When you’re experiencing a pest issue at your home, we understand it’s tempting to search for a do-it-yourself (DIY) solution. There are certain problems with DIY pest control that makes it a bad idea. What you really need is an expert on your premises to evaluate the situation, make recommendations for treatment options and professionally monitor and apply the treatment.

Here’s a look at some reasons why you should avoid DIY pest control at all costs:

• Surface applications are ineffective: Most DIY treatments require you to apply a pest control product to floors or countertops. In most cases, bugs and rodents either fail to pick up an effective does of the product as they walk across it or the product becomes ineffective before the encounter. In either case, the over-the-counter solution proves wholly ineffective.
• Killing on contact is a short-term solution: If and when a DIY product does work, it typically kills on contact. This is a short-term fix, but it does nothing to help your situation over time. When you kill on contact, the pests remaining have a chance to regroup and relocate. You need a pest control solution that kills at the source rather than just some on contact.
• Bugs are becoming more resistant: Over time, bugs and other pests are becoming more resistant to over-the-counter solutions. When you choose professional pest control, you’re choosing an expert who uses effective products known to zap pests and provide long-term solutions.
• Choosing and applying the right product is an art form: Different pest issues require different types of pest control products. On top of that, applying the right amount of product to the right space in your home can be tricky. In many cases, homeowners trying DIY solutions either choose the wrong product or apply it incorrectly — which does nothing to fix the root problem.
• Bug bombs are more popular than effective: One of the most common and popular DIY solutions is the bug bomb. Unfortunately, bug bombs are not effective at killing pests at the source. In fact, you’re more likely to spread bugs around your home after setting off a bomb than you are to kill them.
• Pest control chemicals need expert handling: Many over-the-counter pest control solutions contain chemicals that can contaminate your water supply, plants and even the air inside your home. When you opt for professional pest control vs. DIY, you get experts who know how to handle these chemicals in a non-threatening way.

Given the climate, bugs and pests never take a break in Florida. If you’re a Florida homeowner wondering why not to DIY pest control, consider the points made above — and then call the leading provider of pest control services in the Sunshine State. At Apex Pest Control, we offer a friendly, knowledgeable team that knows how to get results.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a free quote and avoid the problems with DIY pest control.

A home should be a place of peace and calm and a refuge for homeowners and their families. But it’s hard to enjoy your home if you regularly see roaches, mosquitoes or other pests. While many homeowners might take a reactive approach to pest control and call for service only when they see bugs, it’s far better to schedule ongoing pest control treatment.

This especially holds true in Florida, where it’s highly necessary to use ongoing pest control. Why do you need regular pest control from a local expert? Here’s a look at four primary reasons:

1. Disrupt breeding cycles: One of the best ways to keep unwanted bugs from invading your home is to disrupt their breeding cycles. Disruption of breeding cycles is one of the main benefits of ongoing pest control. If you choose the reactive approach and call for treatment only when you see pests, you’re allowing bugs to lay eggs and other pests to breed. This allows your pest problem to worsen over time.
2. Establish and maintain a protective barrier: With a single pest control treatment, a protective barrier is established around your home using proven pest control products. But this barrier breaks down over time, allowing pests to start wandering inside your home, where they begin laying eggs and spreading. If you choose ongoing pest control treatment, each visit strengthens the protective barrier, ensuring bugs can never find their way into your home.
3. Customize treatment to the season: Given the climate in Florida, bugs never take a season off. But it’s still important to customize pest control treatments according to a given season and the bugs and conditions that season might bring. When you choose the benefits of ongoing pest control, customized treatment will meet the unique conditions of the season, the bugs and the activity prevalent during that season.
4. Receive peace of mind: You should never have to worry about bugs or other pests inside your home. When you select monthly, quarterly or bi-monthly pest control service, you get peace of mind. You also get results. It’s necessary to use ongoing pest control because there’s nothing better than a professional regularly and proactively looking for signs of new pests — and taking care of pest issues before they become crises.

Why to Get Your Pests Taken Care of Professionally

Pest professionals are trained to handle various infestations. Though it can be tempting to do the work yourself, a professional team can offer solutions and quality service. You have many reasons to trust a qualified exterminator to aid any infestation problems.

Safety

Both the pests and at-home solutions can be dangerous to your health. You may use the incorrect amount of solution and have ineffective results. The fumes from products can be harmful when used incorrectly, especially if you are not familiar with pest removal.

An exterminator is professionally trained to handle these substances and regulate the amount used. They know how much to use and when to apply a solution for maximum results depending on the type of pest.

Simplicity

If you hire a pest control service, you do not have to come into contact with the pests. Instead of handling the problem yourself, you can trust professionals, avoid pests and maintain your routine. Professional pest services are worth it to make pest control simple and convenient.

Time

For at-home options, you will spend a lot of time researching the pests and which methods effectively work for exterminating them. From there, you have to purchase all the supplies and create the solution, which also comes with cleaning and moving furniture in some cases. With a professional, the results will be quicker and the prep time will be cut in half.

Once you have an infestation, you want it gone as quickly as possible. Hiring a professional will solve the problem more efficiently than doing it on your own. Save yourself the time of researching, prepping, shopping and treating the area — and then repeating the process later.

Knowledge

Professionals have experience and certifications in pest removal. With their experience and job expertise, they are constantly learning new information about different pests, which can benefit homeowners. When doing the job yourself, you could miss signs of a deeper infestation that will most likely cause you to hire a professional later on.

No matter the severity of your infestation, a professional view goes beyond removing the pests. Professionals offer follow-up consultations to ensure their treatment worked. While you may remove the immediate problem, keeping the pests away is a different issue that requires further learning.

When to Hire a Pest Professional

You should hire a professional pest service as soon as you notice signs of an infestation. If you take preventative measures and regularly check for pests, you can recognize and solve issues more quickly. Regular upkeep may not totally prevent pests, but it will help you find the problem promptly. Contact your local professional as soon as you see a problem so they can help you.

Don’t let bugs and other pests get a foothold in your home. At Apex Pest Control, we offer a series of proactive pest control plans that allow you to seize the benefits of ongoing pest control and achieve the peace of mind you want and need. We proudly serve homeowners throughout Florida with fast, effective service that keeps your home free from pests.

Choose from our ongoing pest control plans today.

No types of pests are welcome visitors to homes, but some are worse than others. While some pests are just creepy looking or a nuisance, others can actually be hazardous to your health. The experts at Apex know that these three pests can have serious health effects. It’s important, as a homeowner, that you understand the damaging health effects of pests.

Mice and Rats

Mice and rats are among the leading sources of damaging health effects from pests. Mice are cuter than many of the other creatures you could find in your house. Unfortunately, these furry rodents are serious offenders when it comes to health risks. They can spread at least 10 different kinds of diseases. These include leptospirosis, typhus, and food poisoning. Mice are also transmitters of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, which is a respiratory illness accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Naturally, you and your family will want to avoid any of these mice-related conditions.

Contamination is also a significant problem. If mice get into your house, they’ll search for food. Mice can eat the same kinds of foods that people eat. They could get into your pantry and eat your cereal, pet food, or sweets. They can contaminate 10 times more food than they actually eat due to their hair, droppings, and urine.

One of the big issues is that you may remain unaware that mice have contaminated your food, which means you might continue consuming food that mice have touched. The same holds true for floors and countertops. Surfaces that look clean, like your kitchen counters, could even be contaminated with dried urine.

Rats are just as dangerous to your health and in many similar ways. Rats can leave fecal matter and urine around your home, which can mean the presence of harmful bacteria. One difference between mice and rats is that rats are far more aggressive. If you encounter a rat, a resulting scratch or bite can lead to infections or rat-bite fever.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are creepy, and many people don’t want to look at them. While just the sight of cockroaches can be offensive, the health risks they pose are even worse. Like mice, they can spread plenty of diseases. Bacteria, protozoa, and viruses live on cockroaches’ bodies. As the roaches crawl through your house, they deposit germs. These germs can lead to food poisoning, dysentery, and other stomach problems if food or utensils get contaminated.

Just like mice tend to go after your food source, cockroaches will seek out ways to get into your pantry and cabinets. They may even partake of your food over time without you knowing about it, increasing the risk to the health of your family.

Germs aren’t the only dangerous part about cockroaches. Cockroaches’ droppings, urine, shed skin, and decaying bodies contain allergens. The left-behind skin, droppings, and urine eventually become airborne particles that those living in a home start to breathe in. Many people experience allergy symptoms like skin rashes or nasal congestion due to these allergens. Cockroach allergens can also trigger asthma attacks, which is especially dangerous for children.

Mosquitoes

In the depths of summer, mosquitos swarm across Florida to become some of the most prevalent pests you’ll encounter. While mosquitoes are annoying, to be sure, they can also be dangerous threats to your overall health. Some mosquito bites are harmless, but others can have grave consequences.

Mosquito-related illnesses cause more than a million deaths around the globe each year. The specific mosquito-related illnesses include malaria, Zika and West Nile. Malaria alone kills hundreds of thousands of people each year. Even in situations where death is not a risk, mosquito bites and their related illnesses can lead to birth defects and other harmful side effects.

Bed Bugs

Unlike mice and cockroaches, bed bugs don’t carry harmful diseases. However, that doesn’t mean they’re harmless to have around. Their bites can be very itchy. Vigorous scratching could break your skin and lead to lesions, scars, or even an infection. Some people can get more complex skin reactions like rashes or hives. In rare cases, serious allergic reactions can occur.

Bed bugs can lead to psychological effects, too. It can be very unsettling to know that you’re sharing your bed with these pests. This can contribute to anxiety, stress, sleep deprivation, or depression. Over time, even the simple, healthy tasks of getting sleep and recharging for the next day becomes near impossible, which has serious consequences for those affected. Some people become desperate to get rid of the bugs and can turn to methods like burning or heat-treating infested items. Of course, this is extremely dangerous, and people have burned their houses down or injured themselves in the process.

If you’re sharing your home with these dangerous pests, your health could be at risk. Are you worried about pests and negative health effects? Rest assured there is a solution. To protect yourself and your family, call the professionals at Apex today.

Apex Pest Control is one of the most trusted pest control companies in the state. Family-owned and family-operated since 1985, we understand the risks that pests of all kinds can pose, and we offer the team, resources, and solutions needed to keep your home as safe and pest-free as possible.

We’re proud of the work we do to help keep the homes, landscape, and businesses in our community free from harmful plants, insects, and animals, while also striving to maintain a balance with the ecosystem as a whole. Check out our blog or contact us today to learn more!