As you well know, the Internet has increased the ease with which people can look up and share home remedies and instructions on performing basic household repairs in order to save money or be more environmentally friendly. This access has helped spur a do-it-yourself subculture of sorts, and there’s no doubt that it feels rewarding to handle issues in your home all by yourself.
But where do you draw the line between tasks you can take on and those you’ll need a professional for? Specifically, is it OK to practice do-it-yourself pest control? Fortunately, this is one area of home care that’s best left to the professionals. Here are five reasons DIY pest control isn’t a good idea.
1. Cases of Mistaken Identity
You can try to guess what kind of pest you have, and you may even guess correctly. However, there are certain insects and animals that leave similar droppings or damage in their wakes. In addition, some pests may even look alike. For example, the bat bug is often mistaken for a bed bug. A trained technician from a professional pest control company, like Terminix ®, should be better able to identify the problem on the first try.
2. There’s No Universal Pest Control
There are many different species of pests, such as mice, rats, ants, roaches and so forth. Some people may think that all roaches or ants will react the same way to baits or home remedies. In actuality, each unique species has its own preferences in regard to what it eats or the habitat it lives and breeds in. This means that pest control methods need to be tailored to the individual pests and species. A professional will have more knowledge and experience in this area and can identify the best means of control and prevention for your home.
3. Home Remedies Aren’t Reliable
There are numerous home remedies out there, as well as people who swear by their all-natural DIY pest control. While some of these methods may seem to work on occasion, their effectiveness is often short lived or even coincidental. Additionally, the majority of these DIY methods only allow you to treat creatures that you see. However, there may be pests living behind the walls, in attics and crawlspaces and so forth. A trained pest control technician will be better aware of all these secret hot spots.
4. DIY Pest Control can be a Waste of Time and Money
Many pest problems or infestations can be nightmares to deal with, especially if you’re not professionally trained in this area. Troubleshooting different DIY pest control methods can be a waste of energy, and money, that just ends up with you being stressed out while your home is still infested. Don’t do that to yourself: Rely on a professional pest control company, like Terminix, so that taking care of pest-related issues is one thing you don’t have to include on your to-do list.
