As a healthcare facility manager, your patients are your priority. It’s your job to keep your facility clean, comfortable and free of pests for your patients as well as for your staff. When working with a pest control provider, do you know what to expect? Much like a healthcare examination for patients, an initial inspection of your facility is an important first step in any pest control plan. Here’s why:
Pests May Be Hiding
Just because you haven’t seen any pests doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Many types of pests, such as cockroaches, rodents and bed bugs, are adept at hiding in cracks, crevices, holes, furniture and the recesses of your building. Through an inspection, a professional technician may be able to spot hidden areas where pests may be found.
There May Be Signs You Don’t Know About
A professional pest inspection doesn’t just focus on discovering actual pests. Trained technicians know how to spot signs that pests may be around. Those signs include droppings, eggs and casings, nymphs, shed wings and exoskeletons, wood shavings, mud tubes, odors and other evidence.
Your Facility May Have Conditions Conducive to Pests
A professional inspection can help identify certain conditions that may make your facility attractive to pest infestations now or in the future. Some of those conditions include leaks, standing water, unsealed cracks, gaps around pipes, improperly stored food products, unsealed garbage containers and others.
Exterior Conditions Matter, Too
In addition to identifying pest-conducive conditions inside your facility, a trained inspector knows what to look for outside, too. For example, pests may be finding ways into your facility via overhanging branches or hiding in overgrown landscape plants, uncut grass, leaf piles or debris. Improperly directed rain gutters or downspouts can be causing moisture to collect around your building, which may be attractive to thirsty pests. Sprinkler system malfunctions can cause water to gather, too.
Technicians Need to Learn About Your Property
It’s important for pest control technicians to familiarize themselves with your facility’s layout, exterior design, systems and equipment in order to treat it properly. Knowing the ins and outs of your facility will help technicians know what to look for (and where to look) at each treatment, as well as how to recognize when something may have changed that might affect pest activity.
Prevention is Often Easier Than Treating Current Infestations
Some types of pests can establish large populations amazingly quickly, making them difficult to treat. That’s why knowledgeable pest control professionals, like those at Terminix® Commercial, focus on ways to prevent pest problems before they start. Through an inspection and initial site audit, their trained eyes can often spot early signs of pest activity or conditions that may attract pests or give pests access to your facility in the future.
Next Steps
Conditions can change and pest threats can vary seasonally, so in addition to an initial inspection, it’s important to have regularly scheduled pest control services to help protect your facility and your patients. Consistent visits and monitoring can enable your pest control provider to watch for new signs of pest activity, evaluate service methodologies for effectiveness and help your facility stay within applicable compliance regulations. Terminix Commercial has extensive experience in helping to protect healthcare facilities of all types and sizes from pest threats with thorough inspections and customized, discreet treatments. Don’t wait until pests have disrupted patient care - ask for an inspection today.
