DIY Pest Control? (1 Viewer)

Breesway

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Pest Control contracts are outrageous! Several people have suggested that we do it ourselves and that it's fairly easy to get the mixture from online and local hardware stores. Does anyone do this? Got any tips/suggestions?
 
I use Suspend Sc Insecticide


Both at home and at my business.
It works great. Doesn't kill on contact, but I have never had a problem with roaches and fleas (the two big things I'm trying to prevent) when I keep spraying it about once a month outside and about once every 3 months inside.



For a non-toxic option, use Diatomaceous Earth
First make sure it is food grade and not pool grade. Spread it, thinly, everywhere in your house and outside. Sweep it in rugs, baseboards, etc. everywhere.

The way it works is that, on a microscopic level, it will get into the joints and pores of insects and due to the sharp edges it will slice through their outer shell. It kills them without worry about Resistance or toxicity. It's a really thin powder (think powdered sugar) so be carefully inhaling it when laying it out, but it is 100% safe after that. You eat it already because farmers spread it on grains to kill insects. Some people swear at eating a few spoon fools a day for health.


The only bad thing is that it doesn't attract bugs, they need to walk across it. So you do need to spread it everywhere. Leave it down for a week or so, and vacuum it up and than repeat that every other week until you get the bugs at bay, than just do it every couple of months.

I used it when my sister moved into a new townhouse and it was just infested with fleas even after hiring a pest control guy to come spray. Works like a charm even with her two cats now.
 
Contract out for termites. You need to CYA on that. For pests, Suspend is the business. It may take a couple of treatments to really get rid of everything as it doesn't kill on contact. But once your barrier is set inside and out, you will be bug free. My wife and I bought a more or less new construction home in the Irish Channel last May. It had been built and not treated for all of the spring months, which means it was prime habitat for NOLA pests. We moved in and found a more than healthy population of brown widows as well as the minor roach issue. They are all gone. It took a few months to get rid of the spiders as the hidden nests later produced and the population bounced back. But it was very temporary. As the spiders crossed my established defense lines, they died and there was no generation to repopulate after.
 
Thanks, guys.

Brennan, who do you use for termites? I was thinking about doing that on my own as well. Is it true that the only way termites can get into your house is through the foundation? I figured if we just kept it all clear and then sprayed a termite solution around, we might be ok. Our house hasn't had a termite contract since 2001 so that's why I'm looking into it now. Previous owner didn't have one and we never got one.
 
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Thanks, guys.

Brennan, who do you use for termites? I was thinking about doing that on my own as well. Is it true that the only way termites can get into your house is through the foundation? I figured if we just kept it all clear and then sprayed a termite solution around, we might be ok. Our house hasn't had a termite contract since 2001 so that's why I'm looking into it now. Previous owner didn't have one and we never got one.



The problem with doing termite control by yourself, is that if you do end up getting termites you'll be screwed. A lot of home owner insurances will not pay a dime if your house is damaged by termites. However, contracting with a termite control company does usually say that if your house is damaged they will repair it when you are under contract.


They can come under your foundation and need only the tiniest space to crawl through.


I would really recommend hiring a company for this and not DIY.


I use Orkin.
 
For ants and roaches, I purchased professional grade stuff at Pest Stop. It was expensive in both cases, but resolved the problem. For termites, I echo the other postings by going with a contract.
 
I also use food grade Diatomaceous Earth.
I've used it in my chicken coop, in their food and even in my dog's food over the summer as our fly problem got totally out of hand. Within about a month there wasn't a fly to be found on my yard.

I swear by this stuff and will start up again once fly season rolls around.
 
I'd echo what the others said about professionals for the termite contract. It may be pricey, but your home is (most likely) your most valuable asset. Why would you risk major damage and headaches to save some money now?

I use E&G.
 
Yeah, you don't want to do your own termite control. It's a lot more involved and the consequences of screwing it up are a lot more serious($$$).

I do pest control for a living. Suspend is good stuff if you use it right. But don't mix it any stronger than you're supposed to. You can only make a bug so dead. If your having a problem with big roaches they're probably coming from out side. Once I've gotten the problem taken care of inside I don't spray in the house any more.

There's a product called Niban F.G. (Fine granule) It's pretty cheap and practically non poisonous to people and pets. Put a little under you kitchen and bathroom cabinets and under the utilities and it will work for up to 6 months. Also apply it liberally in the attic.

On the outside I recommend Talstar Granules. Use a seed spreader to apply it around the perimeter of your house and out into the yard. Don't use it concrete or other hard surfaces. It does need to be wet down after being applied though. It's great for fleas and ants.

As far as liquid sprays the best way to use them is spray the outside perimeter two feet up and two feet out. Spray around doors, windows, any place there's an opening into your house. Spend a few extra bucks and get a decent sprayer. Go ahead and use it all because once it's mixed it doesn't store well min the can.

You only need to do this about every three months on the outside and on the inside if you put out the Niban at the beginning of spring you should be okay.

It will cost you a bit initially but if you do it right the stuff will last a long time. You should only have to use about 4 ounces a year for the liquid. The Niban is cheap.

Or you could spend $340 a year and let a pro do it. (Ya cheap bastage.)
 
I also use food grade Diatomaceous Earth.
I've used it in my chicken coop, in their food and even in my dog's food over the summer as our fly problem got totally out of hand. Within about a month there wasn't a fly to be found on my yard.

I swear by this stuff and will start up again once fly season rolls around.

It's a desiccant which means that it works by scratching the outer coating of the insect (or bug's) shell causing it dry up. Be careful when applying it. It can cause lung damage. Also watch your dog carefully to make sure he doesn't develop dry patches on his skin.

It's definitely an effective insecticide. But once it gets wet it's mostly useless. Good old boric acid is another very safe and practically non toxic alternative. Just remember that anything that kills bugs can be harmful if misused.
 
I appreciate the enthusiasm parlorcitysaint! Killing things with fire is a sure way to eliminate pests! But the collateral damage might be too great. Instead of resorting to such rash tactics, may I recommend looking at some online DIY pest control resources for help?
 
If the property has not been treated for over 10 years (termites), be sure to read the fine print of the professional that you use. Lots of times, some of these companies will not take on termite liability if they did not treat the structure originally or the home was not under contract for an extended period of time. If you are paying a pro to handle termites, make sure your home will be covered in the event of an outbreak. Otherwise, you might as well do it yourself. BTW, its time to treat the perimeter of your home....most of the newer poisons only last about 10 years max. If your home is older and was treated with cloradane, you may not ever need to treat it (that stuff was da bomb.....which is why it was banned).

One other note, most termites do come from the ground (subterrainian) and they have to have constant interaction with the soil. But it is possible to get hit by Formosian termites. They critters are a nightmare. Just hope and pray you never encounter these babies!

I am a semi-expert on termites. I've had more than my share of pain inflicted by these ********!!!
 
Bought a house 3 years ago and took over a termite contract. Now they want to do a full treatment again(every 10 years right?) And its like $600-700 and $80/year after that. Is that reasonable? If not,
any other companies that you would recommend?

The company says that the last record they have of a full treatment was 10 years ago, however the 2 guys that come out and treat the house every year says it was done after Katrina cause they remember the house.

Any advice? Don't wanna be cheap, but also don't feel like spending $700 if I don't have to. Its a 2100sqft house on 2 levels on a slap if that makes a difference.
 

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