HELP PROTECT YOUR HEALTH WITH PEST CONTROL

It’s definitely not the first time you’ve heard us say that bugs and insects here in Ontario, for the most part, are harmless and beneficial to our environment and ecosystem.

Insects and bugs become a true issue and real concern when large infestations present themselves, and when the type of pest infesting a home or business poses health risks like allergic reactions, breathing complications or sensitivities, food poisoning, illness or the spread of disease and sickness. Pest issues can also wreak total havoc on one’s overall mental health, causing tremendous anxiety, stress, worry and lack of quality sleep.

What Pests Can Affect Your Health?

Cockroaches are as unsanitary as they are creepy. They are true scavengers, crawling through sewers and trash, and eating absolutely anything they find to survive. Their droppings, saliva and decomposing bodies contain allergen proteins which have been linked to health issues, specifically childhood breathing issues like asthma. 33 kinds of bacteria are known to be spread by cockroaches, including food borne illnesses like E. coli and salmonella, 7 kinds of human pathogens and 6 types of parasitic worms. Cockroaches enter homes and businesses through cracks in flooring around the outside of drains and live in dirty floor drains from the floor grate to the top of the water trap. Learn more about how to get rid of cockroaches.  

Mice, like the common house mouse and deer mouse, can spread diseases such as hantavirus, salmonella and listeria through their urine, droppings, saliva and nesting materials. As their incisor teeth constantly grow over their full lifespan they need to continually chew to maintain their teeth. Their chewing can cause extensive damage to your  property and start electrical fires (as they do chew through wires). Learn more about how to get rid of mice.

Rats, like Roof rats and Norway rats, can carry or transmit serious disease to people, pets and livestock through biting, physical contact or contamination. Like mice, their continual chewing can cause damage to structures & personal belongings and electrical fires. Rats frequently bring fleas and ticks into homes and businesses which are concerning. Fleas are known carriers of various forms of bacteria and can transmit tapeworms, and the deer tick (blacklegged tick) poses a serious concern for Lyme disease. In addition to causing food poisoning, rats can transmit many diseases like Rat-Bite Fever (RBF), Murine typhus, Leptospirosis, Trichinosis and Plague. Learn more about how to get rid of rats.

Worrying about having bed bugs can be just as stressful as actually having them in your home or business. If you fall victim to a bed bug infestation, it can take up to 1 year to fully get rid of bed bugs. Since bed bugs commonly present themselves by feeding on you while you sleep, getting a good night’s rest is near impossible. While bed bugs do not spread disease, allergic reactions from bites are possible, but very uncommon. Some people have reported developing large uncomfortable, itchy blood or fluid-filled welts, which were harmless and temporary. Learn more about bed bugs and the treatment options available.

How can you protect against these concerning pests?

You pest proof!

Here are some of our most effective pest-proofing tips to help you protect your health:

• Always store dry food items (like cereals, grains, pet food, bird seed, etc.), in tightly sealed glass, plastic, or metal containers with secure lids.
• Avoid using or storing cardboard boxes. Instead, use quality rubber or plastic containers with tight lids.
• Keep sinks, counters and floors clean, sanitized & crumb-free.
• Use quality bed bug mattress covers, box spring covers and pillow encasements.
• Regularly wash your kids’ backpacks, pencil cases, lunch bags, spare clothing and any outer wear that goes with them to and from school.
• Fix indoor and outdoor plumbing leaks.
• Seal up cracks and crevices around your windows, doors, eaves, chimney, and any other entry points.
• Ensure windows have weather stripping and tightly fitted screens that are free of holes.
• Use weather stripping under doors.
• Cover dryer vents, attic vents and soffits with fine mesh metal screening.
• Secure garbage, recycling and compost bins with lids and always store away from entry points.
• Keep up with your landscaping – cut the grass, trim trees, shrubs and bushes, remove dead wood and yard waste regularly, and store wood piles away from your home or building.

For greater peace of mind, and the ultimate protection against pests, we recommend staying on top of pest proofing year-round and including an annual pest control treatment or a rodent control program from a licensed pest control company.

And one more important thing...if you discover an infestation in your home or business, it’s best to reach out to a licensed pest management expert immediately. The longer a pest issue persists, the more challenging, timely and costly it becomes to address and solve. A true pest control professional will you help correctly identify the pest type, find the root of the problem, devise the best treatment plan to control, manage or eliminate it, and give you peace of mind.

For more helpful pest proofing tips and to learn more about what’s bugging you, visit our blog and pest library.