While no property is immune from a pest infestation, regardless of how clean and well maintained it is, it’s a fact that old buildings are more prone to pests, especially when left unattended.
This is down to three primary reasons. Firstly, the cracks, holes, nooks and crannies present in older builds – caused by years of decay, weather based erosion, and general wear and tear – are more inviting to pests. Secondly, the materials more prevalent in older builds, such as timber and thatch, tend to attract pests. Finally, period properties, as opposed to flats and tightly constructed urban homes, may be surrounded with more foliage and greenery, both of which are natural homes for pests.
Once pests infest these buildings, they may exacerbate the already lurking structural damage. However, with the proper knowledge, you can quickly identify and eradicate pests from old buildings.
The first step in pest removal is identifying the type of pests that might have infested the building and the pest’s lifecycle, ideally determining their nesting and breeding habits with the help of a professional. Once that is correctly done, it is easier to develop effective strategies to remove the pests for good. Here we are going to discuss five effective methods to help you remove pests from old buildings.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
The method utilises living organisms to eradicate the infestation, and is the most eco friendly way of dealing with pests. Biological control is primarily used in greenhouses but it can also work indoors, with the pests’ natural enemies, such as predators or pathogens, introduced into the area affected.
Those natural enemies will interfere with the pest’s biological processes, such as their ability to reproduce or infect them with fatal diseases. Hmmm, this is starting to sound a little dark.
Anyway, let’s bring this back to more palatable terrain with a familiar example; one of the most common biological control methods is by introducing cats into old buildings infested with rats. Cuddly, lovely cats…
In all seriousness, more common biological control methods are usually used in garden and greenhouse spaces, and include nematodes being used against ants and slugs, predatory midges for counter-attacking aphids, and ladybirds keeping larvae at bay.
Biological control methods are generally the most ‘human friendly’ pest solution as they don’t involve chemicals. This is also handy as pests cannot develop a resistance, as they sometimes do to chemicals. However, this is only really feasible for small pest infestations and might take a while to work.
REMOVAL OF HABITAT
The key to protecting old property from pests is by removing anything that would encourage their survival, by starving them of their food or water source and thus preventing further spread. Clearing garbage in or around the building, for example, would starve rats or mice or, at least, deter rodents from revisiting. Additionally, getting rid of stagnant water around the building will help reduce fly and mosquito infestation.
USE OF ORGANIC PEST CONTROL
Often people opt for natural substances to eradicate a pest infestation. An example of organic pest control is the mixing of sodium fluoroacetate into pests’ baits to kill various pests. Other organic products that can be used in pest removal use insecticidal soaps in wiping surfaces, making oil sprays, such as a mixture of tea tree oil, to ward off spiders, and using neem leaf to deter small animals.
While organic pest control is a cost-effective solution, it is important to carefully dispose of the bodies of the animals killed through poison to prevent bigger animals from eating them, and therefore perhaps creating a new pest problem in the process.
USE OF PESTICIDE
Pesticides are substances used to manage pests. Compared to other methods discussed above, pesticides are perhaps the easiest to source and use, since they are sold in dedicated spaces in homeware and garden stores, as well as online.
Moreover, they produce faster results upon application. Examples of pesticides include repellents that can kill crawling and flying pests within the building, and fly sprays. Despite their many advantages, particularly their convenience of use, pesticides can be harmful to humans and the environment when misused. Always read the given instructions on the proper use of the pesticide before handling.
CONTACT PROFESSIONAL PEST EXTERMINATORS
Even though the techniques mentioned above can significantly reduce the amount of pests in a property, the chances of completely removing pests from old buildings without professional help are slim. If the problem is large, increasing exponentially, getting out of hand, or in danger of damaging the structural integrity of your property, then it’s advisable to contact professional pest removal services. This is particularly pertinent if the above methods failed to eradicate pests, or only worked in the short term.