Pest Control
Any housing manager, home owner or renter knows pests are not just a problem indoors and outdoors but it is a menace that is difficult to manage. Living with the pests is not acceptable to any of us whether as a single family or multifamily housing.
A.Need for the control of pests responsibly-
Pests give birth to a number of problems which include health issues and physical damage to the property. It may lead to-
1.Health issues like stomach allergies, avian flu, microbes contamination.
2.It does physical damage to the property.
3.It leads to bad physical appearance of the property.
4.It makes life uncomfortable.
B.Effective ways of elimination of pests-
1.It is our moral responsibility to use appropriate measures that discourage development of pests and use of cheap pesticides and other interventions to a level that are economically justified as pesticides are toxic especially to children and elderly people. Improving the quality, health and welfare of the environment is utmost important.
2.Quick and effective elimination-
Pest control measures have to be quick and effective as pests can be deadly. This takes care of avoiding wastage of money on treatments and repairs too for pest infestation prevention.
Our approach at Rentersaathi – IPM( Integrated pest management)
Integrated pest management implies a combination of basic common sense practices to get rid of pest.It lays stress on eliminating nesting places along with food and water sources for pests. This is definitely the best process to control pests effectively.
Effectiveness of the IPM program in a society needs a team effort involving residents, maintenance staff, pest management professionals and the housing manager. All these people play an important role in the pest control management program. This team effort could be easily attained and understood by going through some basic but important points-
1.Monitoring-
The process starts with monitoring the level of pest population, building conditions and other factors.
Maintenance technician, electricians and plumbers can be really helpful in successful management of pests as these people are more familiar with the buildings and see pests or sign of pests frequently like rodent droppings or marks left by pest as they go to the areas of the building which others do not frequent or access.
2.Paying quick attention to the buildings-
The access to and through buildings needs to be paid attention and any such access to the pests should be stopped. we need to-
a.Fix broken windows, vents and holes.
b.Doors or windows that do not close properly should be repaired.
c.Automatic door closers should be used.
d.No gaps around the exhaust, AC. Galvanised sheets should be put at these places to cover.
e.No gaps around plumbing system, from where wires come through or in walls and ceilings.
3.Source of water leakage-
The role of maintenance staff plays an important role here as there is a need to-
a.Fix leaking pipes and faucets.
b.Loose drains should be open and free flowing.
c.Blocked drains is a big no.
d.Clean and unblocked gutters.
e.Empty mop buckets and hang mops up.
4.Manage Garbage-
a.Trash bins should be away from the buildings and should be used with covered lids.
b.Garbage must be picked up frequently.
c.There should be an adequate number of bins in the building.
5.Support and cooperation of residents-
This is indeed very important for a successful programme.
a.Get rid of clutter around the house so that there is no place for pests to hide.
b.Close up entries and exits like windows, doors, cracks.
c.Find and get rid of possible food sources.
d.Keep humidity levels to low - it can reduce moulds and pests.
e.Vacuum carpets and rugs regularly.
6.Role of housing managers and staff-
a.To make policies and procedures and implement them with staff and residents.
b.Informing residents about the PMP visit in advance.
c.Developing a reporting system for staff and residents.
d.Recognising problems specially with housekeeping and sanitization and providing the solution.
e.Ensuring common areas are clean with the help of housekeeping staff.
These can be achieved through teamwork amongst residents,housing manager,housing staff and pest management professionals.
What we at Rentersaathi try to achieve for our programme to be successful-
Along with all these discussed important aspects we use our professional knowledge like-
1.Using knowledge about pest biology- habits,life cycle ,needs and dislikes.
2.Using the least toxic methods first.
3.Monitoring the pest activity and adjusting methods over time.
4.Try to remove pest’s food ,water and shelter sources.
5.To identify all the control options.
We ensure you the best pest control management programme.
Your trust is our motivation!
Article contributed by : Nidhi Shamra