Are DIY Treatments up to it?

Are DIY Treatments up to it?

I know times are tough and everybody is looking to save money, but are the DIY products a false economy or even damaging to your family, pets and the environment? Do they actually work out cheaper than calling in trained and experienced pest control experts? Are you happy to take a chance and even make the problem worse?

Before you go off shopping online for pest control products, or worse still go to a garden centre or superstore – just pause and think what you are doing and the risks involved.

Over the last few months we have had quite a few calls for help where the “Have a go Hero” has completely wasted tons of money, put their kids and pets at risk and still have a problem, thus having to get it sorted out professionally – usually for less than they paid for the DIY product!

I think the key to it is are the words Professional Pest Control

What you have to remember is that Pest Control Technicians do this day in day out and are used to dealing with pest problems. We are also highly trained and take pride in the fact that we all work hard to be the best. It is not just about spraying or throwing chemicals about and hoping that it kills everything – we know and understand the pest’s behaviour and how it will react under a given situation. We also know its biology and use this to our advantage. Furthermore we are well regulated as a profession, with many bodies promoting professional qualifications and a professional approach.

How can buying a can of spray off the shelf possibly compare to the array of chemicals we use? It is vital to identify the pest and choose the most appropriate formulation to deal with them and provide a long lasting residual to kill all stages of life – certainly not a can off the shelf!

Then there is rat poison. The sale of rat poisons in supermarkets and the like is mind-blowing! These are dangerous chemicals which are designed to kill things – this means pets as well as pests! I have heard quite a few stories lately of the emergency trips to the vets…adding further cost and possible loss of a loved one to boot. Also, people do not realise the risk of secondary poisoning to non target species like buzzards, kites and other birds of prey.

Wasp nest treatments are also just nuts. 10 stings and you are in casualty…20 and you could end up dead. Most of the products on the DIY market are just not up to the job. I have tested some and quite frankly I think it is almost irresponsible to sell them – all you do is make the wasps very angry. I have been onto jobs where the client has tried the DIY product first and then face the wrath of a very alert and angry wasp army. Thankfully we know what to do and have the appropriate PPE – not the sort of thing like I have seen – a scarf and motorcycle helmet….yes seriously!

The other thing to note is that you might only ever see your particular issue once, where as we see most problems daily. The processes we use to do a treatment and pest control solution are developed or years of trial and error to develop best practices.

A point in case is bedbugs. Most people will never see one – ever. But if you do, you will definitely need professional help. The treatment of bedbugs is as much about the care and process you go through as the chemicals you need to use to kill them. Some bedbugs are developing resistance to certain chemicals purely from the fact that the concentration has been too low to effectively kill them, or that the chemicals have not been applied correctly.

So before you embark on mass purchase of tins from your local shop, just call a professional pest control outfit, like Rapid Pest Control, so you can get an idea of the price of getting the problem solved properly – then think seriously before attempting it yourself!

Call Rapid Pest Control for a quote on all pest problems – with offices in Newbury, Oxford, Reading, Swindon and Basingstoke you can be sure of a fast response and a very reasonable price.