We are all bugged with pests at home or at work. We loath them because of its harm caused to health and safety, damages to the environment or structure or worse of all, financial impact to the business. Rentokil discuss what is pest control all about, how much is pest control service in Singapore, and in addition, what to take note of when engaging a pest removal specialist.
Complete guide agenda covers the following:
- Understanding more about pest control services
- What are the various types of pest species
- When is pest control service required
- Why is removing pest necessary
- Common misconception of pest management
- Common home and office guilt that promotes pest
- Types of pest control services
- What do pest control treatment covers
- Pro’s and Con’s in engaging professional pest control
- How do you evaluate pest control company in Singapore
- How much should you pay for pest control?
- DIY home pest control remedies
- Pest control and preventive tips
What is pest control
Pest control is the management, monitoring, control, reduction and elimination of harmful pests found in your home, business or work environment. It involves a structured and regulated pest control procedure performed by trained and licensed specialist by the National Environment Agency (NEA). They help get rid of pests by using tools, innovations, technology and pesticides in a safe and effective manner.
Exploring the different types of pests
The seven common pest types found in household and commercial spaces are
- Cockroaches
- Ants
- Termites
- Mosquitoes
- Flies
- Bed Bugs
- Rats
These pests bring with them different habitats and lifecycle and illustrate unique pest infestation signs. They each bring different types of harm either to your body or property and respectively, there are various species within a pest type. Download a copy of the Pest Guide Book here.
When do we engage pest control service
Just like seeking medical treatment, we often asked ourselves when we would need to seek pest control help. Some common questions include:
- Do we wait for physical or visible traces of damages?
- When the spread of infestation gets out of control?
- Evidence of food contamination or poisoning arises.
- Receiving bites and allergy among family
- Evaluate the need for pest control by volumes of pests seen
The above questions and evaluation are potentially signs of heavy infestation, or spread of pests has turned epidemic. Engaging pest control treatments do not necessarily require for harm and risks to manifest. On contrary, we should proactively take preventive measures and early detection to keep pest infestation at bay.At the slightest possible symptoms or pest signs, we can have a peace of mind by engaging professional pest detection and inspection, and control any pest problem effectively.
We have collate a list of common pest signs you can keep a lookout
- What does bed bug infestation looks like?
- How do I know if my home has termites?
- I do not see crawling cockroaches at home. Are we safe?
- It is hard to find rats since they surface at night.
- Ants are tiny. Where else can we detect their hide out?
Why is pest elimination essential
Besides fixing individuals’ with pest fear and phobia, especially for cockroaches and rats, more importantly, pest removal is important for the following
- Prevents dangers of pests to your health such as spread of harmful disease including Dengue Fever and Zika
- Minimise food contamination and poisoning symptoms
- Minimise the risk of bug bites, that may cause allergy, rash and infection
- Avoid unsightly stains and marks caused by pests, such as gnaw bites, droppings and urine stains
- Protect family from potential weakening of property structures, damaged walls or collapsed ceilings.
- For businesses, to eliminate costly financial impact such as penalty or business closure
- Possible social media crisis and negative brand reputation, resulting in lower patronage
Common misunderstanding of pest control in Singapore
Most of us would have thought pest control for home is costly or not necessary in a residential setting, only required when the infestation is serious or only applicable for premium landing properties and apartments. In addition, there is also a taboo of perceived as poor sanitation and housekeeping should a family engage in pest control specialist. For health conscious and family with kids or elderly, there is also a concern that pest control is dangerous and toxic.
Common home and office mistakes that attracts pest
There may be a lack of awareness and a need to learn why pests are attracted to your home, and what food attracts bugs. Some common poor habits include
- Not disposing trash, leaving waste overnight or not covering bin with a lid
- Poor housekeeping habits, leading to compromised sanitation
- Habit of snacking or consuming food in the living hall or bed room
- Presence of clutters, cartons and boxes lying in the storeroom
- Leaving food out in the open, without proper storage or using well sealed containers
- Wet or moist environment, such as spills and leaks on the floor
- Unresolved home structure defects, such as gaps and crevices found
- Negligence of mozzie breeding sources such as stagnant water in flower pots or gulley traps
Read more on why home maintenance is necessary for a home.
What are the types of pest control services
Pest control treatments comes in various forms include placing of traps and lures, applying gels and baits and performing misting and spraying at the targeted premise. Baits and lures are dependent on the pest type, active ingredients, dosage level is also designed base on pest species, and infestation level and number of traps and units are dependent on the coverage area and control needs. Digital pest control is also available that comprises sensing technology to detect and control pests accurately and effectively. For pest such as flies, fly catcher are installed on strategic walls and surfaces to lure and trap adults.
Pest treatments is delivered with the following optionsPest treatments is delivered with the following options
- One-time-off visit where the specialist carry out the pest control job for a specific and targeted problem, usually a localised treatment for a quick fix elimination objective
- Long-term contractual treatment commitment where specialist visits your premise for regular inspection, detection, monitoring and treating or the problem. These are ideal for long-term protection and proactive prevention purpose.
- Intensive flush out programme, usually for serious or acute pest infestation that requires intensive treatment to eliminate the pest problem. Users may consider maintenance treatment ensure problem is under control thereafter.
How often should pest control be done? Depending on the control needs, sensitivity of pest presence, infestation level and type of pests invaded, pest control frequencies and schedules ranges weekly, fortnightly, monthly, bi-monthly and yearly.
What do pest control treatment covers
Rentokil Pest Control programmes cover the following services and support for residential, commercial and industrial customers.
- Mandatory initial site survey and safety risk assessment of the premise required to be treated
- Generating insights from the customer to understand needs, budget preference and lifestyle
- Recommending the best pest control methods to suit the pest type, existing situation, affordability and any preference for eco-green solutions.
- Completion of a service report on the infestation condition and trend analysis
- Provision of service recommendation, such as proofing and housekeeping activities.
- Pest awareness and education
- Monitoring and inspection to ensure pest infestation is under control
- Online digital reporting platform for readily available information 24/7 daily
Pro’s and Con’s in engaging professional pest control
Unsure what is best on how to get rid of pest? We evaluate the Pro’s and Con’s in engaging professional pest control vs resorting to off-the-shelve quick fix solutions.
| Pro’s | Con’s | |
|---|---|---|
| Assurance and peace of mind for safety and pest elimination | May require setting some time for carrying out treatments. Some hours of evacucation post treatment is required. | |
| Pest control effectiveness and efficacy. Health and Safety is considered | Certain pest control services might cost more compared to off-the-shelf products | |
| Trained and licensed professional to carry out service with technical expertise | Home users might lack the technical know-how and pest knowledge to perform the job effectively | |
| Trustworthy pest analysis and recommendations to manage pest situation better | Potentially rely on myths and non-credible information for self-advice on pest management | |
| Various pest control packages and service options to suit budget preference and home needs | DIY Home Fix tends to be purchased in the form of spray, baits and lures and lack the customisation and integration factor |
How do you evaluate pest control company in Singapore
There are various considerations in evaluating and shortlisting a pest control company. With over 300 companies in Singapore and multiple rewards and incentives await you, how do you know which best pest control services in Singapore you can rely on? Some questions and traits you should look out for includes Brand equity and value in the market
- Brand equity and value in the market
- Number of years of experience practised
- Accolades, awards and certifications that illustrates quality
- Size of the business
- Customer reviews and credibility
- Type of solutions and technology use
- Technical expertise such as field biologists availability
- Health and Safety Procedures
- Quality control and audit measures
Read here to find out more what contributes a good pest control service.
How much should you pay for pest control?
Pest control prices ranges and home users may have different pest removal objectives and needs to determine what an ideal price for pest removal is. Some considerations include
- Are you seeking for short term or long-term solution?
- Is your home undergoing mild or serious infestation?
- How big is the premise for treatment coverage? Do they include indoor and or outdoors?
- Preference for brand name and credibility in the market
- Type of treatments and solutions used for instance, there is different types of baits and trap units.
- Frequency and number of treatments required
- Do you prefer eco-green and low toxicity treatments?
- Utilsing innovation and technology, such as, digital rodent control for optimal control.
- Do you require additional services for integrated and comprehensive approach?
Read here to find out more on what is the average cost of pest control service in Singapore.
DIY home remedies for pest control
With vast research and information available on the Internet, there are multiple recommendations and suggestions on DIY home remedies. For instance, it is common to make use of home ingredients to repel pests due to its strong and pungent smell it exudes. This includes the use of spices, condiments, essential oil and fruits like cucumber peel. In addition, the commonly known pest myth of using cockroaches and moth balls to repel cockroaches.
For the adventurous, homeowners may mix items to “concoct” pest elimination remedies. For example, mixing borax, vinegar and baking soda with sugar items. However, do these natural ways to get rid of insects really work? Read here to find out more on how these pest myths methods may not eliminate root source.
Pest Control and Preventive Tips
It seems like occurrence of pests can be inevitable due to various factors. For instance, environmental nature, lifestyle, maintenance standards, structure integrity and weather. In other words, how can you prevent infestation and minimise unnecessary hassles, disruptions, safety risks and further expense incurred? Here is a summary of pest preventive tips you can adopt.
- Remember to clear the dishes in the sink to avoid cockroach attraction.
- Do not leave trash overnight as pests favour decaying matter and waste.
- Clear away food debris and sugary bits as ants love lurking around them.
- Minimise clutters, cartons and newspapers pile up to eliminate pest hiding and breeding.
- Apply proofing and window screens to minimise entries
- Make it a point to check and detect your home for early signs of pests.
- Water and moist is what attract pests. Keep place dry and wipe away those spills.
- Fix the home structure defects, by sealing the gaps and crevices
- If necessary, perform some renovation works to eliminate pest harbourage opportunities
- For travellers, refrain from placing luggage on the bed to unpack. Place them by the door to avoid spreading bed bugs to the room.
Call Rentokil Singapore at 6347 8138 for an integrated pest management solution today.
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