What To Do If Pest Control Services Don’t Solve Your Problem
Professional Pest Control Shawnee KS services are designed to eliminate infestations and protect property. They do this by using a variety of methods including chemicals, traps, and exclusion techniques.
They also encourage homeowners to maintain clean and dry spaces. This means wiping down surfaces regularly and storing food in sealed containers.
Identify The Pests
In many cases, pests leave telltale signs of infestation that can alert you to a problem. Whether you see rodent droppings or unexplained damage to your baseboards, it can be pretty obvious that you have an issue that needs to be addressed. However, there are times when pests can sneak up on you and be much harder to identify. That’s why it is important to pay attention to any odd noises or smells in your home, as well as clean up as often as possible and keep food, pet food, and garbage in airtight containers.
One of the most obvious signs of pests is gnawing or chewing marks on your baseboards, electrical wires, furniture, and other surfaces in your home. Rats, mice, and other rodents are known to gnaw through a variety of surfaces to access food sources in the home, including baseboards, window sills, upholstery, and even drywall. You may also notice a strong odor in your home that is reminiscent of urine or other foul odors such as raccoon or mouse poop. Mice and rats also give off a musty or ammonia-like scent, and cockroaches can create an oily, musty odor as they walk around.
Pests are incredibly resourceful when it comes to getting what they need to survive and reproduce, so they will do what they have to to thrive in your home. Taking steps to limit their access to water, food, and shelter can significantly reduce the number of pests in your home, and combined with other natural control measures, can have a long-term impact on infestations.
Another way to help reduce pest populations is to take a closer look at your home and identify what pests are present. Insects and other pests can be identified by their shape, size, color, wings or antennae (if applicable), and other markings. If you aren’t able to determine what kind of bug or other pest it is by looking at it, then try to compare it to photos online of similar pests to make an educated guess.
Take A Closer Look At Your Home
It is important to be proactive and keep an eye out for pests in all parts of your home. This is especially true in places where they tend to hide or travel. For example, rodents often seek shelter in dark basement corners and crawl spaces, while cockroaches might be found under sinks or around appliances. Other pests like millipedes or carpet beetles may prefer damp, dark areas like closets. And termites can cause extensive damage to your property by chewing through wooden structures.
Look out for signs of infestations or activity, which can help you decide if it is time to call in the professionals. For instance, you might notice a musty smell that indicates mildew and rotting food in the area. Other signs of infestation include droppings or pellets that look the size of tic-tacs or wood shavings along windowsills, baseboards, and other areas. Dark maroon or brown spots on furniture and walls are also common indications of a problem.
Another sign of a potential pest problem is scurrying, scratching, or whining sounds that can be heard inside the home. These noises typically occur at night when pests are most active. You can also look out for gnaw marks near hanging electrical wires that might indicate rodents are nesting there. You should also pay attention to outdoor areas and check for scurrying or digging in your yard, which could indicate the presence of ground beetles, earwigs, or moles.
Many pests carry diseases that pose a health risk to your family. Rodents, for example, can spread Hantavirus and other dangerous diseases while cockroaches and mosquitoes can trigger allergies and asthma in children and adults. And termites, carpenter ants, and other wood-destroying insects can leave behind severe structural damage that requires costly repairs.
Keeping your home pest-free can prevent these issues and help you save money on repair bills. Some simple steps you can take include caulking gaps around doors and windows, repairing or replacing weather stripping, sealing the air in your attic with foam insulation, and cleaning indoor garbage cans regularly. You can also store pet food in sealed containers and use a pest repellent like diatomaceous earth to control ant and cockroach populations.
Contact A Pest Control Expert
If DIY control methods do not work, a professional pest control expert should be called. These specialists are trained to identify pests and understand their habits and can help develop a comprehensive strategy to eradicate the infestation. This may include sealing leaks, creating barriers, and cleaning areas where pests live and breed. In addition, they can provide advice on preventing future pest infestations.
If you decide to call a pest control specialist, be prepared to explain your problem in detail and show them any signs of pests that you have found. This will enable the technician to create a more targeted treatment plan that will be more effective.
Also, make sure to ask about their qualifications and credentials. Since they will be using chemicals, poisons, and other potentially dangerous substances around your home, you want to know that they have the proper licensing. You should also find out if they are bonded and insured in case something goes wrong.
Before the pest control specialist arrives, take a quick tour around your house to locate any pest droppings or tracks. Pay special attention to hard-to-reach and out-of-the-way spaces such as cabinets, pantries, crawl spaces, attics, and basements. You can also look for pest nests, which are often visible near light switches and electrical outlets.
Once you have identified the pests, it is a good idea to remove any food from your home and dispose of it properly. This will help reduce the amount of food that attracts pests and prevent them from attacking your home in the first place.
It is also a good idea to clean your home thoroughly before and after pest control treatments are carried out. Keeping kitchens and bathrooms clean will eliminate pests’ access to water, which is necessary for their survival. Leaking sinks and bathtubs are common causes of unwanted pests, so be sure to check for them regularly.
Remember that it is important to keep in mind that pests do not operate on a 9-to-5 schedule, so they are likely to be more active at night and on weekends. If you notice a pest problem in the evening or on a weekend, contact your local pest control specialist immediately.
Consider DIY Solutions
There are many DIY pest control solutions that people swear by such as humane rodent traps, home-use chemicals, vinegar, soapy water, sticky strips that attract and catch flies, and deep cleaning carpets and mattresses to get rid of mites. While these may help kill the existing pests, they do not prevent future infestations from occurring. They also do not address the underlying issues, which is where professional pest control shines.
The most important thing you can do to keep pests away from your home is to eliminate their food, water, and shelter sources. Pests enter homes in search of these 3 things and once they find them they will continue coming back for more. Make sure that your sink drains are drained, that you store food in sealed containers, and that pet food and water bowls are not left out overnight. Keeping your house clean by sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming regularly is another great way to deter pests. Also, be sure to replace your old or broken windows and screens, and repair any leaky pipes or faucets both inside and outside the house.
A good professional pest control company will identify the source of the problem and stop it from happening in the first place. This is the best way to ensure that the pests do not come back. Using the correct technique and treating the right areas will prevent re-infestation. This will save you the headache, expense, and health risks of trying to tackle the problem yourself in the future.
Some pests require professional treatment, such as termites and bed bugs, due to their invasiveness and the potential for serious damage. These types of pests are usually more difficult to eradicate than others and need to be dealt with in the most comprehensive manner possible. A professional can advise you on the best course of action and offer a solution that is tailored to your specific situation.
The most important factor to consider is that pests are not just an annoyance, they can also pose a serious health and safety risk for your family. If you are unsure about the severity of your pest problem or would like to learn more about how pest control services can benefit your home, contact us. We will be happy to help!
A Step-By-Step Guide To Installing Stucco
Stucco Philadelphia adds beauty and durability to a home. Savvy DIYers can learn to stucco a house with the proper preparation and training.
First, mix a bag of base coat stucco according to the manufacturer’s instructions in a wheelbarrow or mixing trough. Use cool water to keep the mixture from drying out too quickly.
Scratch Coat
In traditional stucco construction, the first application to go on the wall is called a scratch coat. It is a mixture of cement and sand which provides a coarse base for the stucco system to grip. The material is then scored with a tool, creating grooves that help the next layers adhere to it. The scratch coat can be applied over plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), exterior grade gypsum board, or cement board. It can also be applied over a concrete wall, but this type of construction requires special skills and training to do properly.
Before starting to apply the stucco, it is important to install any necessary sheathing materials. This will help to prevent moisture from getting in and potentially damaging the wall or structure. The most common sheathing material used with stucco is either fiberglass or metal lath. Both can be fastened to the studs in the walls using galvanized nails or screws. It is also helpful to install weep screeds along the bottom edge of all walls. These are needed to allow water to escape from behind the stucco and prevent moisture build-up.
Then, prepare a batch of scratch coat stucco mixture. Typically this will consist of 1 part Portland cement and up to 4 parts sand. It is best to use a plastic cement that has been pre-mixed with lime. This will extend the working time of the material. The sand should be from a plaster material yard and not regular beach sand, as this will provide the proper grain for the scratch coat. Then, trowel a layer of the scratch coat to about 3/8 inch thick on the wall and score it with your tool in shallow, horizontal lines. This will create the grooves that will help the next coats of stucco adhere to the surface.
After the scratch coat is dry, it should be tamped down with a hand tamper or a power tamper to create an even and level surface. This will help to ensure that the next coat of stucco will be applied evenly and smoothly.
Brown Coat
Once the scratch coat has cured, the next step is the brown coat. This is a mixture of sand and cement that is applied to the lath. The brown coat serves as a base for the rest of the stucco process, and it helps to ensure that all subsequent layers will adhere properly. This step also makes the wall much smoother and less gritty than the scratch coat.
The process for preparing the brown coat varies depending on what type of texture is specified. If a French lace or other heavy grit finish is being used, the plasterer will typically just riddle the brown coat to flatten it and knock off any clinkers. This works fine for coarse sand finishes, but it isn’t the best way to get a superior job with finer grit synthetic finishes or stucco paint.
To ensure that the brown coat is prepared correctly, it is important to use a high-quality product such as SPEC MIX Scratch and Brown. This is a Portland cement-based product that can be used over galvanized metal lath, masonry walls, or concrete base. The product is fiber-reinforced and allows for the addition of local sand making it cost-effective.
After the brown coat has been brushed and troweled to a consistent thickness, it is then left to cure for about an hour. This gives the brown coat time to set and cure, which will help to prevent sand migration and promote an even application of the finishing float coat.
Before the float coat is applied, it is important to have the appropriate tools for the job. The floater must be able to apply the finish coat at the correct thickness, which will be determined by how thick the scratch and brown coat are. This is why it is important to have a good supply of different sizes of floats and a good supply of scratch tools.
The float coat is then troweled to a smooth surface, which will create the texture of the finished stucco. This can be done using a hawk, trowels, or a hard rubber float. The floater must be careful not to overwork the material, as this can cause the surface to become rough and uneven.
Finish Coat
A well-executed stucco job is a beautiful enhancement to your home. However, it’s a time-consuming and complex project. Many homeowners choose to hire a professional, but even DIYers can make a success of it with the right planning and preparation. This step-by-step guide provides the essential information you need to tackle this rewarding project.
Lathing is the first step in the stucco process, and it provides a foundation to build upon. It’s also important for waterproofing your home and protecting against mold and other damage.
After the lath is nailed to the wall frame, apply an asphalt-saturated paper called stucco wrap. This acts as a barrier that prevents moisture intrusion from damaging the walls and creating leaks, which can lead to rot and structural damage.
Next, a metal mesh is stapled over the entire surface of the wrap to help stabilize the stucco, which will be applied on top. Depending on the application type, this may or not be necessary. Then, the base coat of stucco is applied over the entire surface. Using a trowel, spread the material evenly to a thickness of about 3/8 inch. The base coat can be textured or smooth, and pigment may be added before application.
Allow the base coat to harden for at least 36 hours. It should be misted periodically to avoid rapid drying that can erode the stucco.
First-coat mix is typically made with Portland cement and contains crack isolation and an acrylic bonding agent to improve adhesion to existing stucco. To install a new stucco wall, follow the first-coat recipe and apply it to the metal lath. On re-stucco projects, wet the edge of the existing stucco to prevent it from sucking moisture out of the new patch.
After three days, remove the plastic and mix a fresh batch of stucco, following the finish-coat recipe. This mix should contain crack isolation and a poly prep additive, which is needed for both new construction and stucco applications. To match the texture of the existing stucco on this wall, DiSilva scooped fist-size wads of wet mix onto his brick trowel and flicked them against the wall until it was covered.
Clean Up
If you’re installing stucco in your home, you’ll need to do a bit of cleanup to prepare the surface for the application of the base coat. If you don’t do a good job, the next layer of stucco may not adhere properly to the rough, textured surface. Depending on local conditions and the sand quality you have available, your masonry dealer may recommend special mixes or bonding additives to help you achieve the desired results.
First, remove any debris or loose material from the surface using a soft-bristled brush. Before applying any cleaning solution, perform a spot test in an inconspicuous area to ensure that it doesn’t discolor or damage the stucco. This is also a good time to inspect the condition of the sheathing materials under the stucco. If it has deteriorated, you’ll need to replace them.
Most stains on stucco are caused by dirt that gets trapped in the texture of the material. This dirt can come from rain or sprinklers splashing onto the stucco, as well as from activity around the walls. If this dirt is not removed, it can cause the stucco to look grimy and unattractive.
You can minimize the amount of dirt that collects on your stucco by reducing the number of plants and trees near it, and by regularly sweeping the surface. You can also install gutters and downspouts to direct water away from the wall. You should also check to make sure that your sheathing materials are in good shape, and if necessary, replace them with plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), cement board, or exterior grade gypsum sheathing.
Once you’ve replaced the sheathing, it is a good idea to cover it with a waterproof barrier to keep moisture from getting into the wood lath that supports the stucco. Your masonry contractor can recommend a type of building paper, such as grade D, or a waterproof house wrap that is rated for use with stucco. If you choose to use a house wrap, overlap the edges of the paper by at least 4 inches (10 cm) and secure it with roofing nails or screws.