Pest control problems caused by roach, rodent, and other infestations can make it difficult to operate your business successfully. Sure, you might be able to keep a lid on things at first, but in most cases, that’s a temporary measure and the problem pops up again later – usually when you least expect, need, or want it to happen.
Regular pest control treatments are the business owners’ answer to dealing with these potentially ongoing problems.
The big question is, how often should those treatments happen? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Instead, the frequency of pest control treatments at your business depends on a few factors.
Keep reading to find out how to determine the recommended schedule for your business.
Your Business’ Vulnerability To Pest Infestation
Some types of business are more vulnerable to pest infestation than others. The nature of your business makes a difference when it comes to how frequently you should have pest control treatments.
The types of business that most commonly have pest infestation problems include restaurants, convenience stores and supermarkets, hotels, and offices. Of course, pest infestations certainly aren’t limited to those types of businesses.
The nature of your business also means that it’s more likely to attract certain types of pests. For example, restaurants and convenience stores might have roach and rodent infestation, while a hotel’s biggest problem might be bedbugs, with rodents and roaches being less of a problem.
If you serve food at your business, you should set up pest control treatments at least once a month. Monthly pest control treatments also are a good idea if the public visits your establishment frequently, as you don’t want possible sightings of bugs and other pests to create the wrong impression.
However, there is more to controlling pest infestations than not wanting to create the wrong impression. Different types of pests can pose serious health risks to you, your employees, your customers, and other members of the public.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, some pests, such as mosquitoes, rodents, and ticks, are disease vectors that can carry and spread infectious diseases such as Lyme disease, rabies, and Zika virus. Other pests, such as roaches, can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms.
Roaches, rats, and mice can contaminate work surfaces, as well as food that isn’t stored safely, with germs that can cause dysentery, gastroenteritis, and salmonella. All three of those illnesses can lead to severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. The problem of contamination can be worsened if flies land on work surfaces and food and spread those germs around.
Coming into contact with rodent droppings, saliva, or urine can cause Hantavirus. While rare, the virus can cause fever, hemorrhage, and, in extreme cases, kidney failure. If rodent urine contaminates water, and that water enters someone’s body through the ears, eyes, mouth, nose, or cuts in the skin, it could cause Weil’s Disease. Although the first symptoms of this relatively rare disease are flu-like, the disease could lead to serious problems such as liver damage or meningitis.
Bird droppings also pose a health risk. If they contaminate water, they potentially could cause e-coli and listeria. The dust from accumulated dry bird droppings can cause respiratory problems such as infections and pneumonia. Regular pest control also is a matter of protecting your health, as well as that of your employees, customers, and other members of the public who enter your establishment.
Your business’ location might also increase the chances or severity of pest infestations. Depending on where your business is located, you might need to set up weekly pest control treatments.
The frequency of pest control is important as regular treatments are always needed to keep problems at bay. Pest control is an ongoing process and the frequency of treatments is crucial in maintaining a clean and safe environment. Ask your pest control professional what they recommend with regards to the frequency of treatments for your establishment and take it from there.
Your Business’ Pest Infestation History
The history of pest infestations your business has experienced is another factor to consider when deciding the best schedule for pest control treatments. Think about which pests have been a problem in the past.
If your business has had consistent infestation issues, you’ll want to increase the frequency of treatments, especially when certain seasons begin. You also should consider more frequent treatments if you’ve had problems with pests that are especially difficult to get rid of, such as ants. You need to take serious steps to protect your business if pests of any type are a problem at your premises.
Your Pest Control Professional’s Assessment
After contacting a pest control company, a pest control professional will do an inspection at your business. They will identify the types of pests at your establishment, and they will let you know if the problem has progressed to a full-blown infestation.
The pest control professional’s inspection and assessment will enable them to develop a plan to keep your business premises free from pests such as bugs and rodents, and to recommend a schedule for pest control treatments. They might recommend weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly treatments. Their assessment and frequency recommendations are the final factor to consider when deciding on the ideal schedule for your business.
Regular pest control treatments are essential for every business, whether you look at it from the perspective of your employees or your customers.
Get in touch with Twin-Boro Termite and Pest Control today. We’ll inspect your business for free and help you decide on the best schedule for pest control treatments. Let us take care of the bugs so you can get on with running your business successfully.