Jan 17, 2020, 08:47 AM by Clark Pest Control Lodi Office

Last week, Clark, your neighborly pest control, termite, and lawn care expert, talked about resolutions you should make in 2020 to prevent pests from becoming an annoyance or worse in your home. But what happens when pests become more than you can handle, or threaten the safety of your family or your home’s structural integrity?

That’s when it’s time to call a pest management professional, like Clark, and let them put their expertise to good use.

Clark Pest Control employs only licensed professionals to service homes for pests. Each of our technicians undergoe extensive ongoing training and has a team of accredited entomologists and experienced termite and bed bug inspectors to back them up.

Clark technicians also have access to the latest product and equipment technology, and are trained from day one to follow integrated pest management (IPM) treatment methods. These methods emphasize using sanitation, exclusion, and other non-chemical practices first to prevent and eliminate pests. These practices also are designed to reduce the environmental footprint of our services.

When you attempt to treat a pest problem on your own, you’re often treating only the tip of the iceberg, and not the root cause of the problem. The pests you’re seeing might be eliminated, but a larger infestation can continue to grow out of sight. It is these infestations that can pose significant health risks to your family and cause damage to your property.

What pests should be handled by a professional?

Termites and other wood-boring insects

Wood-boring insects – like termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and powderpost beetles – can damage important support beams in your home, resulting in expensive repairs that are not typically covered by homeowners’ insurance policies. Termites alone cause approximately $5 billion in property damage every year, and are known as silent destroyers because of their ability to chew through wood, flooring, and even wallpaper, silently and undetected, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is even more concerning when you consider the fact that 52 percent of Americans have never had their home inspected for termites.

Bed bugs

Bed bugs are notoriously elusive, hiding out in hard-to-detect places like behind electrical switches and under wallpaper. In addition, they’re very hardy pests, having been known to live several months without a blood meal. Bed bugs can withstand a wide range of temperatures, from nearly freezing to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, according to a National Pest Management Association survey, bed bugs are the most difficult pest to treat – more difficult than cockroaches, termites, and ants. Even when working with a professional, it can take several treatments before bed bugs are eliminated.

Stinging insects

Stinging insects – such as wasps, yellowjackets, or fire ants – should always be left to the professionals. Many stinging insect species will swarm en masse if their nests are threatened, posing a serious health risk to anyone in contact with them. These pests send more than half a million people to the emergency room every year, and those with allergies to insect stings are especially at risk.

Reoccurring infestations

No matter what pest you’re dealing with, if you have an infestation that keeps coming back, it’s time to contact a professional. More likely than not, there’s an underlying cause that will need to be addressed before the problem can really be resolved. A trained professional will be able to inspect your home, identify the infestation, and determine a plan to treat the problem most effectively.

Before you do battle with unwelcome pests in or around your home, do not hesitate to call or text (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email Clark at clarkcares@clarkpest.com.

Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home.