DIY or company?- Being informed is key. Before you can tackle the pest problem in your home you will first have to get information on what is the pest type, nature and extent of the problem. Now you can identify the method to use to rid your home of the pest. Integrated Pest Management must be the basis of any pest control process. What this means is that combination of mechanisms, chemicals and environmental methods are employed to combat your problem. Pest control services are always recommended instead of trying to handle the problem yourself, due to the time, effort and costs you will incur that will be significantly more than that of a professional. Some pests are also of such a nature that it can be deadly for you to tamper and anger the creatures for example bees. Specialist know-how is also required for some pests such as termites.

Treatment intervals- Treatment intervals depend on the type of pest infestation. Regular applications is the common recommendation.

Prevention is best- Preventing the pest outbreak is better than curing the problem once is rears its crawly head. The more unattractive the environment the less pest problems you will have. Firstly, invest in yellow light bulbs for your garden. Wood is a wonderfully attractive playground for creatures. It is advised that wood to ground contact be minimal, timber used in landscape gardening be substitute with other suitable materials and wood piling be done far from the home.

Chemical treatment- However not always the prefer choice of treatment, chemicals are sometimes the only means to combat uncontrollable infestations. Less toxic chemical are available on the market but they also have risks and side-effects to be carefully studied before use. The fact that the chemical is less toxic does not mean it’s totally safe for your health or the environment. Handle the chemical just as you would your normal toxic chemicals. Better safe than sorry.

Chemical alternatives- Mechanical pest control is a very popular alternative to chemical treatments. Hormone, snap, light and sticky traps can be used to catch the irritating pest without the risk of poisoning yourself, family or pets. However these mechanisms can also hurt uninformed persons so take the time to tell them what the mechanism purpose is.

Be very careful- Be very careful when you attempt pest control treatment yourself. Read the instructions carefully and make sure that you wear suitable clothing that will protect your skin and lungs. Chemicals and mechanical alternatives should be stored in safe places out of reach of uninformed persons. Food or cool drink containers should never be used for storing poisons.