Homeowners: "Pest" prevention/treatment - what do you all do?

Status
Not open for further replies.

SunnyD

Belgian Waffler
Jan 2, 2001
32,674
146
106
www.neftastic.com
For the last year, we've had Orkin come pretty much every other month on a 12 month contract to treat for the creepy-crawlies since my wife doesn't like 'em much. It amounted to something like $50 or so every other month if I recall, but it was likely a first year special sort of thing.

Anyway, my contract with them is up, and I don't really know how much benefit they've been. Really, the only thing we've had problems with is an occasional earwig and right now (spring/summer) the wasps. I'm not sure if it's any relation to the service we've had over the last year or just in general. I've gone about treating any ant hills I've seen myself, and we're termite bonded through Wayne's Environmental. I'm considering switching to Wayne's, as when I talked to the termite guy for the inspection he seemed to indicate they'd be much cheaper than the Orkin rate. My other thought is DIY pest prevention, though if some sort of major infestation of something occurred it'd be all on me to take care of.

So what all do the rest of your homeowners use if anything, and how much does it cost you?
 

Superself

Senior member
Jun 7, 2001
688
0
76
Go to home depot or Lowes and get the gallon of insect control (Bayer, Ortho, Spectracide...etc). Spray around your home, inside, outside with special attention to all entrances/windows. I usually do this every 2-3 months and I dont have any issues.
 

PatrickBateman

Senior member
Oct 14, 2004
368
0
0
Of all the ones I tried, Bayer, Home defense, etc....the Bayer Advanced in the blue bottle (got it from Walmart) that you connect to a hose wrked best for me....I spray foundation and basically the whole lower half of the house....one one to get rid of these tiny ass pesky bugs i was getting. I was just thinking about this yesterday as the weather was warming up.
 

zardthebuilder

Senior member
Feb 8, 2012
211
0
71
for crawling bugs, i use niban (or intice). both are weatherized Orthoboric Acid granules. they recommend 24" perimeter every 3 months. i do 8" every month. it's safe. it can be used with organic gardening under certain situations.

when niban is not enough, i use Suspend SC. very safe for inside too. professionals spray it everywhere inside, even on beds with bedbugs. i spray near every water source and the windows. just don't breath the stuff. you will need to buy a good sprayer.

definitely do it yourself. i used to pay a professional company $99 per quarter to do the same thing. my wife is happier now than with the professional, which is where the rubber meets the road.

ETA: you asked about cost. 4 lb niban lasts me one year ($30). after 5 years, i still have 1/3 of my original pint of Suspend SC ($40). i think my sprayer was $50.

http://www.pestmall.com/niban-granular-bait-4-lb.html?gclid=CI_exZyx-a4CFc-R7QodFHjZxA
http://www.omri.org/simple-opl-search/results/niban

http://www.pestmall.com/suspend-sc-insecticide.html?gclid=CKOz5dGy-a4CFeJe7AodwB2XzA
 
Last edited:

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
If you get a service that does lawn treatment and in-home, it's usually a better good deal if you are getting fertilizers included.

I buy most of my stuff at a real lawn/pest supplier. It's usually things that are higher concentrations or dangerous if you are an idiot (and the big boxes don't want to risk a kid getting into them).

The Lesco products there are different formulations than the big boxes too.

Prices are about the same.
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
Go to home depot or Lowes and get the gallon of insect control (Bayer, Ortho, Spectracide...etc). Spray around your home, inside, outside with special attention to all entrances/windows. I usually do this every 2-3 months and I dont have any issues.

This is what I do, but maintenance can become a headache. I've been debating on going back to the "contract" since i've been battling carpenter ants. If I miss a month of putting up the granules around the house we start to see them coming in. I had a hell of a time with them in the detached garage too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.