Green Pest Control Doesn’t Break the Bank, and it is Eco-friendly, Budget Friendly, and Humane.
Everyone is doing all they can these days to be kind to our earth while also saving money in these scary economic times.  There are countless ways to make sure that your family is being as “green” as possible by recycling and using energy efficient light bulbs and maybe even driving a hybrid vehicle to save on gas.  Maybe you haven’t considered that this eco-friendly and frugal attitude can extend to something you may not think about too often, if at all: pest control.

Traditionally, pest control companies have been very focused on ongoing extermination.  Ultimately, the more times a company services your home, the more money you spend and the more fossil fuel they burn in order to return to your home time and again.  Thankfully, changing attitudes towards finances, our environment and animal welfare have generated wonderful new pest control options – particularly in situations where rodents are concerned.

While it is still necessary to trap and remove animals from the home, once they have become a problem, it is now possible to prevent them from entering in the first place.  Live trapping options are available and in some cases mandatory for native and protected species, which is a relief for those among us who prefer not to kill anything.  Every home is different and no two situations will be exactly alike, but permanent methods of exclusion are now available from forward-thinking pest and wildlife management companies.  Simply keeping rodents and other animals out of your home can save you years worth of pest control bills as well as the added expense of repair that any damage those animals may cause.

It doesn’t get any more earth-friendly than the exclusion methods because not only do they prevent problems with pests from happening in the future, but they are permanent.  In most cases, once the process has been completed, rodents and technicians will never return.  Exclusion involves sealing shut any and all areas through which an animal may enter the home.  The open areas may be responsible for drafty areas of the house – especially those near doorways, windows, and utility gaps – and once they are closed off you will find that not only can animals no longer enter, but neither can hot or cold air that you wanted to keep out to begin with!  Beyond improving the energy efficiency of your home, this method is also the most humane possible means of pest control.  That which does not enter, need not be exterminated!

One of the items in a home that is most often damaged by intruding animals is insulation.  Insulation is wonderful nesting material for rodents of all kinds.  Areas such as attics, where insulation is usually found, are a favorite shelter for many common animal species found in residential locations.  Insulation can become matted down, torn up, pulled out and rendered virtually ineffective.  This sort of destruction will become most obvious in your heating and cooling bill.  It may be years before you realize there is any problem with your attic’s insulation.  Preventing access to these areas of the home assures that your house will be as energy efficient as possible by allowing insulation to do its job.    Once you realize that damage has been done, insulation should be cleaned and re-fluffed or replaced entirely depending on the extent and type of damage done.   Your local wildlife management professional may be able to make recommendations on how to take care of this problem and can make eco-friendly recommendations.

Many pest control companies encourage a monthly spraying program for insects such as ants, spiders and the notorious roach.  This may be necessary in some situations; however most households do not require treatments quite that frequently and will benefit a great deal from seasonal treatments as needed.  Most commercial grade pesticides are safe to use around children, pets, and even food and most are residual which means that they can remain effective long after they have been applied.  Ask your local pest management professional about these long lasting chemicals to determine exactly how often you should treat your home.  Cutting back on these treatments as well as using the aforementioned exclusion methods for rodents and other animals reduces carbon emissions from the trucks driven to the home for service, while still keeping pests in check.

Now that you have explored your options, tell a friend about eco-friendly pest control.  Thankfully, it is easier than ever to be “green” in everything we do.   If we all do our part, we can save money while respecting the majesty of native species and helping our fragile planet.