Is DIY Pest Control Worth The Hassle For Your Dallas Property?

There are primarily two ways to manage Dallas pests with DIY methods. We highly recommend one and discourage the other. What are these two forms of DIY pest control? The first is all-natural home pest control, which prevents reproduction, removes attractants, blocks access, and counteracts pests in other natural ways. While these methods take some work, the results are often long-lasting. The other way to deter pests is to purchase pest control products. You would likely be amazed at the number and variety of products available. Some work great. Some work if they are applied correctly. Some do not work no matter how you apply them. In some cases, pest control products can make your problem worse. Let's drill into this topic and discuss the dos and don'ts of home pest control. We'll also share with you some effective home pest control tips.      

The Dos And Don'ts Of Home Pest Control 

When pests pester you, it can make you want to do some crazy things. Some ideas may not sound so crazy when you're at the end of your rope or when you don't understand how pests will respond to your actions. We hear horror stories all the time of pests doing entirely unexpected things. We also walk into many situations that could have been avoided if Dallas residents knew more about pest behavior. One of the reasons we work so hard on these blogs is that we want folks to avoid the misery of incorrectly treating pests. Here are a few does and don'ts to help you.

• Don't use sprays to arrest pest problems. Most over-the-counter sprays attack the symptom, not the source. For example, you can spray ants every day and never stop the colony that is sending the ants into your home.
• Do remove what ants and other pests are looking for in your home. If you find an apple core in a wastepaper basket with ants all over it, dispose of it outside. That may be all that is needed to stop your ant infestation.
• Don't use harmful products. These are more harmful to your family's health than the pests you're attempting to treat.
• Do use natural home pest control products as appropriate, such as sprays derived from essential oils. When using essential oils for home pest control, be aware that organic products break down quickly. If you're not using essential oils for targeted control, you'll need to apply them frequently as a repellent.
• Don't spray any old pest control spray around the exterior of your home. Some products can harm your kids, pets, and any untargeted organisms around your home. Some smell bad and don't last much longer than the bad smell. 
• Do use exclusion work to keep pests out of your home. When you seal a hole, you create a physical barrier that will stay in place for a long time.

Control products rarely achieve the results promised. Using all-natural pest management solutions is far better for achieving long-lasting control of pests in Dallas. 

Helpful Tips For Deterring Pests In Dallas

When you set your mind to taking care of your own pest control, you'll find prevention is going to give you more bang for your buck. Ongoing prevention around your home stops pests before they get inside. Once they get inside, contacting Dallas pest control for treatment is often better. Here are our best prevention tips. You'll apply most to the outside of your home.

• Remove trash weekly and ensure trash receptacles don't have a strong odor.
• Move trash receptacles away from exterior doors.
• Rake leaves, sticks, plant debris, and other organic sources up and away from your exterior.
• Pick dead branches up from your lawn and store them in a large plastic bin to keep subterranean termites from having direct access to wood as a food source.
• Move stacked wood away from your exterior. Bugs hide in, under, and around wood.
• Move man-made objects away from your exterior. Bugs use these items to hide from the drying effects of the sun.
• Remove bird feeders or put them well away from your exterior.
• Replace exterior white lights with yellow lights. Insects can't see yellow light and are not attracted to it.
• Remove unnecessary plants, weeds, and grass from your landscaping.
• Remove objects from your yard that collect water. Stagnant water offers a breeding site for mosquitoes and other pests.
• Address lawn weeds. Tiny flowers all over your lawn attract bees, wasps, ants, mosquitoes, and more.
• Remove spider webs inside and outside. A web can have a spider egg sac, and one sac can have 300 eggs.
• Routinely inspect your exterior in the spring and knock down starter nests created by paper wasps. Do this during the day while the queen is away.
• Refrain from feeding dogs or cats outside, or put food down only during mealtimes.
• Stay on top of pest waste clean-up. Flies are strongly attracted to properties with pest waste.
• Replace weatherstripping and door sweeps if exterior doors have gaps.
• Repair or replace window and door screens.
• Apply vent covers and weep hole protectors where needed.
• Use a caulking gun or foam to seal gaps around pipes and other exterior entry points.
• Keep your home as clean as possible. Food debris and poor sanitation give pests a reason to live in your home. It is best that they enter and not find what they want.
• Consider storing food in sealed plastic containers. These keep smells in and pests out.
• Repair leaking faucets and showerheads, which provide water for pests.
• Consider only eating in the kitchen and dining room. These prevent food sources from being deposited throughout your home on a routine basis.

Do you see how these work? The goal is to remove attractants that bring pests onto your property and promote activity. They work to deter pests from hatching or reproducing near your home and seal pests out of your home.  

The Pros And Cons Of Attempting DIY Pest Control 

There are benefits when you roll your sleeves up and take care of pest control for your home, but is DIY home pest control the right choice?

What are the pros?

• If you need a simple fix, it may be cheaper to do it yourself. Fruit flies are good example of a pest problem that can be simple. Mixing water, vinegar, and dish soap in a pickle jar with holes punched in the top may stop an infestation. But keep in mind that a fruit fly trap addresses the symptom. If fruit flies are breeding in your home, you'll need more than traps to stop them. You have to get to the source of your problem.
• When you do it yourself, you know every product you've used.
• There is satisfaction in a job well done. When you solve a problem, it feels good.  
• Your efforts can give you extra protection on top of what your professional pest control service provides. It is always best to have layers of protection. Some pests don't take no for an answer.

What are the cons?

• It's hard work. After you've spent the week doing your day job, do you really want to be battling pests?
• You may think you stopped your pest problem when you actually haven't. Pests can damage your property and make you sick. If you think you've solved your problem, you'll continue to be exposed to these threats.
• You can fall and hurt yourself. Professionals are insured. If anything happens, they're covered.
• You might damage your property. Professionals have insurance that covers this as well. 
• You can make your problem worse. Some pests can become bait averse, which makes them harder to control. Ant colonies can split when a threat is detected, leading to several colonies instead of one. 
• You can get bitten or stung. Some pests don't like to be controlled, and they'll let you know it. Yellow jackets are a good example. 
• You can waste money on products that don't work. So many products come with promises that aren't backed by research or real-world success.
• You can wear yourself out with methods that fall short. When hard work and failed products come together, you're going to be tuckered out.

When you hire a professional, you lean on the training and experience of your technician and avoid the pitfalls that come with inexperience. Whether you're trying to keep pests out of your Dallas home or you're currently battling a pest problem, it is best to contact a professional.  

Get Help From A Professional If Possible For Home Pest Troubles

When pests pester, you need someone who understands why. At All-Safe Pest & Termite, our technicians understand the behavior patterns of pests and use products that address pest development and reproduction. Our methods are scientifically derived and designed to work on the targeted pests we treat. The programs we use combine products and methods to provide coverage for a wide range of common Dallas pests—saving you money. If you're in Dallas, reach out to All-Safe Pest & Termite today. We look forward to guiding you toward the right solutions for your specific pest concerns.