Your office building windows may be letting in more than light. That’s because many types of pests, including flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents, stinging pests, and even birds and nuisance wildlife can enter properties through opened windows, and even doors.
How Pests Are Using Windows to Access Your Office Building
1. Open or Cracked Windows
Maybe it’s hot on one of the upper floors and your coworkers just want to catch a breeze. Or, maybe somebody burned popcorn in the microwave and opened a break room window to let the smell escape. Regardless, an open, unscreened window offer s pests easy access into your building, especially if windows are left open overnight.
2. Torn or Damaged Window Screens
Most insects don’t require large opening s to sneak in. Even tiny tears or holes in window screens can provide access points for insects. Ill-fitting screens can also provide the gaps that pests need to get inside your office and establish infestations. It’s a good idea to have window screens routinely inspected for signs of damage or deterioration, especially after storms, and make needed repairs right away.
3. Broken or Deteriorated Seals
Cracks or breaks between your office windows and sash (frames that hold the glass) can also give pests access inside. This is especially a problem when lights are on in the building at night. Lights are highly attractive to outdoor insects at night, drawing them to your building and specifically to the windows where the light is shining through to the outside . If there are gaps in seals around window frames, insects find easy entry into the building. Having those gaps sealed with a moisture-resistant caulk can help keep pests out with the added bonus of improving the building’s energy efficiency. If gaps are too big to successfully caulk, look into repairing the sash or replacing the windows.
4. Outside Issues
Be sure to check the areas outside of your windows for exterior conditions that could be conducive to pest activity. For example, clogged gutters or downspouts can collect leaves, debris and moisture that may attract and harbor pests. There, they can lie in wait for an opportunity to get in. You should also have trees and overgrown landscape branches trimmed away from windows and entrances. Direct automatic sprinkler heads and downspouts away from the building and foundation to help prevent moisture from collecting. Because mulch helps the ground retain moisture, it’s a good idea to keep landscape mulch under two inches thick and at least 12 inches away from the foundation to help prevent an attractive environment for termites and other pests.
Related: What is Wildlife Exclusion?
How to Help Stop Bugs From Coming Into the Office
A commercial pest control provider with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program can help you take preventive measures, such as correcting window issues, to help keep pests out of your office building. Instead of a blanket use of pesticides, IPM programs target treatments only to affected areas as needed. Terminix® Commercial’s IPM program offers a multi-faceted approach that focuses on prevention so that your office can experience better and more sustainable pest control results.
IPM techniques foster long-term pest control by addressing the reasons why pests may be present so that preventive measures can be taken before infestations get out of control, or even happen in the first place. Terminix Commercial promotes an IPM team approach, working closely with your office staff to uncover conditions that may attract pests to help avoid recurring problems and to help stop new issues before they start.
If you’d like, Terminix Commercial’s trained technicians will even provide education for your staff about the actions and conditions that can affect pest activity. Terminix Commercial also uses ongoing treatment effectiveness monitoring and evaluation so that pest control strategies can be adjusted should pest activity change.
If you want to watch pes t problems fly out the window, look into a Terminix Commercial pest control plan for your office structure.
