Richardson, TX Pest Control

Proven Solutions for a Wide Range of Pests

How To Avoid Rodent Problems: Richardson, TX Edition

Rodents like rats and mice are notorious pests that can do a lot of damage to your property. They chew through just about anything such as wires, pipes, clothes, wood, flooring, insulation, and drywall. They also spread serious and dangerous diseases and pathogens, including Leptospirosis, hantavirus, and salmonella. Rodents also mess with their feces and urine, leave fur or grease marks throughout the house, and bring other pests into your homes, such as lice, mites, fleas, and ticks.

Rodents come inside, searching for food and shelter. If food is lying out or in easily accessible containers, rodents will stick around. The best way to prevent this is to store all food in hard plastic or glass containers with airtight lids. To avoid providing shelter for rodents, keep your storage areas clean and organized. Less mess means fewer hiding options for rodents. You should also take a thorough look around the exterior of your home. Check for cracks or holes that may be providing entry. Keep in mind that mice can get through a hole the size of a nickel.

One easy way to know you have an infestation is to spot a rodent. Where there is one rodent, there are usually more. A single mouse scurrying across the kitchen may not seem like much of a problem, but if ignored, an infestation could grow large quickly. Here are some other signs of an infestation:

• Droppings - Mice and rats leave droppings wherever they sleep or roam, so you may begin to notice pellet-shaped dropping around the house. The size may vary depending on whether you have house mice, roof rats, or Norway rats.
• Noise -  If you have rodents living in your home, there’s a good chance you’ll hear them moving around. You may hear scurrying that sounds like it’s coming from behind the walls, or you may hear them moving around in the kitchen at night. Any strange noises like this are a sign to call professional pest control.
• Gnaw marks - Rodents need to chew constantly. If rodents are living in your home, you’ll begin to notice gnaw marks on furniture, pantry items, or even cabinets and cupboards.

With that in mind, you’ll want to take a few precautionary measures to prevent rodents such as mice and rats from attacking your home or business:

• Get rid of all entry points - Seal up cracks, holes, and openings, install door sweeps, cover vents and chimneys with mesh, and seal areas where wires and other utilities enter or connect with your home.
• Keep your yard clean by picking up debris - Trimming grass and shrubbery regularly, sealing trash cans and compost bins, and storing food products like dog food and birdseed in plastic containers.
• Contact All-Safe Pest & Termite - For inspections and treatments proven to handle a rodent infestation, call All-Safe. Whether you’re dealing with sneaky mice or agile roof rats, we’ll make sure to leave your home rodent-free by the end of our service. We can also provide information to help you secure your home against potential pest threats.

If you suspect that you have rodents living in your home, don’t wait: contact the pest professionals here at All-Safe immediately, and we’ll help you develop a customized rodent control plan to get your home back safe and secure. Call us today for more information. 

Here's a Quick Way To Protect Your Richardson, TX Property From Termites

Termites are no joke. Although they aren’t directly harmful to humans, they can still cause significant problems for any home or business. Their wood-eating behavior costs billions of dollars in damages annually, and they are so hard to detect that you might not find evidence of them until the damage is severe.

If you’ve recently discovered termites in your home or are suspicious that they might be there, you probably have questions. How do I permanently get rid of termites? How much is termite prevention? Can I afford to save my house from termites? Termites can cause thousands of dollars of damage to a house. Estimates state that termites cost U.S. home and business owners over $5 billion annually.

Why do termites cause so much damage? When we talk about termites, we’re usually talking about subterranean termites. They live in colonies underground and find ways to get to wood (which is their main food source) without coming out into the open. Termites can find a lot of food in your home. They’ll eat at the wooden structures inside your house. If the damage is severe, it may cause the walls to tilt, the ceiling to droop, the floors to bulge, and the windows and doors to stick.

The easiest solution to termite problems is to install the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. This innovative bait system will take down termite colonies using undetectable, odorless bait that directly targets the termite queen and prevents her from creating more termites. When we install this system, we provide follow-ups to ensure the bait is working and maintain the bait stations. You’ll never have to worry about termites again with our termite control services.

How to Minimize Your Mosquito Exposure in Richardson, TX

In the summer months, buzzing, biting mosquitoes are a problem no one wants to have. Not only are mosquitoes frustrating and annoying to deal with, but they’re also a danger to you and everyone on your property. Mosquitoes can carry dengue, malaria, and the West Nile virus, which are all serious health threats. One way to avoid these diseases is by avoiding mosquitoes. Minimize your mosquito exposure with the following mosquito-prevention tips:

• Make sure your gutters are draining water away from your building.
• Mow your lawn regularly to keep your grass cut short.
• Eliminate sources of standing water, such as kiddie pools, small fish ponds, cans, buckets, and flower pots.
• Trim hedges and shrubbery away from your exterior walls.
• Invest in professional mosquito treatment.

At All-Safe Pest & Termite, our mosquito control services target mosquitoes effectively and continuously protect your property. We understand how dangerous mosquitoes can be, which is why we are committed to providing effective mosquito control and prevention services. If you want to enjoy your outdoor living area without mosquitoes bugging you, contact All-Safe Pest & Termite for immediate assistance. 

Ant Prevention Tips for Richardson, TX Homeowners

When ants invade Texas homes, numerous problems soon follow. Acrobat ants, pharaoh ants, fire ants, and carpenter ants bring their own unique annoyances and dangers to the homes they infest. Still, they all have one thing in common; they’re notoriously difficult to get out once they're inside a home.

Due to their small size, huge colonies, and ability to multiply quickly, a small ant problem in your home can (and will) turn into a big one very quickly; preventing them from getting inside in the first place is an essential task for Texas homeowners. Here are some tips you can use to end an ant infestation before it occurs:

• Deny any potential food source they could find in your home. Wash the dishes after every meal and store dirty dishes in the dishwasher, keep your trash in sealed containers, and vacuum the floors and carpets regularly for any food particles. 
• Stop moisture accumulation which could serve as a water source. Fix any moisture problems inside or around the home, such as leaky pipes or faucets, and make sure your gutters and drains are free of obstructions so that water can flow freely away from the home.
• Remove any potential entry points they could use to get inside—seal gaps around exterior pipes, walls, and window and door frames. Fix any holes that may have formed in your home’s walls. Replace any damaged window or door screens.
• Trim tree branches and bushes near the home. A dense tree canopy can cause areas of dampness near your home, making it harder for the sun to dry the topsoil while simultaneously presenting a direct path to your home if branches touch the walls.

Unfortunately, there is only so much you can do as a homeowner using DIY efforts alone when it comes to ants. If ants invade, most homeowners aren’t equipped to handle the problem on their own entirely.

Luckily, you don’t have to go it alone: contact the professionals at All-Safe Pest & Termite today and find out why a professional ant treatment could be the perfect method to keep your home ant-free both now and in the future.

How To Tell If You Have A Cockroach Problem In Your Richardson Home 

Cockroaches are nocturnal pests that often live in areas of your Richardson home that you never visit. They are likely hiding in plain sight and feasting off of crumbs that are in your kitchen. But just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean that they aren't there.

Here are a few signs of cockroach activity that might indicate that you have an active infestation:

• The presence of other pests, such as spiders, beetles, and centipedes
• Nibble marks on cereal boxes or other pantry item containers
• Body parts and skin that shed during the molting process
• A strong, foul odor that smells like mold
• Soft scratching sounds from within cabinets and drawers
• Fecal matter that looks like pepper flakes or bits of dirt, usually lining kitchen drawers
• Finding cockroaches, whether they’re living or dead
• Egg sacs  
• An increase in allergic reactions or asthma symptoms
• Chewed wallpaper
• Smear marks on walls that come from cockroach droppings

If you notice any of these signs in your home, then you’ll want to bring in professional help from All-Safe Pest & Termite right away. We are the area’s trusted experts because we have nearly 40 years of experience and always optimize low-toxicity treatments. Our technicians perform detailed home inspections and customize all of the five-star treatments that we implement. We even guarantee the results. If you want to protect your home with cockroach control services in Richardson, call us today.

Why Do I Have Wasps In My Richardson Yard? 

Wasps are one of the most common stinging insects in the area. They are also potentially dangerous, as they are territorial and aggressive. Wasps are capable of stinging people repeatedly, so it’s important to be wary of them. If you have wasps in your Richardson home, that could be happening for a few key reasons, some of which include:

• Old nests: While wasps won’t re-use an old nest, they will check on it for viability. If an old nest is still in good condition, they are likely to inhabit the same property again.
• Sweet flowers: These stinging insects are highly effective pollinators and sweet, blossoming flowers are very appealing to them. If you have a brightly colored garden, you may be calling wasps to it. They are particularly drawn to anything that’s blue, purple, pink, or white.
• Other food sources: While wasps are ideally looking for a garden, they’ll settle for decomposing fruit or what’s in your garbage. They may also be drawn to grills that need to be cleaned off or dishes that go uncovered at outdoor gatherings. If you’re eating meals outside, it’s very important to keep dishes covered between servings. You will also want to clean up any spills in a timely manner and always keep a lid on trash cans.
• Enticing people: If you wear sweet perfume or exotic prints on your clothing, then you might be drawing the attention of wasps. This is why it’s very common to see wasps around your property if you’re hosting an outdoor gathering. 

For more information on wasp control in Richardson, call All-Safe Pest & Termite today.

Natural Spider Prevention Tips For Richardson Homes

Spiders are lured to Richardson homes by other pests that they eat. Some of their prey includes cockroaches, ants, and flies. Spiders also look for moist conditions and a place to hide, whether indoors or outdoors. Here are a few prevention tips that might provide relief for homeowners:

• Start with moisture: Water sources not only lure spiders but also their prey. Check faucets and pipes for leaks regularly and fix any that have arisen. It’s also key to reduce areas of humidity in basements, crawl spaces, and attics.
• Try to be tidy: Food build-up and generally unhygienic settings will attract the pests that spiders prey upon, so aim for total cleanliness. This includes taking out the trash regularly and not leaving decomposing food in it, rinsing out jars before recycling them, scrubbing food spills, and eliminating unnecessary clutter.
• Fill in the gaps: Homeowners can also cut off access points that pests use. Replace window or door screens that have holes, use caulk around foundational cracks, and implement door sweeps.
• Know when to ask for help: It’s never too early to start preventing spiders or the pests that they eat. By enlisting the services of a pest professional, homeowners can have complete relief from these invaders throughout the year. 

To learn more about methods of spider control in Richardson, call All-Safe Pest & Termite today.

The Best Way To Protect Your Richardson Property From Ticks

Ticks create a seasonal pest problem that can be harmful to your well-being and that of your pets if they make their way to your Richardson property. Through their bites and feeding, ticks can be the source of tularemia, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other health issues. The best way to protect yourself is with these preventive measures:

• Consider care for pets: If you have any cats or dogs, you’ll want to consult a vet about year-round tick and flea control. It’s also important to limit their contact with unknown animals and perform thorough checks for ticks after they’ve been outdoors. Ticks can hide very easily in their fur, so you may want to check them at least a few times after they’ve come back from an adventure.
• Keep wildlife off of your property: Ticks are often transported by wildlife animals, so do what you can to keep them away. This may entail scaling back on hiding sites through effective landscaping, storing garbage securely, turning on motion sensor lights and sprinklers, and using decoy animals around your yard that you move routinely.
• Create an inhospitable environment: Try taking away all of the characteristics that draw ticks to your yard in the first place. This can include pruning hedges and trees regularly, getting rid of water sources, and keeping grass at a short height. Cleaning up yard clutter on a routine basis should also be helpful in limiting the places that they can hide.
• Seek professional help: A pest professional can also provide seasonal tick applications to eliminate and prevent populations. They can create a layer of protection around your yard that you can’t achieve otherwise and can target the growth of new populations.

For more information on our Richardson pest control services, call All-Safe Pest & Termite today at (972) 945-9226.