Spend a few minutes on Pinterest and you’ll be able to find Do It Yourself (DIY) instructions from bathroom remodels to refinishing furniture. A few words typed into a search engine can change an ineffective fellow into a handy man. As amazing as DIY projects can be, there are instances when it changes from amazing to abysmal. Numerous tragedies have been recorded in local newspapers dealing with the misuse of pest control products, often by home owners. Below, you’ll find a list of reasons why applying pest control products should be left to the professionals.
Pest Control Products are Engineered Kill
Whether it’s for the cockroaches eating your food or the dandelions infesting the yard, pesticides are designed to kill. Misapplications can annihilate your favorite rose bushes or even send you and your neighbor to the hospital. Worse, it could end in death. Pesticide labels are loaded with information that identifies; application times/rates, target species, directions for use, and what to do in an emergency. Some labels can be as long as a small book, mistakes occur when people don’t read the entire thing. Mistakes can also be expensive. Pointe Pest Control applicators are licensed, well trained, and take the headache out of pesticide application.
Restricted Use
These aren’t your normal chemicals. Restricted use products have higher toxicity levels than the stuff you get at the garden center. They work wonders against the target pest, however, the risk increases as well. Understanding the problem species and the chemicals is vital to any pesticide application. Applicators who have been trained and certified are the only individuals who are licensed to purchase and apply restricted use chemicals.
Personal Protective Equipment
Because they can be dangerous, some pest control products require protective gear. Breathing apparatuses, special gloves, suits and eyewear are standard equipment for pesticide applicators. The biggest problem with chemical exposure isn’t from breathing or ingestion, it’s when we get it on our skin. In fact, 97 percent of all over-exposures to pesticides are through skin contact. Absorption rates for your face, neck and head are around 30%, while the crotch is nearly 100%. A trained technician comes prepared and will know the right equipment for the right job.
Integrated Pest Management
The first step in getting rid of pests is to understand the problem. Many people jump straight to using pesticides, but effective treatments include more than just chemicals. Biological control is when beneficial creatures are used to reduce pest numbers. Immediately reaching for the pesticides can often kill the good stuff right along with the bad. Physical modifications can eliminate the way a pest lives or breeds. We use a combination of control methods that increase the success rate. The goal of our technicians is to understand the problem and assist you with a solution.
The Solution Rests with Pointe Pest
Pointe Pest Control has the answer. Our technicians are licensed. They understand the pests and the pesticides. We have the expertise and the equipment, allowing us to get the job done right. Let our technicians do the job for you, so you can avoid the pitfalls that can come with doing it yourself.
Source: National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual. Carolyn Randall et. al. National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation. Washington, DC.
