3 major risks of DIY pest control

There are risks when pests invade your home. Insects and rodents may bring bacteria and disease, which means that pest control is a necessity.

Pest control treatments also bring other worries to mind such as the products used, the impact on the environment, the potential impact on pets, and the use of chemicals around children.

Licensed pest control companies like Ehrlich must closely follow local, state and national regulations. However, the temptation is often to try and take care of the pest problem yourself. The internet is full of do-it-yourself pest control solutions (DIY), some of them claiming to be environmentally friendly or just as effective as a professional pest control treatment.

Some over-the-counter pest control efforts might work, but there are risks to using these DIY methods instead of calling in the pros. Risks that may be just as bad, if not worse, than the products used by a trained pest control expert.

Pest control sprays could have harmful chemicals

Regardless of whether it’s a pest treatment applied is by a professional or a spray can that you buy over the counter at a store, effective pest control often utilizes chemicals. That means that there are potential health risks.

Pest control methods used to stop invasions of insects are designed to kill the pests and prevent them from returning. This often involves using an application that contains chemicals, and with that there is potential to harm pets and people if not used properly.

For example, if there is a wasp nest on your property, the temptation may be to go to the store and buy a spray can. Because the can makes it seem so easy, the temptation might be to then go home, open the can, aim and spray without reading the warnings. The spray may be effective, but there are a number of potential health risks to keep in mind while using:

• Are there kids nearby?

• Is the cloud of chemicals headed toward your neighbor’s house?

• Are you close enough for the chemicals to be useful?

If agitated, some stinging insects may swarm and sting anything that attacks their nest. Attempting to remove a stinging insect nest could result in being stung. Other people in close proximity to the nest might also be stung.

Pesticides need to be treated seriously and used properly. Reading all of the instructions is key and they must be followed to the letter, or risks can greatly increase.

There are even stories of people trying to remove spiders and other pests using fire and ending up burning their homes down. A recent viral video of a man trying to remove a spider near his gas tank, at a gas station, by using a lighter that nearly sets the entire station on fire. So, whether it’s chemicals or other methods, seriously consider leaving the pest removal to the pros.

DIY solutions often harm the environment

Did you know that there are strict rules in most municipalities against using chemicals on honey bees? 

Honey bees are a key part of the environment and using chemical treatments are heavily regulated in most places. Professional pest control technicians are trained and certified in removing honey bee hives without damaging them or their environment.

Improper use of pesticides may lead to chemicals leaking into water supplies, vegetable gardens and possibly the air inside your home. Many DIY pest control chemicals have the potential to contaminate the ground and air around your home if not used properly.

DIY pest control can get expensive

In addition to using over-the-counter chemical treatments, there is no shortage of supposed methods of pest prevention and removal.

While some of these treatments have been discussed on this blog before, and some of them might even be effective for a time, oftentimes they are not as effective as treatments provided by professionally trained and experienced pest control experts.

What does this mean for you?

If you attempt to take care of a pest infestation yourself through DIY methods and the infestation returns, you could end up spending more money on additional treatments. And if you’re a business, this could also cost more in lost inventory, crops, work time, etc.

The other potential risk of do-it-yourself treatment is that the pest invasion could get worse, as the method used may not be effective enough. If this is an attempt to get rid of termites, for example, this could end up causing additional damage if not completely eradicated and turn into costly damage to your property.

Rely on our Ehrlich Specialists

Professional pest control specialists know how to find the pests that are invading, where they are coming from, how they got in and how to stop them. Plus, they are trained to find the reasons why the pests are there and offer methods of preventing further infestations.

Ehrlich Pest Control offers a complete solution that will protect your property from numerous pests while also keeping the environment in mind.

If you are having a problem with pests, from rodents to cockroaches, call the experts at Ehrlich for help.