According to a study by the U.S. Census Bureau, 14 million homes out of 124 million reported having cockroaches in 2021. But these are not the only offenders. Many pests appear in U.S. homes year-round, from mice in the winter to spiders in the summer, often prompting homeowners to experiment with DIY pest control.
The problem with DIY treatment is that it is often dangerous and can make the problem worse. Using sprays and bug bombs can actually push insects further into walls, where they will breed and come back with newfound force. Termite treatments can harm the environment and often don’t target the problem at its source.
If you are not seeing any results from your DIY pest treatment, it might be time to call a professional. The following problems are why your DIY pest control is likely failing to produce results.
1. Misidentification of Pests
It is often necessary to bring in a professional to identify what kind of pests are in your home. Certain pests, like bed bugs, are easy to identify, but others, like carpet beetles, are quite difficult. Mice and rodents, as well, can easily cause misidentification, as both leave fecal matter in your home.
Misidentifying a pest leads you to apply the wrong home remedy. The pest population will simply survive your incorrect treatment and continue to breed. It is always best to call a professional, as exterminators are experts in identifying pests and choosing the proper treatment to kill them the first time.
2. Over-the-Counter Treatments Don’t Target Specific Insects
If you are attempting to kill your pests with store-bought pesticides, you are likely buying a generic product. Rather than eliminating the pests, you are creating a population resilient to pesticides. As these pests adapt to survive such treatments, you are contributing to the greater issue of insecticide-resistant pest populations.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified bed bugs as a public health risk, as they continue to become more insecticide-resistant. Over-the-counter chemicals are causing pests to become increasingly immune to such treatments, and therefore harder to eliminate.
3. DIY Treatments Don’t Target the Source
Have you noticed that after a treatment, your pests show up again within a few days or weeks? When treated improperly, insects invade a different part of your home to avoid the treatment, or the pesticide simply fails to kill all the pests.
DIY treatments can, in fact, make your problem worse. For example, termites must be targeted at the source–their colony. The EPA has identified termites as a home safety issue, as they can damage the structural integrity of your house. If you simply kill the termites that are visible within your home, they continue to breed and cause damage, which weakens your home’s structural integrity as time progresses.
4. Underestimation of the Pest Population
You can never truly know how bad a pest problem is until you call a professional. An exterminator has the background knowledge and expertise to identify the severity of a pest problem and target the specific areas where they must kill the colony before the problem is irreversible.
For example, according to Alabama A&M University, black widows lay egg sacs that contain about 255 eggs and lay several egg sacs at a time. Many pest populations, such as spiders, are often larger than you realize due to their reproductive cycle. A pest population can quickly breed out of control.
5. Expensive DIY Treatments Don’t Produce Results
DIY treatment ultimately becomes more costly than investing in a professional. Homeowners often either target the wrong pest population or create pesticide-resistant insects. After attempting several pesticide treatments and home remedies, you will likely rack up a bill and fail to eliminate the core problem of your pests.
When Should I Call a Professional?
Although there are preventative measures you can take to reduce pests in your home, an infestation is always possible. If this is the case, the longer you delay, the worse your pest problem will get.
At Ortex Termite & Pest Control, we take pride in our expert methods of pest control. We specialize in treating several infestations, from rodents to insects, and we will make sure that we get the job done correctly and safely with FDA-approved treatments.
Call Ortex Termite & Pest Control today at (931) 347-1929 to identify and treat your pest infestation. We serve several areas in Tennessee and Alabama and guarantee long-lasting results to eliminate your pests.
