Pest MD – DIY Pest Control Tips and Strategies
DIY Pest Control – Ever think about doing your own pest control? It’s not difficult! You can DIY pest control, if you can read and understand English, wash your car, or mow your own lawn. It is not strenuous it just takes observation, common sense, and a little help getting started using the right professional pest control products. Thus Pest MD DIY Pest Control Tips and Strategies was born. Look for tips for getting rid of the bugs that are bugging you.
Pest MD DIY Pest Control Tips and Strategies
Mike Dukes is Pest M.D.
Pest MD offers help getting started DIY pest control. Some of us can’t afford to hire a pest control company on a regular basis or we’d rather use that money for something else. Generally you can save up to 70% when you DIY Home Pest Control.
According to the National Pesticide Information Center, “Before selecting a product or rushing into a decision on how to solve your pest problem, there are important things to consider:
- Make sure the pest is properly identified. Your efforts won’t do any good if they are not tailored to your pest. Even different types of ants eat different foods and require different control measures.
- If you use a pesticide, be sure to read and follow the product label. The majority of misapplications reported to NPIC are performed by homeowners or renters, not pest control operators.
- Do not mix up your own “recipe” from other pesticides or household products. Products available in the store have been evaluated for risks to people, pets, and the environment.
As with any other project you’ll need to purchase the supplies you need to get started. Get started doing your own pest control in many scenarios for $125 a year or less. Compare the cost. At $35 per month to hire a professional, that’s $420.00 per year, and lots of pest control companies don’t even cover all common household pest for that price.
For example; A flea treatment is an extra charge and can run somewhere between $75 and $150 just for an inside treatment, then double or triple that for the outside treatment. Then it’s off to the vet to have your pet treated. Hiring a professional could cost you lots of money for a year’s contract. You can do the inside/outside treatment for less than a hundred using Tengard SFR in combination with Archer IGR, and have enough left over for follow ups and more treatments, depending on law large your yard is. DIY Pest Control can save you hundreds of dollars that you can put to use elsewhere.
- You’ll need a sprayer capable of spraying pesticides, using Viton seals.
Chemical sprayer, capable of spaying pesticides.
If you have a good one that is a plus. Why do I need a good pesticide sprayer? If you are new to DIY Pest control, I suggest you start with this Home Pro Plus sprayer. If you decide you don’t want to continue, you haven’t spent much but if you enjoy doing DIY this sprayer will do the job for a few years if you keep it clean and store it properly. Rebuild parts are available for this sprayer, and a ten dollar parts pack gets you everything you need to rebuild this sprayer and keep it in optimum working condition for several years.
- Choose a pest or topic in the menu up top and read on if your interest is perked. You can begin to DIY Pest Control.
Two Things Pest Companies don’t want you to know!
- You can purchase and use the same professional pest products and equipment pros use to treat your own property. When I started out with Orkin I was told the general public could not purchase professional products. That made the PC industry a monopoly; you can’t get professional results without professional strength pest control products. Now you can get those products too.
- DIY Pest control isn’t difficult to do. Complete directions of use are included in the product label booklet that comes with each professional insecticide concentrate. The label is written in plain English and it is easy to understand. You can do it. If you don’t plan to read the label instructions please don’t continue reading this site. Stop now and call Terminex or Orkin or whoever. You must read the label to use these products (Federal Law). The strength of professional pest products is the highest formulation percentage allowed on the US market and these products are capable of doing the job without doubling the dose. In fact they work better at the recommended mixture for your target pest.
Four Things you need to know!
- Product misapplication is a crime! You must follow the label rules when you make product applications because some of these products are strong enough to cause harm to you, yours and your and my environment. You could be prosecuted under certain circumstances, malicious application, causing harm to someone, I don’t know what all else, but if you follow the label in the strictest sense you are OK. Promise to READ AND UNDERSTAND THE PRODUCT LABELS, and you’ll be fine. That is the law!
- Use only on your property! You can not apply pest control products to any other property other than your own without holding a pest application license.
- You can not charge to apply pest control products to any other property other than your own with out a pest application license.
- Local government rules may not allow certain products! Your local government agencies may not allow you to apply certain products in your area. I can’t possibly know every local area rule, so I’ve provided a way for you to find your local CEO. You may contact your local Cooperative Extension office (CEO) for information. Or you may visit http://www.JarrodsPestProducts.com and each product states which state or states are not allowed are clearly listed on their product pages.
Most Americans think pest control companies use chemical products and other pest control devices that the public is not allowed to use or are not permitted to purchase. So in order to get the best pest control they have to turn to a professional. Times have changed and pest control products have gotten much safer and more effective. Sure RESTRICTED products exist but almost no one uses them including pest control companies. You will not be encouraged to use restricted pest control products. I’ve been in the business since 1982 and have never used a restricted product.
You may purchase and use professional pest control products. But you must use them correctly and according to the product label. That means, before you use these products you absolutely must read and understand the product label. The product label will tell you where you are allowed to use the product and areas you must avoid, mixing instructions and much much more. If you read, understand and follow the product label you will get professional results.
If you need some help understanding what products to use and where to use and handle them safely; that’s the goal of Pest MD.
Pest MD is certainly not trying to downplay the importance of pest control companies, in many situations they are a needed service. You wouldn’t say someone who teaches you how to care for your lawn is trying to destroy the lawn care business, eh? But for most homeowners DIY-PC is a something you can do yourself and save money when you do it, and get professional results.
Even as you read this approximately 80% of all Americans do some form of do it yourself pest control, using low strength grocery store and/or hardware, over the counter products. Using professional products will get faster, better and lasting control.
DIY-PC FACTS
- FACT: You can use the same strength pest control products professional pest Control and Termite and Wildlife Companies use! Some states do not allow homeowners to use certain products. When you purchase your products online you’ll be notified whether or not a product can be sold into your state. Only a few states restrict homeowner usage. Complete instructions come with each product as Usage directions, or complete product labels and MSDS sheets available. Read about each product and product family. All the big name are here DUPONT, FMC, Bayer Chemical (aspirin folks, that’s right)
- FACT: You don’t have to know everything about pest control. You only have to learn to service your own home or business.
- FACT: Instead of using a hardware store or big box store “over the counter reduced active ingredient % products”, you can use the same professional strength products the pros use. Browse this site and see how easy DIY Pest Control can be. Look for seasonal pest bulletins in our Seasonal Pest Updates Calender to see what pest problems to anticipate as seasons change.
- Fact: Be Prepared! If ants have been a problem in the past years, maybe you should get prepared, purchase a few professional ant products and be ready.
Pest MD DIY Pest Control Tips and Strategies
Important note from, Pest MD DIY Pest Control Tips and Strategies:
The use of some products may not be legal in your state or country. Please check with your local county agent or regulatory official before using any pesticide mentioned in this publication.
Pest MD – Help finding your nearest Cooperative Extension office. The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide, non-credit educational network. Each U.S. state and territory has a state office at its land-grant university and a network of local or regional offices. These offices are staffed by one or more experts who provide useful, practical, and research-based information to agricultural producers, small business owners, youth, consumers, and others in rural areas and communities of all sizes. Ask about the chemical product you would like to use to see if there any restrictions.
Cooperative Extension System Offices Click to find your nearest extension office. They are very helpful in pest identification and can answer many questions. Food luck and welcome aboard. Mike Dukes, editor-in-cheif, Pest MD DIY Pest Control Tips and Strategies