Pest proofing: why it is critical now more than ever
It is common these days for business premises left unoccupied. Recent events such as the Circuit Breaker during this COVID-19 period have affected the way we all work and go about our business. However, while we all have to adapt our working practices, for pests it is business as usual.
Pest activity in buildings has always been a daily problem for businesses. Continuous maintenance and vigilance are essential to prevent pests from entering. Any pest infestation must be dealt with quickly and effectively before it has a chance to spread.
While older buildings present structural and multiple entry points, new buildings – often with their open-plan layouts – can also be susceptible to pests. The costs to resolve the damage caused by rat infestations can be substantial because pests can:
- Damage equipment, which can lead to fire, loss of vital communications or control over critical machinery;
- Damage food stock, which can cause contamination and cost thousands to replace;
- Spread disease that threatens staff and customers food safety
- Rransmit diseases via pathogens in their urine and faeces
- Replacement, renovation and refurbishment expenses
- Time lost and operational disruption
The pests looking to overrun your building during Coronavirus
Rodents
Rentokil recently identified the key trends impacting businesses and pest control. Research showed that out of all the different species of pests, rats species are one of the most destructive for businesses. That’s because rats are nimble and versatile and will make the most of any opportunity to enter your premises.
All rodents can climb and explore multiple levels of a building – black rats and mice in particular. They’re also adept at swimming and will take advantage of damaged pipework by negotiating sewers and drain systems. Both species love to gnaw and won’t stop until the gap is large enough for entry.
Once inside, rats and mice can damage building structures, equipment and stock. They breed quickly, leading to infestations from just one pair of rodents. They can spread diseases such as Salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, Weil’s disease with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Rat control is necessary to heighten the safety of the people, while we combat the COVID-19 spread.
This also means it may be harder to detect where rats hide. They can squeeze through gaps, rest at false ceilings, hide within limited spaces or blind spots corners that visible inspection is less easy. Read here to find out what causes rat infestation.
Birds
Not only can they be noisy, messy and unhygienic – pecking and fouling stock, equipment, ledges and surfaces – but they can also give customers, staff and the public a bad impression of your business.
Feral pigeons, for instance, carry parasitic pests such as ticks, fleas and bird mites. They live on the birds and on their droppings, but then look for new hosts when the pigeons abandon their nests. Pigeons and gulls can make your staff and customers ill from the serious pathogens they carry.
Ticks and fleas are also a common pest concern in Singapore. This increases the health and safety risk to both pets, individuals and the young. They latch onto hosts and feed on blood to survive, similar to how female mosquitoes behave. Besides skin infection and allergy, these pests can also transmit harmful diseases. Read more on how to identify ticks and fleas signs of infestation.
Flying insects (flies and wasps)
Out of all the common pests that affect businesses across the globe, you will not find many more troublesome than the flies. On average, businesses across the globe spend $9,033 a year on controlling fly infestations. This includes staff absence, revenue loss and damaged brand reputation having the most serious ramifications for a business suffering from an infestation.
Apart from the incredible rate at which they breed (fruit flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time that can fully develop in as little as seven days), flying insects carry pathogens that spread diseases such as cholera, E. coli and salmonellosis and they regularly move between contaminated sources and clean areas to cause cross-contamination. So, their numbers and their impact can pose health risks to staff and customers.
Wasps, meanwhile, will find sheltered areas inside your building, such as wall cavities and roof spaces. A wasp problem will be an unwanted distraction for customers and employees.
Proofing solutions to prevent pest infestations for your business
One of the best ways to prevent pest activity and how you control a rat infestation is to proof your building. Rentokil Singapore provides recommendations of proofing tips to help protect a building from pest entry, including:
- Filling small to large gaps
- Protecting cable trays and pipes through floors/walls
- Preventing rodent entry using mesh
- Proofing doors against heavy infestation
- Preventing rodents climbing
- Protecting entry via loading areas and roller doors
Proofing to prevent a rodent infestation
Discovering your business has a rodent infestation can be very distressing. Proofing your business to prevent pest entry and removing easy access to food and water can make a significant difference.
Keeping staff, customers and members of the public safe from harm while protecting your business against litigation, lost profits and damaged reputation, is vital. While there may not be rodents inside your building currently, Rentokil Initial has innovative solutions to ensure things are kept that way, and to provide alerts whenever pest activity threatens the surroundings of your building or property.
One of the rat eradication solutions offered by Rentokil Pest Control is the Connected Rat Riddance Technology. This rat pest control utilises sensing technology to detect rat’s activities and sends a signal to a command centre where pest control specialists are alerted. The digital rodent control programme then updates the activities, trend analysis, hot spot areas with heavy infestation and service recommendation such as housekeeping tips and proofing to an online reporting platform. Where social distancing is highly encouraged during the COVID-19 period, this “contact-less” pest control can heighten your health and safety, while getting rid of rats remotely.
Protect your premises with bird-proofing
Bird-proofing is one of the biggest challenges a business can face. It can be particularly difficult when surfaces such intricate facades, statues, monuments and signage are affected. In addition, for historic and listed buildings, bird-proofing requires sensitive work. Bird netting and deterrent solutions may help in some proofing control.
Protect your business from flies and flying insects
Rentokil Pest Control offers a range of effective and unique solutions to deal with flies and wasps nests, including:
- Lumnia Insect Light Traps – designed to effectively capture and encapsulate flying insects by using high-attraction LED lamps to attract them to the unit. Lumnia even eliminates the risk of fly fragments falling outside, thereby reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
- Fruit Flies Foaming Programme – a flush out programme to eliminate root source of a flies infestation such as larvae breeding at key risk areas. The lather effect can slip through tight gaps and corners more effectively, with efficient residual effect.
Pest-proof your premises from common pests
Apart from these key pests that can be damaging to the business, there are a series of common pests that are equally crucial and damaging to our health and safety. This includes ants and cockroaches commonly found in buildings such as commercial offices. Similarly, they seek food, water and shelter, and a vacant environment makes it ideal to nest and breed.
Question is, with the property shut and sealed during this closure period, how do these pests enter? Pest entries are possible as follows:
- Slipping in through the cracks and crevices around the structure
- Entering from the ventilator and exhausts systems
- Crawling in from drains to the sewers and pipes
- Underneath the door gaps where is not proofed
The business benefits of proofing
Besides engaging pest control services, pest-proofing prevents pests from entering your premises. In addition, it can also prohibit interior pest movement. In summary, pest proofing can also:
- Provide continuous control
- Reduce the need for pesticides
- Stop infestations from neighbouring areas
- Save time and money dealing with a costly infestation
Maintain stringent facility cleanliness
While most premises are closed this period, some of the maintenance we can take on includes both proofing and pest control treatment. However, the next essential commercial pest control checklist is to ensure cleanliness and housekeeping is carried out. Pests enjoy poor sanitation and an unhygienic environment and feed on decaying or decomposed matters. Ensure a thorough deep cleaning and decluttering of the property. Take the opportunity to engage professional pest control services to carry out surface disinfection misting.
Understanding more about disinfection service
Protection against bacteria and viruses remains top priority during this pandemic. Firstly, using hand sanitisers and regular hand washing with soap is an ongoing protection process. Secondly, take care of the air quality by installing air purification with deep levels of filtration aids in health protection. Finally, surface sanitisation such as carrying out disinfection misting can remove harmful bacteria and viruses including Influenza, MERS and Coronavirus is critical.
The Rentokil Surface Disinfection treatment is able deliver up to 30 days of residual effect protection, and able to meet demands of daily cleaning and washing. In addition, it is safe and environment friendly to assure the treatment does not compromise the safety with proper standard operation procedures in place.
There are many options in disinfection misting and surface sanitisation services in Singapore currently. Here are some useful articles you may read further to help evaluate your options:
- Debugged the five common myths of surface disinfection
- Understand the complete guide to surface sanitisation and disinfection
- Five ways of cleaning and sanitising surfaces options
- Six reasons why disinfection and hygiene services is essential
Why choose Rentokil
Rentokil are the global experts in pest management, with over 90 years of experience servicing commercial customers. Our experience means that we are best to help your business with essential services that help protect against all pests. We offer the most advanced and comprehensive range of pest control solutions and services in the industry. In addition, we have a network of dedicated experts who can respond to situations quickly and consistently.
In addition, Rentokil Singapore is voted best pest control company and recipients of various prestigious awards and accolades. These achievements are testament of excellence in service quality and optimal efficacy in pest control standards. These awards include the bizSAFE star and Singapore Quality Class.
Over the years, we received vast positive customer reviews on their service satisfaction. They include pest control solutions delivered for their residential homes, commercial offices and industrial warehousing sectors.
Call Rentokil Singapore at 6347 8138 for an integrated pest control solution today.
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