DIY Pest Control Risks

When the weather gets warmer, the pests come out. Pests like wasps and bees, for example. Other insects, too, look for places to build nests, webs and then lay eggs or raise their young.

Termites come out in the spring. Mosquitoes become active at dawn and dusk when the weather is warmer. Wasps, hornets and bees start building nests under eaves and just about any place else they can get a foothold. Ants start marching into homes to search for food.

It can seem like there is an all-out assault against your home and property by invading insects. Naturally, you want to defend yourself against them. The temptation might be to head to your local hardware store and stock up on sprays and baits. You may even look online for videos and how-to articles that explain how to get rid of pests.

Well - hold on! There are risks involved in trying the DIY pest control route. Risks that could actually put the health and welfare of yourself, your family and pets in jeopardy. There are reasons we always encourage you to contact a Western Exterminator pest control professional for help.

DIY pest control personal health risks

First, there are numerous risks to your own personal safety with trying to remove pests on your own. Precautions should be taken to minimize the risks and get rid of pests such as wasps and hornets.

Wasps and hornets are notorious for defending their nests very aggressively. They are most aggressive during daylight hours, slowing down quite a bit at night. Trying to remove a wasp’s nest from your home on your own can lead to painful stings or other problems. If you climb up on a ladder to remove it, you could not only be stung, but also fall. Too many stings can lead to a hospital stay and lead to shock. Wasps and hornets have the ability to sting multiple times because they do not lose their stingers.

Trying to get rid of other pests can involve chemicals, too. It takes special knowledge and training to use the right method and the right chemicals. It also takes special tools and training to administer the chemicals or other pest control methods effectively. Often, homeowners, or those without proper pest control training, use too much of a chemical and that can create problems for you inhaling it, stepping in it, tracking it through the house or getting it on your hands.

Using traps and other pest control methods can also be risky. Traps can leave dead rodents around the home and can be risky to set. This can lead to injury to you. For example, a rat trap can snap shut and break the bones in your finger.

DIY pest control risks to families

Much the same way there are risks against you, there are risks for your entire family. A wasp’s nest that has been built right into the home can extend into the roof and attic structure. The nests can extend into the space between the roof and the attic, too. This gives the insects easy access to your home and family. Since wasps and hornets will attack aggressively if they are disturbed, they could swarm into the house trying to get away and will attack those seeking shelter there.

Children and other family members that are outside when someone attempts to knock down a nest, could end up attacked just like the person spraying the chemicals or attempting to knock down the nest. Improper use of the chemicals could mean the nest is not entirely neutralized and they could come back and attack all over again.

Traps and bait left out where curious kids might find them could end up with their fingers in the poison and ingest it without realizing what they’re doing. Traps can snap shut on little fingers and toes and cause intense pain and breakage.

DIY pest control risks to pets

Pets often find things like poison interesting. They go by smell and things that humans know are poison seem attractive to dogs and cats. A good example outside of pest control is antifreeze. While human beings know is poisonous, it tastes and smells sweet to dogs. Other chemicals are also attractive to them. Eating bait or chemical sprays can be fatal to them or make them sick.

Dogs and cats attracted to the bait in traps could end up causing serious harm to sensitive noses, jaws, or paws. You might save a few bucks doing pest control yourself, but end up spending hundreds of dollars on veterinary bills.

DIY pest control risks to property

There are numerous dangers to your property when you deal with pests. There are numerous stories of people who, for example, attempt to get rid of spiders using flames that set the entire house on fire. Chemicals used improperly can damage wood, fabrics and some may be flammable.

If you try to get rid of termites on your own, you might end up causing them to move to another location that does even more damage to wooden structures, joists and support beams around your home. Missing just two bed bugs can cause a new infestation that might end with you tossing out furniture, clothing, tearing up carpeting and having to rebuild parts of your home.

Wasps and hornets will re-use abandoned nests time and again. They build exterior nests and then have huge portions extend into spaces near the roof of within the walls. This can cause tremendous property damage and a professional can make sure that the entire nest is removed.

Rats and mice will chew through walls and wires and putting poisons and other traps around can cause them to move other places around the home which will cause even more property damage and other issues.

Western Exterminator pest control specialists

Pest control specialists are trained constantly and up to date on the latest methods of pest control. They can study a structure and determine where pests are getting in. This allows them to target their control methods for maximum effectiveness that will truly stop further infestations and pests from getting in.

We also study pests, so we know where to focus on our treatments to be effective and reduce the amount of chemicals used. Pest control professionals are trained on the latest equipment to get rid of the entire infestation and offer solutions to prevent a return.

While trying to take care of pest control issues on your own may seem like a money-saving solution, the risks outweigh the benefits. It’s better to contact the specialists at a company like Western Exterminator to get a full property inspection and discuss a full and effective pest control solution for your home and property.