Do It Yourself vs. Professionally
It’s official: you’ve got a pest problem in your home. Whether your culprits are mice, fleas, fruit flies, ants, or any other insects, pest control is something you should consider carefully before acting.
Pests seem to come out of nowhere, and before you know it you have an infestation and a problem. Whether you’re inclined to call the experts, or are more of a do it yourself kind of person, here’s what you should know.
- Do It Yourself Pest Control. Doing it yourself can be a very attractive pest control option. It’s convenient, you don’t have to make any phone calls to schedule appointments, and it’s almost always less expensive than having an expert professional visit your house.The cost range varies widely; you could pay as little as $50 for a do it yourself bait kit for getting rid of ants, $40 for a spider kit, involving pesticides, or $75 for a heavy duty scorpion kit. What you are paying for, though, is materials, not service; the success of your quest depends on the quality of the product you bought – and whether or not you applied it correctly.
While it might be a fine idea to target “lesser” insects like fruit flies by yourself, you won’t want to go it alone, for example, on a major termite infestation. And if problems persist after your initial treatments, you should definitely consult a professional exterminator.
- Professional Pest Control. When you call a service professional to solve a pest problem, you pay for their expertise and time, in addition to products. For this reason, professional pest control is significantly more expensive than do it yourself – the cost range varies widely, depending on service and type, but can cost several hundred, or even thousands of dollars.Despite the cost, though, this route is far more likely to yield better, more lasting results, partially because pest control experts know where to look for infestations. Bugs have a way of hiding in hard-to-reach places, and you want to make sure your pest control method is thorough – and, hopefully, final!
