Pest Control / Exterminator Blog from JCE
Everything You Need To Know About Pest Management
You're trying to fall asleep in bed when all of a sudden... scratch. What's making that noise? Are the walls making the noise? There's nothing more unsettling than knowing you can't stop rodents from moving around inside your walls without tearing down parts of your walls. You might be asking, "Why do I have mice on my walls?" How did the mice even get into my walls? Let's look at the top 5 reasons mice are on your walls. First of all, mice can get into homes through holes as small as a dime. They have bodies that can fold up and fit into places you might not have thought of, like cracks in your home's foundation. Mice and rats find these openings by following air currents that move between your home and the outside. As soon as they find a warm place, food, and water, they will stay and build a nest. Most people in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania who have mouse problems do so in the fall and winter when it's cold. Mice find it hard to live in cold weather, so they look for places to hide. Every year, mice get into tens of thousands of homes and businesses, which is not what anyone wants. It's not surprising that the most common places where mice live inside walls are places that are weak, often ignored, and have easy access points. Broken or Torn VentsDryer vents, gable vents, attic vents, turbine vents, soffit vents, and crawl space vents are all examples of vents that lead outside. As the name suggests, they are made to let air in and out of your home. When holes and cracks are left open, rodents will follow the air currents inside. From there, they might be able to nest inside walls, which would explain the scratching sounds and movement you hear at night. In the picture below, you can see where mice chewed through an old vent in a crawl space, letting bugs in. When a client called us about a rodent problem, one of our technicians who helps people get rid of rodents found this problem when he or she looked at the house. To fix torn or broken vents, you can either fix and replace them or put up a barrier. "Exclusion work" means using things to physically stop rodents from getting in. Jersey City Exterminator isn't the only pest control company that offers specialized exclusion services to deal with these kinds of problems in a long-term or permanent way. You can stop rodents faster if you fix ventilation problems and/or keep an eye on them. Pest control companies are your best bet if the problem is too big, complicated, or expensive for you to handle on your own. Cracks in the BaseMice and rats can get into your home through cracks as small as 14 inches in the foundation or on the outside. They have bodies that can fold up and fit into places you might not have thought of before. Most cracks happen when the foundation shifts because the ground is sinking. Another common problem is water erosion caused by poor drainage or broken gutters and downspouts. Cracks can be a sign of different problems depending on their size and direction, but mice can get in if there is space. It's easy for mice to get into your walls from there. In the picture above, you can see a larger crack in the foundation of a home owned by a Jersey City Exterminator client. Our technicians were able to find cracks and fill them with materials that rodents can't chew through. Weep HolesWeep holes are gaps between bricks that are made on purpose when masonry is done on a house or other building. Weep holes are meant to keep water from getting trapped behind the bricks, which can cause problems with the building's structure. Weep holes shouldn't be sealed or filled in, but it's important to keep them screened off so that rodents and other insects can't get in. Weep holes are big and open, which makes them a great place for pests to live. This is a very common problem for people who work in pest control. The best way to keep weep holes working the way the mason intended and keep rodents out is to use professional materials that stop rodents from getting in but still let the space breathe. Unsealed Utility PipesWhen they connect to the outside of the house, pipes for things like sump pumps (shown above) and other plumbing aren't always completely sealed. Mice are good climbers and can get into your basement and walls through the spaces around pipes. Walk around your house outside and look for these holes. Remember that mice only need 14 inches to fall over. As soon as possible, you should take care of any pipes that show a way in. It's not always the first thing that comes to mind, so even if you don't have a rodent problem now or have had one in the past, you're leaving your home open to future ones. Builder's GapA "builder's gap," also called a "construction gap" or "roof gap," is sometimes left in a house during construction to let it breathe. This hole is where the roof and gutters meet. It runs horizontally along the place where the roof and gutters should meet. Most of the time, it's covered by shingles, so you might not know that your roof has an exposed builder's gap. Rats, mice, and squirrels are known to get into attics through this space. Once rodents get into your attic, it's easy for them to move to other parts of your home, like the wall voids and other rooms. What can you do about a builder's gap? The best thing to do is hire a professional pest control service. With the right training, they should be able to climb up on ladders and check the gutter line for signs of a builder's hole and see if rodents are using it as an entry point. At Jersey City Exterminator, our dedicated exclusion team members are not only experts at getting rid of pests, but they are also trained and certified in pest control. The training they get all year long is the same training that our pest control technicians go through. We offer the best service in New Jersey and Pennsylvania because we know so much about so many things. How can Jersey City Exterminator stop mice from getting into your walls?Jersey City Exterminator's Rodent and Wildlife Exclusion Service could help you if you have problems with rodents in your home over and over again. This whole-house solution is a permanent way to keep rodents out of your home. In addition to getting rid of the rodents you already have, we will physically seal all openings on the outside of your home to keep them from coming back.
Low-lying areas will have traps and wire mesh put up by our skilled exclusion technicians. On the roof and in the crawlspace, you need to seal, cap, and install metal flashing. For an extra fee, you could also get other solutions like GutterLock. Low-lying areas will have traps and wire mesh put up by our skilled exclusion technicians. On the roof and in the crawlspace, you need to seal, cap, and install metal flashing. For an extra fee, you could also get other solutions like GutterLock. Our service for getting rid of rodents from homes includes:
For more information and to set up a free inspection at your home, call us at (201) 460-6068 or fill out the form on this page.
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8/18/2022 0 Comments Ant Control FAQs for HomeownersWhat's bringing these ants into my home?Small black ants are the kind of ant that enters the houses of the vast majority of homeowners; however, other species of ants are undoubtedly capable of doing so. Pests may sneak into your house when you least expect them, and they can range in size from small black ants to large carpenter ants. According to Dr. Richard Cooper, the staff entomologist, "There are occasions when ants may penetrate houses for reasons that we are unable to understand." "The ants that are coming in are doing so for one of two reasons: either they are searching for food supplies or they are attempting to establish a nest in a wall," the author writes. According to Cooper, "ants are going to survey their whole surroundings," and if the house is inside their surveying region, then it gets included in the places that they are scouting for food supplies. If the residence is outside of their surveying zone, then it is not included in their search. It is possible that they will regularly re-scout certain locations if they are unable to locate any food supplies there. On the other hand, if they are successful in locating food supplies, this may lead to ongoing or persistent activity. Where did ants originate, exactly?Ants do not often reside inside, despite the fact that you may have seen several in your own house. Ants will build nests that function more or less like homes in your backyard or other neighboring properties, even in the yard of your neighbor. Ants will come into contact with you while they are foraging out from their nest in search of food and water to bring back to the colony. They then send out a signal to other members of their colony to follow their pheromone trails and go to the location where they discovered food or water. In the case of nuisance ants, this may be a few crumbs left on your kitchen counter, while carpenter ants may lead others to damp wood or insulation. What do I need to do to get rid of the ants on my own?Before you hire a professional pest control service, you may want to try getting rid of the ants on your own first. Despite the fact that we are unable to provide evidence that any of the following tactics are effective, a large number of homeowners are ardent believers in them. Do-It-Yourself Cleaning and Repairs Ant baits and ant repellents are the two primary categories of do-it-yourself ant control products now available. Repellents most literally repel ants. Some ant repellents may be effective; but, in the end, all you will be doing is diverting the ants, and they may find another entrance into your property. It is not possible to eradicate a whole colony using a repellent; thus, if this is your goal, you should probably look into using bait instead. The following are some popular do-it-yourself ant repellents:
A baiting method is something you may want to consider using if your goal is to eradicate an entire ant colony. The ants will be drawn to the bait, and after they have consumed it, they will take it back to the colony. There, the other ants will also consume the bait, which will ultimately lead to their demise. The following are some typical do-it-yourself ant baits:
You may obtain more information on how to get rid of ants quickly and effectively by contacting us today - https://www.jerseycityexterminators.com/ants Advice on Avoiding ProblemsMake sure your home is clean. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) discovered that kitchens were more prone to ant activity 96 percent of the time, while bathrooms were exposed 89 percent of the time. Therefore, the first step is to clean your kitchen.
f you have decorative plants in your landscape that attract homopterous insects, you may need to treat those plants to get rid of the insects that attract the ants. This may be accomplished by applying an insecticide to the ornamental plants. How much does it cost to get rid of ants?Prices for ant control depend on what kind of ants you have and how well our different services cover your home. Please use the chart below to find out how much it costs to get rid of ants at Jersey City Exterminators.
Carpenter Ants The Jersey City Exterminator Ant Remediation System is for you if you have a problem with carpenter ants that needs to be fixed. Carpenter Ant System is a plan to get rid of the carpenter ant nests on your property, which will stop the ants from coming back and ending their current activity. This program lasts for a year and gives you unlimited protection after the current infestation is gone. You could believe that you are free from the insects that have been plaguing your home during the spring and summer now that autumn is drawing to a close and the holidays are just around the horizon. The reality is that pests do not slow down their activity throughout the winter; rather, they shift their priorities in order to survive. The transition from autumn to winter in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania is conducive to the survival of a wide variety of unwanted critters, such as spiders, rats, and stink bugs. It's true that when it's cold outdoors, you won't have to deal with as many insects, but that doesn't mean you should relax your efforts to keep your family safe from pests by reducing your pest management routine. Which pests are more active during the colder months?When there is a source of heat and a location for them to hide, insects and rodents are able to survive within a home. In the event that this did not occur, it is quite probable that they would expire after the first frost. They are considerably more inclined to congregate in close proximity to one another if there is a reliable supply of food. Be on the lookout for the following typical pests that may be found indoors throughout the winter. Spiders The presence of spiders throughout the year is one of the most dreaded and reviled aspects of being a homeowner. Despite popular belief, spiders do not die out over the winter months. Even when it is very cold outside, it is possible for there to be spiders in your home, particularly in the areas such as the basement, the bathroom, the garage, and other living spaces. Wolf spiders, house spiders, and cellar spiders will make up the vast majority of the spiders that you discover in and around your home. Because none of them are harmful to human beings, individuals who are aggravated by their existence might consider them nothing more than an annoyance. On the other hand, spiders that are not very prevalent, such as brown recluse spiders and black widow spiders, may be very harmful. Bites from black widow spiders have been known to bring on symptoms such as fever, elevated blood pressure, sweating, and nausea. As long as appropriate medical care is sought out as quickly as possible, deaths caused by bites by black widow spiders are unlikely to occur. There is no evidence that brown recluse spiders ever lived in either New Jersey or Pennsylvania. That is not to suggest that there is no possibility of discovering one concealed anywhere in your house. In contrast to where we are, the midwest is where you will see them the most often. Even if you get a box that contains a brown recluse spider and the spider makes its way into your basement, it is still capable of living and thriving there. Their bites have the potential to cause muscle spasms and other unpleasant consequences, although this is only the case in the very uncommon event that it occurs. Rodents Mice are common in our region, and throughout the autumn and winter months, they often find their way into people's houses. The common house mouse can fit through small openings that you would not suspect it might utilize until you see its droppings. Because mice have bodies that may collapse, even seemingly benign openings, such as cracks in the foundation of your home or small gaps around the windows in your basement, might be luring them within. In order to enter your home, they will ride the air currents that come into and leave your property. Once they are inside, all they need is a location to conceal themselves and a food supply, which may be seeds stored in your garage or pantry items in your kitchen. Since mice are nocturnal, there is very little probability that you will ever see one. The most reliable sign of mouse infestation is the presence of droppings. Stink Bugs Stink bugs are nocturnal creatures that spend the winter months hibernating in chimneys and wall gaps. Because of how effectively they can conceal themselves, you may not even be aware that you have stink bugs in your house. When the weather begins to drop down, often around October, stink bugs will move inside the walls of houses and commercial buildings. During the spring and summer months, stink bugs may be seen dwelling outside. This may change depending on whether or not we get early autumn that is chilly or warm. Stink bugs are attracted to the warmth that your home provides, and once inside, they will make a home there until spring. In the spring, many homeowners mistakenly believe that they have a significant stink bug issue when, in truth, they are just watching stink bugs moving out of their homes to dwell elsewhere. The risks posed by stink bugs are rather low. They won't consume the wood in your house or do any other damage to it. There are a number of additional pests that act in a manner that is comparable to that of ladybugs and boxelder bugs. When it's freezing outdoors, why do I still have bugs in my house?During the winter, insects and rodents seek shelter inside so that they may avoid the harsh temperatures outside. Spiders and other insects are not designed to survive in temperatures below freezing. Their fragile bodies need protection from the elements in order to survive and flourish. Due to the fact that residential residences are temperature regulated, they are able to give the required area. How can I protect my house from bugs throughout the winter?As a homeowner, one of the most astute things you can do is make preparations in advance for the avoidance of pests during the winter. Make use of the following suggestions to keep unwanted guests out of your house this winter.
Pest control is important for homeowners and business owners who want to keep their families and employees healthy and happy. It's nice to know that when ant season starts, your kitchen won't be full of crawling bugs and that when winter comes, rodents won't move in. But do you really need to get rid of pests all year? How long does it take to get rid of pests? How much does a plan to get rid of pests every three months cost? These are the most common questions about full pest coverage for the home. Let's talk about how quarterly pest control plans work and what they cover. What is a program to control pests every three months?Pest control programs for homes that work all year long give peace of mind to people who don't want to deal with bugs and rodents all year long. Most of the time, these programs are done every three months to deal with pests that will be a problem in the coming months. When pesticides are used, they are put exactly where they are needed, in the right amount, and on the right materials. Pest control plans that you pay for every three months focus on preventing pests from coming into your home. Pest problems can happen between treatments every three months or on a set schedule. Because of this, most pest control companies cover specific pests and offer extra service visits throughout the year to deal with an active infestation if it comes back. Pest control programs that are done every three months are meant to keep your home or business pest-free all year. How do you get rid of pests? Before a pest control technician can come to your home, you have to meet a number of state-specific legal requirements. Most of the time, a new employee must go through state-approved training, additional in-house training, and training on the job before they can get their pesticide applicator license. They must also pass a state test. Also, specialized pests like termites that eat wood and bed bugs need even more testing and training. At Jersey City Exterminator, our pest control technicians get extra training in entomology from our dedicated staff so they can fully understand how pests act and how they live. The technician will put up a barrier around the outside of your house as part of a year-round pest control plan. This makes it hard for pests to live inside if they try to get in. Different ways of getting rid of rodents work in different ways. Mice can be caught in traps or baited with poison to get rid of them before they get out of hand. How long does preventative pest control last? The effectiveness of preventive pest control treatments will depend on the pest and the materials used by the pest control technician. If you want to protect your home every three months, chemical barrier treatments should last about three months. This is why it's so important to use a regular maintenance plan to protect your home as much as possible from pests. Plans to keep pests away that are very specific to a single pest, like stink bugs or mosquitoes, don't need to be checked on all year long and only need to be treated at certain times of the year. The best way to keep pests away all year is to spread out visits during a certain time window. When is the best time to get rid of pests?To keep insects and rodents out of your home as much as possible, you should buy an all-year pest control plan. The pests that are an active change from season to season, so treatments need to be changed to keep up. Pests like spiders, cockroaches, and termites can live in homes all year long. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, different pests are more active at different times of the year.
How often should a pest control person come to my house?When you have an active pest problem, an exterminator should come to your home as many times as it takes to get rid of the pests, based on what you can expect from the pesticides and methods they use. For instance, the pesticides used to get rid of small, annoying ants work much faster than a plan to get rid of bed bugs. When it comes to any pest, you need to think about how easy it is to catch it and how to get rid of it. For example, you can't get rid of rats with just one treatment. Rodent experts usually have to come back several times during rat control programs to reevaluate and change their plans as the program goes on. There is no easy way to get rid of rats completely. Bed bugs can't be killed or gotten rid of with the same chemicals and methods as yellow jackets. Expectations for elimination and control will be different, as will the number of visits needed to get control. The area being treated is something else to think about. If you're trying to get rid of birds in your attic, you may have to go back more than once to make sure they're gone. Once you're sure they're gone, you can seal the entry point. If centipedes are in a homeowner's bathroom, one treatment might be enough to get rid of them. The number of visits from your pest control technician will also depend on how well you deal with pests. For some people, one or two spiders might not be a big deal, but for others, even one spider might be enough to make them feel scared. How can Jersey City Exterminator stop bugs from coming into my house? Do you live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania's eastern part? You're in luck! Jersey City Exterminator's Home Traditional Service Plan and Home Intensive Service Plan can keep pests out of your home all year long. These quarterly preventive plans cover over 20 common household pests and allow for an unlimited number of technician visits to take care of active infestations. Prices for our year-round home services depend on the size of your home, how much coverage you want, and how bad the infestation is right now.
Home Service Plan for the Past The Home Traditional Service Plan is a great deal for a homeowner who doesn't want to deal with bugs, mice, or wasps. With the Traditional Service Plan, your home is protected from pests and rodents all year long. You will get four services each year as part of your plan. Every year, you'll get three maintenance services for the outside (March–November) and one for the inside (December–February). Unlike the Intensive Service Plan, the Traditional Service Plan doesn't include everything. Home Plan for a Lot of Services The Home Intensive Service Plan is meant to protect your home from pests and rodents all year long. This is the service that homeowners use most often. Every year, there are four preventive services included in the service plan. Each service is different, and you'll get a 30-point inspection report with important recommendations for your home and a detailed list of what was found. Every year, you'll get three maintenance services for the outside (March–November) and one for the inside (December–February). The winter service will focus on the inside of the building and will target rodents and other pests that might live there. |
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