Preparing for a Pest Inspection

Given the environmental nature of Australia, it comes as no surprise that pest control is a thriving business. The dry, arid conditions create the perfect habitat for all manner of different animals and insects, from termites and ants to wasps and toads. When hiring a pest control company, they will initially run one or more pest inspections with a field biologist, and then try to establish how to tackle the infestation or prevent one from occurring. Using a company that is fully qualified and insured will give you peace of mind, knowing that the extermination or removal will be done safely and effectively to industry standards. 

The Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association is the leading organisation that maintains and develops pest control standards across all Australian territories. Any company wishing to demonstrate a higher level of expertise, safe practice and adherence to a recognised code of practice will be Pest Cert accredited. Not only does this cover the business aspect of pest control, it ensures that staff members are continually developed through continuing professional development (CPD).

Preparing for pest inspections is relatively straight forward, however a little pre-planning will help those doing the inspections to be as thorough as possible; resulting in a better understanding of the situation. Whichever room is being inspected needs to be clear of clutter and highly accessible. Especially when looking for wood destroying organisms (WDOs) such as termites, having access to the walls and areas where excessive moisture builds up, will help them locate potential problem areas. Moving items and furniture into the centre of the room will more than suffice. If you anticipate having the floor inspected as well then move the furniture out of the room. Another common area that often gets checked is under the sink, so again move any personal items somewhere else.

Regardless of where the infestation may be, the inspection team may wish to look around the entire property, including the exterior walls. If you have any foliage such as trees or plants touching the property try to give them a quick trim. The team will try to look at the foundation wall where many pests are likely to enter the property, and so layers of soil and bark should be raked back. On a pest control report there are two main sections of the document that are often mentioned; section one and section two. Section one issues are ones which are currently causing a problem with the property. Section two items, such as foliage toughing the house, are issues that could cause problems in the future if not property dealt with.