Types of pest control – part 1

Pest control is a vast subject altogether, and the types of it depend on the situation, area, the actual pest and of course the fact whether it’s a domestic or commercial problem. Each separate extermination method will suit different situation, but it’s quite easy to figure out which one’s for you. If not, your local exterminator will be able to assess the situation at hand and choose the appropriate method of getting rid of the pests.

For those of you who prefer to familiarise themselves with the process first, here’s a short description for each of the popular methods of eliminating the pests from either your house or workplace.

Biological pest control is a process of eliminating one pest using another species of natural parasites and predators. For example, you might get rid of your mosquito problem by introducing a bacteria that effectively kills their larvae in local water sources. The treatment has absolutely no negative effects on humans, since the bacteria is neutral, and the water remains drinkable after the process.

Another example of pest control process is elimination of the breeding grounds. This is actually more of a precaution than the actual treatment, and involves waste and drainage management to minimise the pest spread. Garbage left unattended provides food and shelter for many pests, and a few simple steps will go a long way in ensuring you have no pest problem to worry about.

The most common method for getting rid of rats is a poisoned bait. Poisoned food has been used for many years to kill rats among other pests this method is suitable for. The only downside of this method is that it will not be effective where other food sources are present, such as garbage in case of the rats.

For simple insect control, mostly after the harvest, field burning used to be a very popular method, though with recent environmental policies in place, it is not advisable or even illegal to burn the field after the harvest.

Air conditioning and humidity control

Many of us are faced with the problem of air humidity in our house, even if you don’t dry your washing indoors. The problem seems to be more saturated in old houses, though new houses often have the same problem as well. There are a few ways to battle the humidity and the mould and mildew that’s a direct result of it. Some of them are very expensive, yet some of them will not cost you a penny!

Before we move to the subject of air conditioning, or air con, there’s a few crucial steps you need to consider to get rid of the excess humidity in your house. First of all, airing! Make opening windows the first thing you do in the morning, at least in your bedroom, but you can air the other rooms as well. You don’t need to leave the windows open for long, usually 10-20 minutes will suffice, especially in winter months when you don’t want the precious heat to go to waste! The other important thing to remember is taking a bath or a shower with your doors closed, and always airing after you’re done. The amount of humidity and condensation left after you take a shower or a bath is very high, and left without airing will surely turn into mould on your bathroom walls.

If you’re still getting a lot of damp after taking the precautions described above, you might need to consider an air con unit or a dehumidifier. While an air con unit will act as a dehumidifier most of the time, the downside is that it’s quite expensive and needs to be fitted by a professional, while a dehumidifier can be purchased for around £200 and all you need to do is plug it in! It will not, of course, control your room temperature, and if that’s important from you by all means go for an air conditioner and you will not be disappointed.

Finally, or as they say last but not least, make sure your bottle cabinets or any other refrigeration equipment is sealed correctly and not leaking. It might sound silly, but you never know!

If you’re still not sure which unit might be for you, just pop into your local shop and ask the professional staff for help in your particular case, they will be able to assess your problem and advise the best course of action and most suitable product to use.