pipes

How often should I get my home inspected?

No home is immune forever from pests. It is advised that you have annual inspections. This helps to not just prevent the appearance or rodents, but also to tackle any severe damage occurring.

The Pestige Solutions team can help you keep track of your treatments without friendly reminder service. One of our team representatives will give you a quick call when your 12months is nearing.

How does the inspection effect my pest control?

A pest inspection is a review of what problems exist, it determines what course treatment to take. A sub-par inspection will make even the most expensive chemicals null and void. You will be throwing money away if your pest inspection does not thoroughly inspect and accurately determine what pests exist, and to what extent.

If the pest inspection miss-identifies the pests, then you will spend money on a treatment solution that will never work. It won’t be much of a solution at all really. Likewise, if your exterminator underestimates the extent to which the pests have infected the property then you will lay our money for a treatment that will leave pests behind to procreate. Not to mention the time you loose vacating the home.

You will have to call in yet another exterminator to finish the job. Or worse, you assume the job was correct the first time, all whilst nasty pests breed and make the problem bigger than the before.

A comprehensive and accurate pest inspection is the backbone of successful pest control.

What is pest control?

Pest control is the solution part of the business. It is the application of pest-specific chemicals which are designed to eradicate invaders. Pests are defined as animals which pose a threat to the inhabitants of the house’s health, the ecology or both. Therefore, successful eradication is vital.

The pest control chemicals don’t just kill pests dead in their tracks, the good ones are designed to prolong or prevent their return

The chemicals the Pestige Solutions team use are of the highest efficacy and have an environmental conscious.

Pest control does not just end at a chemical cleanse. Pest control also seeks to remove any untreated, infected or damaged wood.

The Pestige Solution team work with you to minimise disruption to your life during all our treatments and solutions.

By using effective, low-toxic, eco-conscious chemicals we’ll have your home clear of pests and you back in your home faster.

DIY Vs. the experts?

At first glance, pest inspections can seem like a fairly simple process. Simply notice the presence of pests, right? Unfortunately, it just is not that simple. Most people can not tell the difference between acceptable dwellers and havoc-wreaking pests.

Pest control experts aren’t just trained to see the tell-tale signs. They also understand the lifecycle of rodents, cockroaches, termites, ants and spiders. They understand how they react to weather, and the seasons, where they hide and how exactly to find them.

Many of the pests you need to eradicate are not just damaging the property, they can be poisonous. The removal of spider and termite nests can be incredibly dangerous. It is essential you call in an expert for this. Moreover, in Queensland, all termite findings need to be reported. Let the experts take care of the guest work.

The Pestige Solutions difference

The Pestige Solutions team care for you home just as much as they care for their own. However, we don’t know the ins and outs of your home like you do. Working with you, the Pestige team will grasp a comprehensive understanding of your concerns and work with you to tackle them at your convenience.

We understand it can be a logistical hassle to vacate the premises for the time of the treatment, and for the hours afterwards. We are flexible, we even work on Saturdays, to help you find the best time to fit us in.

We don’t just come and go without a word, our expert team have a wealth of knowledge. We will help you understand where the pests came from, how they survive, and most importantly, how to prevent their return.

Using first-class eco-friendly effective products, we guarantee all of our work. We are also fully insured and have set up our employees with WorkCover.

The post Pest Inspections vs. Pest Control – What’s The Difference? appeared first on Pestige Solutions.

4 Reasons You Need to Clear Your Property of Termites Immediately

excitemedia — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 05:12:40 +0000

You might already know that having termites in your home is a problem, but it could be more serious than you think. Many people don’t understand the full extent of the damage that termites can cause, or the secondary threats they could be facing if they don’t deal with them properly.

Termites aren’t just a technical term on a property sales contract. They can cause extensive structural damage to your home, costing you heaps of money and a tonne of inconvenience. They can be a serious liability, and it’s important to clear your property of them immediately—for a number of other reasons you might not have even considered.

1. Protect your property’s value

Within the pest control industry, it’s largely accepted that the discovery of termites in a property reduces its value by at least 20%—but this is assuming that the infestation was discovered in time to treat it. It’s virtually impossible to quantify the cost in other terms, and it’s likely to be much higher. For example, if you’re selling your property and termites are discovered during the pest inspection, it’s almost certain that your prospective buyer will pull out. And even if they don’t, you’ll have to reduce your asking price, or you’ll be liable for the cost of a longer settlement while you deal with the problem.

Termites are insidious, and most people don’t know their home is infested until the damage is very extensive. Leaving termites untreated can completely destroy the structure of your property, until it reaches a point that it’s deemed uninhabitable; if this happens, the only value left in it will be the land—which can also be reduced.

Treating your home at the first sign of termites, and having it inspected even if there are no signs, will help to keep the value of your asset intact over the long term.

2. Protect your furnishings

Most people know that termites eat wood. But that’s not all they eat: they’re nasty little critters with huge appetites, and they’re also partial to other fibres in fabric, paper, plastic, plasterboard. That means if your property is infested with termites, there’s a good chance it’s not just structural damage you need to worry about: they could also destroy your soft furnishings and carpets, valuable documents, insulation, and even swimming pool filters!

Termites enjoy anything that has a high cellulose content or is fibrous. There’s a veritable feast for them not just in your walls and floors, but in places you don’t check very often, like storage boxes in the garage or shelved books. It’s a good idea to regularly check your storage areas for signs of termites, especially if you’re storing cardboard boxes or there’s a history of water damage there.

Having a pest control professional examine your property for termites won’t just save your property value: it could potentially prevent you from losing the most valuable and important belongings in your home.

Inspections are well worth the expense just to protect your sentimental possessions, let alone to avoid the cost of replacing all the carpets and soft furnishings in your house.

3. Protect your yard

It might seem obvious, but termites can also destroy your yard. They eat wood, and for most suburban homes, there’s an abundance of plant fibre for them to live on just outside the back door.

If you have tall trees in your yard, a termite infestation can be a serious source of danger. It does depend on the species of termite, the size of the colony, and the type of tree you have, but over time it’s certain that your tree will become weak and at risk of falling, particularly during storm season. This is especially dangerous for your family or tenants if they have small children who play outside, powerlines overhead, or the tree is close to the house.

There are many other sources of food for termites in your backyard as well. They thrive in high-moisture areas, including in your mulch, any water-damaged areas between the garden and house, and in wooden fencing and retaining walls. These areas not only give them proximity and access to your house, but they can destroy your trees, plants, and landscaping.

Don’t hesitate to hire a pest control expert to inspect your yard all the way to the fence line: you could not only be protecting your yard and surrounds, but you could be stopping an infestation in your home from beginning in the first place.

4. Protect your family

Dealing with trees on your property will certainly go a long way towards keeping your family safe, but it’s not the only risk they face when your home is infested with termites.

The most serious threat to your home is the structural damage they can cause.

Termites can eat a long way through your home’s support beams before you even notice they’re there. Replacing plasterboard or architraves they’ve gotten into is expensive, but it’s not usually a major safety hazard; but if they’ve eaten through the framework of the property, you could have both a big financial burden and serious safety risk on your hands. Once the damage has been done, your home could be uninhabitable, and your home and land could be worth a fraction of what you paid.

It’s so important to attend to the first signs of termites in your home. They could include:

Shed wings lying around
Droppings
Scratching sounds in your walls
Hollow, papery, tunneled or bowing timber
Tight-fitting doors and windows

If you notice any of these signs, contact Pestige Solutions immediately for an inspection: we’re third-generation professionals with a stellar reputation and decades of experience in protecting homes like yours.

Our operators are located all over metropolitan Sydney, so call us anytime for more information on our innovative and non-toxic pest control treatments, and we’ll be with you in a blink.

The post 4 Reasons You Need to Clear Your Property of Termites Immediately appeared first on Pestige Solutions.