Why Should I Hire Pest Control? Can’t I Do It Myself?

In the age of Pinterest, Etsy, and Instructables, it’s tempting to try DIY methods to achieve results we want: whether baking delicious snacks, cleaning your house, or making kids’ playsets out of boxes… but is it feasible to try and get rid of pests that pop up at home on your own?

When comparing DIY to professional services, there are four factors to consider: Money, Time, Knowledge, and Safety.

Money : Is it REALLY Cheaper?

It’s All About The Washingtons, Baby!

At first glance, DIY seems to save money over professional services. With those professional services, though, comes specialization… Technicians have undergone extensive training and certification to be able to provide top notch services to their clientele. Techs will assess the situation (taking into account the size of your home and severity of the infestation) and then set up plans that are specific to your needs. A good technician will do everything he can to prevent infestation… DIY, however, is often a reactionary response to an existing problem.

It’s common to not even think about pest control until insects and rodents start to pop up… it’s certainly an instance of “out of sight, out of mind.” The best pest control, however, is proactive, not reactive. Often, by the time you notice ants, termites, or rodents in your house it’s TOO LATE. Pests don’t show up one at a time, either… they bring their friends to share in the wealth! Their presence, which could have been EASILY prevented by a regular service could now cause thousands of dollars in structural damage. Additionally, rats and other rodents often leave large deposits of feces from their activity inside insulation, walls, and crawlspaces, which need to be removed, sanitized, and repaired or replaced. These additional services can run into even more money, depending on the severity of infestation. So running to a hardware store to pick up generic chemicals may seem cheaper up front, but in the long run it could cost you thousands.

And sometimes the DIY method itself causes damage to your home… over the years, we’ve had people try their own pest control methods before calling a professional… in the end, they ended up damaging their own floors, walls, and shelves (which required extensive repair) AND the pests were STILL THERE!

Time: How Much Is Yours Worth?

Like the old adage says, “Time is money.” When most people consider DIY projects, the perceived time investment is “Just a couple minutes.” In actuality, it often involves much more time and effort from the homeowner… especially in pest control efforts. What starts as “a couple minutes” ends up taking more time… from leaving the house and battling traffic to buy supplies, to time doing research on methods, to application, to cleanup afterward… that time can add up. And that’s if everything goes RIGHT. If something goes wrong at any time during that process, it can tack on a significant amount of time to rectify problems. And in the end, all of those efforts may have little or no effect in any case (see above).

In the case of professional services, technicians strive to prevent infestation. The goal of preventative pest control is to stop the pests before they are able to get access to your home. Bugs thrive in nature. It’s where they’re born, where they breed, and (hopefully) where they die. Professional pest control is designed to stop pest issues before they reach your home. As a result, you’ll sleep more soundly knowing that you and your family are safe… Plus it’s convenient because most pest targeting methods don’t even require you to leave your home during treatment!

…You relax while the tech does the work? How’s THAT for a time commitment?!?

Knowledge: Knowing is Half the Battle

Yo, Joe!

Most people who try to do DIY projects use the internet as a knowledge resource… which can be a two-edged sword. Internet searches have become a part of our daily routine… we’ve even turned “Google” into a verb. Wikipedia has become a go-to resource. Information is abundant…

…but not all of that information is sound. Many information resources have turned to “crowd-sourcing” to collect information. In some cases, anonymity allows people to post without fear of consequences for distributing incorrect information. Incorrect information (or information that does not apply to the specific scenario at hand) can be another factor in whether or not your treatment is successful.

Professional technicians have gone through extensive training in order to handle an enormous variety of pest control situations. From tight spaces to awkward nesting areas to trouble zones, technicians have been “through the wringer” to make sure that they are knowledgeable in the field… and are rewarded by certification attesting to this fact.

Coupled with this knowledge, certified pest control technicians are trained to use the most up-to-date equipment available, increasing efficiency in pest treatment!

Safety: It Doesn’t Happen By Accident

WARNING: Exposure to pest control chemicals does NOT give you superpowers.

Not only do techs know where to target for best results, technicians are also trained to handle chemicals efficiently and safely. There are federal and state regulations concerning chemical usage. Technicians receive certification to handle these chemicals and make sure to follow these regulations very closely. They also take into account the overall safety of your family as well. Technicians will ensure that sprays and baits are performed in a way that you and your family don’t have to worry about exposure. Even your pets are safe! A can of spray can’t look out for your family’s safety like that!

—————————————

So to sum up; with DIY, any number of things could go wrong from planning to execution and cost you time AND money… But with trained technicians comes GUARANTEED safety and peace of mind… the value of which CANNOT be underestimated! Pro Pacific Pest Control has plenty of technicians ready to serve you TODAY at prices to fit any budget!