Year-Round vs. One-Time Service
When you walk into your living room to watch some TV, and you see that there are a hundred ants crawling all over your couch, it makes sense to call a pest control company. If you have to crawl under your home to rescue your cat, and notice that there are termite mud tubes on the walls of your crawl space, no one has to explain to you that it is a good time to call a pest control company. If you come home from work and your entire house smells like skunk--yup, it's time to get professional help. When pest problems arise, it is only natural to call someone who knows how to solve pest problems. This kind of pest control makes sense. So, why do people get year-round pest service? Is there a benefit?
There are some pest problems that are straightforward. If your lawn is suddenly attacked by a mole, you need someone to come and remove that mole. You also need that someone to take the appropriate actions to reduce your chances of having another mole replace the one that is removed. This is a great example of a one-time service. There isn't a whole lot a pest control company can do to keep moles from invading. Moles love earthworms, and every healthy lawn has earthworms. So, in the case of invading moles, you're probably going to be fine with one-time service. But very few pest problems work this way.
Let's take a look at another wildlife issue: skunks. While a one-time service to remove a skunk is definitely warranted, there are some ways to decrease your chances of having a skunk invade your property. When you have ongoing pest service, you'll also have ongoing communication with a professional pest control technician regarding conditions on your property that may make you vulnerable. Your technician will give you actionable data that can make your yard and the perimeter of your home less interesting, and less vulnerable to skunks and other pests. In the case of skunks, overgrown areas next to your foundation will be inviting. Exterior trash that is left in an unsealed container will lure these animals in. If you have a dryer exhaust that comes out under your deck or porch, skunks will love you for it. Routine inspections will shine a light on these vulnerabilities or attractants.
For some pest problems, one-time service is just a band-aid. There are many bugs that will never stop encroaching onto your property. If you call a professional to get a carpenter ant infestation removed, you can end up getting another one the very next year. Year-round pest service gives you appropriate pest control for targeted pests in every season, so pest issues, like carpenter ants, can be avoided.
Year-round service is proactive, instead of reactive. It stops termites before those silent destroyers eat away at the equity you have built in your home. It catches and addresses carpenter bees before they weaken a step on your back porch and cause you--or someone you care about--to go tumbling to the ground. It monitors for rodent activity before those furry pests chew their way into your home and spread ticks, lice, mites, and fleas everywhere.
While some pest problems, like ground nests established by yellow jackets, can be addressed with one-time service, you have to remember to call in the spring to schedule a visit. If you don't, you may find yourself surrounded by a swarm of very angry wasps when the vibration of your mower gets these aggressive insects angry. Year-round service ensures that those nests are taken care of at the appropriate time--so you don't have to think about it.
There is an ecosystem around your home. Year-round pest service addresses this ecosystem in an ongoing and systematic way. When your pest control technician reduces flies near your perimeter, they will reduce the spiders that eat those flies at the same time. When your technician applies a barrier to keep stink bugs out, they'll also make sure to seal cockroaches out too. Professionals follow complex protocols that work all year long to prevent pest invasions and reduce targeted pests in your yard.
Whether you need one-time service or year-round service, the team here at Thomas Pest Services looks forward to assisting you with industry-leading pest management solutions for your home or business. Reach out to us today to schedule service.
