One of the most interesting things about working in the pest control field is getting to see our industry's technologies and practices evolve alongside trends in building science. As building science improves, so does the pest control industry. For example, since homes are becoming more and more airtight, the pest control management industry is shifting from treating inside the home to treating outside the home.
While this practice makes sense from a construction perspective, it has caused issues in the pest control world. Why? Some pest control management companies take this as a cue to treat ONLY the outside of the home—and have forgotten how important interior treatment is. While exterior pest control is important, exterminators should use a two pronged approach of treating the inside and the outside of a home to ensure that it is a pest free property.
Why Interior Treatment Matters
Exterior treatment is like washing your hands during flu season— it helps keep germs at bay, where they should stay. But just as having clean hands doesn't mean you shouldn't take your vitamins, a treated exterior doesn't mean you should neglect the inside of your home. You need to maintain your home's interior health even as you protect the exterior.
Pest activity in the home can pose a serious health risk to you and your family. Animals such as cockroaches, mice, and rats can carry disease and trigger allergies and asthma attacks. Pests like termites can do serious structural damage to your home. If you have strong pest activity already or if you suspect that you might— you owe it to yourself and your family to take the appropriate measures to ensure that you have a safe, disease free, pest free home.
The Bottom Line
So why do some companies only treat the exterior of the home? One reason, unfortunately, is that it's simply more profitable to treat the exterior and not put as much (or any) attention to the interior. When technicians stay outside of the home, it's easier to schedule visits and those visits go faster. This is obvious when you compare the relative complexity of treating the perimeter of a house to treating the many nooks and crannies of a kitchen.
Companies can charge for more visits per day when technicians treat the exterior only. Also, the professionalism of the technicians can be lower if they never actually interact with the homeowner or their family. For these reasons, exterior treatments have become a cost-cutting measure for some pest control companies. Sadly, many are prioritizing their profit margin first, and the service they provide to their customers second (or in some cases, last).
While there are some types of pest control that do not need to be conducted inside of the home such as spraying plants with insecticide and fixing cracks and crevices on the outside walls so pests can't enter, once a pest has penetrated the perimeter of your home— exterior treatment is no longer sufficient.
At Breda Pest Management, we work with you to find the best solution for your individual problem— whether you need treatment inside, outside, or a combination of both.
