All too often our team is called in to eliminate pests which have set up a comfy spot in an office or home and are becoming a nuisance. We’d like to chat a little about proactive pest control, notably in the commercial arena.
As we’ve always said, prevention is better than cure. Keep your kitchen clean if you don’t want roaches, put foodstuffs away if you don’t want ants, and keep a good cleaning regime if you want to keep fleas at bay. That’s all well and good at home, but what about in larger buildings where there are a thousand places to hide and loads of food to scavenge?
One particular problem which we’ve encountered is dealing with pests on building sites and following a new construction or renovation. Companies are slowly realising that they should be calling in the pest control specialists a little earlier than they’re used to.
Pests on Construction Sites
Before breaking ground, we recommend a comprehensive pest survey. During the build, you will be disrupting the homes of dozens of animals and insects and understanding what happens after your building is completed is the preventative pest control mentioned earlier.
Consider rodents as an example. As social creatures, they live in happy families numbering into the hundreds (or more) and exist within a network of tunnels, nests and burrows, along with existing sewage systems or undisturbed outbuildings. When building starts in their area they will pack up and leave, occupying the neighbouring areas in the immediate vicinity.
After construction is completed and the hullabaloo has died down, they will come back to their old spaces, looking for their burrows and old homes. If these still exist, they will move back in, and if not, they’ll take the next best thing – your new building. Remember, all they need is a warm and dry space and a food and water source, all of which commercial buildings have in spades.
Rodents aside, the same principle applies to squirrels, birds and insects.
Along with the damage caused to insulation, electrical and drainage systems, pests and their accompanying debris can quickly become a health and safety issue.
So, what is the solution?
Proactive Pest Control
By calling in the pest control professionals before your building or renovation begins, we can ascertain what potential problems exist by taking note of the existing wildlife.
Rodent nests. For example, can be removed before the start of the build which means they aren’t going to come scurrying home once everything dies down. If the potential for a bird issue exists, then it would be wise to eliminate possible nesting places during the construction process so as not to provide a fresh new home for a flock of pigeons.
In fact, in an ideal world, architects would work along with the pest control professionals to design buildings with pest control in mind.
What does that look like? One of the key areas is to eliminate access points for pests. Another would be to look at the layout from a cleaning and maintenance perspective, considering a design which would allow to easy access, clean and sanitise if necessary.
Of course, construction companies can play their part by ensuring that all systems requiring internal access from an outside source (think plumbing, electrical etc.) are sealed effectively. Cracks or small openings should be sealed up as soon as possible and access to the roof especially should be tightened up as far as possible.
From a business perspective, companies should carefully consider how and where their waste is stored. If there is a kitchen in-house, then the required food safety measures should be implemented at the start, including the storage of food items.
Need Advice?
Yes, we agree that we’ve touched on a lot of considerations on top of the responsibility of a new building construction. But we feel strongly that taking a little time now for proactive pest control before starting your project will undoubtedly save you time and money down the line.
Please feel free to contact Warren and his team for a quote or for advice on the best way forward.