The Not-So Hidden Secret of Pest Control
Your home is your castle. Your privacy is sacrosanct. But not to the legion of burrowing bugs and crawling critters that want in. We call them pests they’re after and they want what’s in your kitchen.
Space Invaders & Health Hazards
A pest is usually described as being “invasive”, meaning a threatening visitor that moves in and takes over. But they don’t all do this. Mosquitos, for example, are a notoriously mobile pest. The Environmental Protection Agency has a list of official pests for the purposes of pesticide legislation and these are the creatures that are “of significant public health importance”. Then there are other pests like termites and woodworm that want to eat the furniture and the roof but are not a health hazard to humans.
Pest Encounter Risks
The chances of your local pests becoming a problem in your home depend on a combination of two main factors: structural integrity and cleanliness. Cracked walls, leaky roofs, and broken windows obviously offer easy entry and food crumbs on the floor and rotting trash create a miasmic smell magnet that brings insects and rodents running in from across the state.
A 2021 US government census report reveals that pests thrive in homes with structural problems. A United States Census Bureau’s 2021 review, How Many American Homes Have Pests, reveals that “homes with a sagging roof were about 3.9 times more likely than homes without a sagging roof to have roach sightings.” Not only does structural damage mean easy access to the home for opportunistic pests, it very often goes hand-in-hand with other home issues like dampness and mould which attracts certain critters.
Pest Patrol
The secret of pest control is hidden in plain sight. Holes and free-floating food clearly attract any and all unwelcome invaders dampness and humidity attract termites. Owners can keep their homes protected with high maintenance and hygiene standards.
Matters are less clear in rental properties. The landlord owns the structure, but tenants are responsible for the cleanliness of the home. This raises the question: who is responsible for keeping pests at bay? Laws vary somewhat across states, but generally, landlords are responsible for keeping their properties pest-free. But the terms of the lease can come into play here, so if tenants haven’t been keeping a lid on the trash, they may be liable to pay for any control.
When pest prevention measures fail – or are neglected – then they’re in! Homeowners, landlords and conscientious tenants may have a go at repelling invaders and there’s an arsenal of DIY products, from eco-friendly sticky traps to high-risk chemical warfare. State law is especially important for landlords and property managers to note. New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law, for example, allows only residents to use pesticides in their homes. NYC has a helpful guide for landlords and tenants to work together to tackle the problem.
So if your pest patrol measures have failed, it is usually safest to call in the experts. Just make sure that they are experts!
