Preventing Pests in the Workplace: Best Practices for Business Owners

Preventing Pests in the Workplace: Best Practices for Business Owners

No business owner wants to deal with the hassle of exterminating an infestation on their property. Getting rid of pests can be costly, and repair bills from the damage pests have caused can sometimes even exceed that. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to prevent pests from infesting your place of business.

Commercial Pest Control Prevention Methods

  • Store Food Properly –Pests find their way onto commercial properties for two reasons: food or shelter. Both of these things can be found in improperly stored food, be it in pantries or trashcans. Storing all food in sealed containers is the most foolproof way to prevent pests from accessing it. However, simply shutting all containers tightly and   goes a long way in reducing the need for commercial pest control services.
     
  • Keep a Clean Workplace –Humans are messy, and everything from our leftover lunch to the dust around your desk can attract pests. Keeping a clean workplace is key to stopping a potential infestation from forming right under your nose. Cleaning and sweeping up crumbs, wiping down counters, and washing dishes all take but a few minutes, but go a long way in preventing pests.
     
  • Maintain Repairs –While pests themselves can cause damage to your commercial property, damage that’s already present can attract them. Holes in the roof or exposed openings serve as the perfect entryways for pests. Some pests are also attracted to the cold and moist environment formed by leaky pipes.

    Such repairs are not limited to the inside of a property. Exterior landscaping is also key to preventing pests from entering a business. Large piles of refuse, cluttered gutters, and untamed grass all serve as luxury condominiums for pests. This could lead to them exploring the property further for food, or attempting to relocate indoors if their homes are suddenly disturbed.
     
  • Inspect Incoming Items –Pests love hiding in the places people least expect. One of the simplest ways for preventing pests from getting into your place of business is to inspect incoming items, particularly cardboard packages and furniture, to make sure no pests have built hidden nests inside of them.
  • Call a Commercial Pest Control Service –When it comes to pest control prevention, no DIY method is more effective than hiring an experienced and accredited commercial pest control service. Not only can they remove any unwanted pests from your property, but pest control experts also know the most effective ways of preventing pests from invading in the first place.

Reliable Commercial Pest Control Professionals in Pittsburgh

The experienced commercial pest control technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove nuisance pests and other invasive wildlife from your Pennsylvania commercial property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient commercial pest control services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

The Impact of Pests on Businesses: Why Commercial Pest Control is Crucial

The Impact of Pests on Businesses: Why Commercial Pest Control is Crucial

Pests may be small, but they can have a big impact on your business. Unforeseen pest infestations can lead to significant damage to your business, from your building’s infrastructure to your customers’ peace of mind. Reliable commercial pest control is key in curbing the destructive effects of a plague of pesky pests.

The Risks of Commercial Pest Infestations

  • State Regulatory Fines & Penalties –Every industry has rules barring the presence of pests on a commercial property. If you run a restaurant, infestations can cause your business to incur severe penalties if pests are found during a routine inspection. It’s best to hire commercial pest control professionals early to exterminate the problem and install preventative measures to avoid costly fines or potential closures.
     
  • Damaged Reputation –Nobody likes to find a fly in their soup or a bug in their bed. The presence of pests on a commercial property can severely hamper a business’ reputation, leading to a potential loss of revenue as repeat customers stop returning and new clients stay away.

    Even if a business doesn’t have an active infestation, consultation from a commercial pest control service could actually help bolster their reputation. Many customers may find peace of mind in knowing, beyond a reasonable doubt, that there are no pests on the premises.
  • Structural Damage –Pests aren’t just nuisances to people. They can cause real damage to the building a business resides in. Termites and other similar insects can eat away at the foundation of wooden structures, small animals can tear up insulation to build a nest, and rats can destroy the wires of electrical equipment.

    All of these damages can be costly to repair, and if the damage is severe enough, it could require a complete remodel. These costs quickly add up to more than even the most expensive commercial pest control service, which doesn’t include the revenue lost when your business is shut down for repairs.
  • Employee Injury or Sickness –Employees are the lifeblood of any business, and a pest infestation puts them at direct risk. Pests are infamous vectors for disease, leading to severe sickness in team members if left to fester within the walls of a business. Pests can also cause direct injury to employees, with bites, stings, and scratches ranging from painful to deadly.

Effective Commercial Pest Control Services in Pittsburgh, PA

If your commercial property is overrun with nuisance pests, then rely on the commercial pest control experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh. Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on us for safe and effective services. To schedule an inspection for your Pennsylvania business and receive a free commercial pest control estimate, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Commercial Pest Control Service

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Commercial Pest Control Service

If you’re a business owner, you know that there are few places where proper pest control is more important than a commercial property. So, if you ever suspect there is a pest infestation growing within your commercial business, it is vital that you act quickly and contact a commercial pest control specialist right away to limit the amount of costly property damage that can occur.

Choosing the Right Commercial Pest Control Service

Opting for the first commercial pest control service provider that you come across is certainly not the way to go; you have to do your research to ensure you’re hiring someone who will thoroughly and permanently rid you of your pest issue. Here are some factors that you should consider to help you choose which commercial pest control service is right for your business.

What to Look for in a Commercial Pest Control Service

  • Respectable Reputation – Looking into a pest control company’s reputation among former customers is a wise thing for potential customers to do. If a pest control company is reputable, they should have a number of positive reviews that can be found online or on their own website. However, if they lack customer testimonies, you can always call up the company and ask if they can provide you with references so you can find out more about the successes or failures of past services. A trustworthy pest control company should be more than happy to provide you with satisfied feedback.
     
  • Proven Experience – In the pest control industry, experience is everything. In particular, if a pest control company has years of experience in your particular area, then they likely have removed the pests you are dealing with before, as pests vary by location. They also may have worked on a property with similar architecture to the one you own. A pest control company with such experience and insight should have no issue with the infestation you’re dealing with on your property, making them perhaps a better choice than a pest control company that services another area or specializes in pests of a different nature.
     
  • Reasonable Prices – If you’ve found multiple commercial pest control companies with solid reputations and many years of experience in your area, then another factor that can help you decide is the price of their services. Pest control companies that offer strangely cheap prices might warrant a red flag, as should outrageously priced estimates. That is why it is important to do the above research before considering price, because each infestation is different and will, therefore, cost a different amount. However, the money you save in the long run from cleaning, fumigation, and repair bills related to your infestation will be well worth the initial cost of hiring a commercial pest control professional.

If there are nuisance pests on your Pittsburgh-area commercial property, rely on the effective, safe, and affordable commercial pest control services provided by the experienced experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Choose Greater Pittsburgh’s Commercial Pest Control Experts

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our dedicated team of licensed and trained pest control technicians have been reliably servicing Pittsburgh-area businesses with quick and efficient commercial pest control services that eliminate existing infestations and prevent new ones from forming.

To schedule an inspection and receive a complimentary estimate for our commercial pest control services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

4 Key Steps Homeowners Need to Prevent Wildlife Infestations

4 Key Steps Homeowners Need to Prevent Wildlife Infestations

Nothing is worse than an unexpected house guest, be it the in-laws, solicitors, or worse, nuisance wildlife. Even the newest houses on the market are vulnerable to visits from hungry pests. The only surefire way to prevent wildlife infestations on your property is to take the following necessary precautions to make sure the great outdoors stays outdoors.

How to Prevent Wildlife Infestations

  1. Maintain a clean property.

Animals are constantly on the lookout for food. Any piece of trash in your yard could be seen as a gourmet meal for hungry critters. In order to prevent wildlife infestations from taking over your property, always make sure to keep your exterior free of any potential food sources.

Some of the most common residential areas that attract wildlife include garbage cans, gardens, grills, bird feeders, and pet food bowls. To keep animals out, be sure to clean and remove any of these food sources as well as any debris that wildlife can nest in. Also trim back overgrown vegetation, and purchase trash cans with secure, lockable lids or coverings.

  1. Keep up routine repairs.

Some of the easiest ways for animals to find their way onto your property are through sections of your house that have fallen into disrepair. Animals such as rodents and raccoons are more flexible than many people suspect, with some rodents being able to fit through holes as small as a quarter, and bugs through even smaller gaps. Such pests can instinctively find their way through small imperfections that form in your home over time. To prevent wildlife infestations from forming, make sure you’re maintaining key infiltration spots by:

  • Repairing any holes in the house’s foundation.
  • Filling weeping holes in brick structures with metal screening.
  • Using caulk to block any remaining holes and cracks.
  • Conducting routine inspections on any repairs made to keep the critters at bay.
  1. Install additional protections.

Most houses have a few natural entryways like vents, gutters, and chimneys that can’t be blocked. These areas of exposure can allow wildlife infestations to develop. If wild animals are using these entry points into your property, the best approach is to buy specialized guards and coverings that obstruct the entryway while maintaining its standard use.

  1. Contact wildlife infestation removal experts.

No matter how carefully a homeowner prepares their home, wild animals can still find their way inside. To prevent the costly damage and widespread contamination of a wildlife infestation, you should enlist the services of trained and certified wildlife removal professionals, like the experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Rely on Professional Services to End Your Wildlife Infestations

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our team specializes in the quick and humane removal of unwanted pests and keeps them gone for good through the use of safe, non-toxic, and permanent methods.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife infestation removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Tips for Keeping Critters Away and Creating a Wildlife-Proof Garden

Tips for Keeping Critters Away and Creating a Wildlife-Proof Garden

Well cultivated gardens are gateways to nature straight from your backdoor. However, what happens when that nature comes knocking? Unexpected visits from local critters can jeopardize the safety of both your garden and your family. Here are some wildlife prevention pro-tips to keep wild animals at bay.

Wildlife Prevention Tips for Your Home and Garden

  • Create barriers to keep wildlife out.

The simplest way to keep critters from snacking on your garden produce is to keep them from reaching it in the first place. Creating a safe and secure barrier around your garden is a key step in wildlife prevention and may be the best long-term option for keeping animals out.

For many, this means a fence. While above-ground height requirements will vary depending on what animals you’re looking to keep out of your garden, the fence should also extend at least a foot deep into the ground to prevent unwanted critters from burrowing underneath.

If a fence is not an option for you, raised beds are a reliable option for wildlife prevention, especially at rental properties or for smaller gardens. A raised garden provides self-contained protection for plants without disrupting the surrounding environment and can either be built from scratch or purchased at local retailers.

  • Scare wildlife away.

Wildlife prevention is only needed to keep out critters that want to get in. Plenty of simple features can be added to your garden to spook animals away, such as:

  • Garden ornaments
    • Faux predator decoys
    • Scarecrows
    • Motion activated lights or sprinklers
    • Strong smelling herbs
    • Reflective plates

Of course, if a critter is clever enough to get past your fence, it may learn to avoid your deterrents. To prevent this, it’s best to cycle through different methods of scaring off wildlife and moving their positions around your garden to keep the animals on their toes.

  • Use natural wild animal repellents.

Natural animal repellents are a safe and humane form of wildlife prevention. The key to using them effectively is to understand what animal you’re trying to repel, as not all repellents work for every critter. For instance, certain animals can be turned away by purely organic means, such as scattering coffee grounds around your garden to keep rodents away or putting pepper flakes on the leaves of your plants to ward off raccoons. All it takes is a little research.

Be sure to consistently reapply any repellents, especially after severe weather, and avoid chemical pesticides as they can damage your crop and be harmful to pets and children if accidentally ingested.

While walls, decoys, and repellents may reduce your odds of a wildlife infestation, the best and most effective wildlife prevention strategy is to enlist the services of a wildlife removal professional.

Tried the Rest? Hire the Best at Wildlife Prevention

If you find invasive wildlife on your property, contact the wildlife prevention experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh. Our licensed and trained technicians use humane, non-toxic, and eco-friendly methods to remove nuisance wildlife and keep them from coming back.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife prevention and removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Fortifying Your Property for Wildlife Prevention

Fortifying Your Property for Wildlife Prevention

Animal infestations are one of the leading causes of property damage in the United States. From cracked foundation to shredded insulation, it’s clear that nuisance wildlife infestations can create significant problems for homeowners. Luckily, there are a few wildlife prevention tips you can try to keep your property safe.

Wildlife Prevention Tips for a Pest-Free Property

  1. Keep Your Property Clean.

The most common reason animals enter a property is to scavenge for food. Humans are messy creatures that, accidentally or not, will often leave food sources out that can attract hungry critters. The easiest vector for wildlife prevention is to keep an eye out for any non-secured food sources around your home, such as:

  • Pet food left outside
  • Uncovered trashcans
  • Water sources like bird baths, ponds, and pools
  • Budding gardens
  • Uncleaned grills
  • Fallen or rotting fruit and vegetables
  1. Build Barriers.

For keeping bigger critters off your property, fences are the way to go. However, it’s important to know what type of wildlife you’re dealing with before installing a costly enclosure. Burrowing animals need fences built at least a foot into the ground to prevent them from digging under, whereas larger mammals require taller fences they’ll be unable to jump over.

Vents often go neglected in conversations about wildlife prevention as many homeowners forget their home even has them. Any opening in a house, from the chimney to the gutters, can be an access point for invasive wildlife. They should each be secured with mesh grates or netting that will prevent animals from getting inside while allowing their functions to continue unimpeded.

  1. Deter Animals from Your Property.

One of the oldest wildlife prevention tips is to not feed any wild animals that approach your home. However, there are a few devices you can install around your property to keep nuisance critters from sniffing around your home in the first place.

Bright lights, be they motion-activated or manually triggered, can frighten wildlife away from your property before they have the chance to do any damage. Overwhelming scents are also a natural damper to any animal’s appetite. Specifically, peppermint oil and garlic can be used to ward off any curious critters that come to your yard.

  1. Hire Wildlife Prevention Experts

Not everyone is an animal expert and each infestation is different. Effective wildlife prevention is a complicated process that requires knowledge of the local ecosystem, specialized removal strategies and safety gear, and licensed wildlife removal training and certification.

Trust Your Local Wildlife Prevention Experts

The experienced wildlife prevention and removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh can quickly and safely remove nuisance pests and other invasive wildlife from your Pennsylvania property and keep them from returning.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient wildlife prevention and removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

When Should I Call a Professional When Dealing with Wildlife Intrusions

When Should I Call a Professional When Dealing with Wildlife Intrusions

When encountering wildlife intrusions on your Pittsburgh property, you may think you can take care of it yourself. However, wild animals are unpredictable and dangerous, especially when cornered or threatened. Instead of relying on DIY wildlife removal methods, here is why you should call a professional to handle a wildlife intrusion in your home or business.

When to Call About Wildlife Intrusions

It is important to call a wildlife removal professional as soon as you notice unwanted wildlife inside your property. Invasive pests like rats, bats, squirrels, and raccoons love to nest and breed in attics, basements, or even within walls because of the dark concealment and easy food and water access each location provides. Even if intrusive animals are discovered in a surrounding area, like a shed or crawlspace, it’s important to call wildlife professionals.

Ultimately, you don’t know how long a critter has been living on your property. To minimize the risks to your health and your home’s infrastructure, it’s important to stop a wildlife infestation quickly before the pests have a chance to spread their contamination. The sooner you call an animal removal expert, the sooner the problem can be dealt with.

The Advantages of Professional Wildlife Removal Methods

Attempting DIY or at-home methods to deal with your wildlife intrusions may seem helpful, but they often only worsen the problem. Many methods are inhumane or involve dangerous chemicals that put you, your loved ones, and the animal at risk.

Instead of handling it yourself, rely on the professional team at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh to handle any wildlife intrusions on your Greater Pittsburgh area property. Our licensed and trained team of experts have access to safe and eco-friendly methods that ensure the animal is removed efficiently and permanently. Our four-step process includes:

  1. Inspection –Our experts begin by carefully examining your property’s interior and exterior to determine the size and extent of the wildlife intrusion.
  2. Removal –Using non-toxic and humane practices, the invasive pests are completely removed.
  3. Restoration –Any property damages caused by the infestation are repaired and restored to their original condition.
  4. Exclusion –Entry points are permanently sealed to prevent any wildlife from returning.

Pittsburgh’s Wildlife Intrusion Removal Experts

The experienced team at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove nuisance pests from your property and keep them out. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our wildlife intrusion removal services, call 412-767-4067 today.

Humane Wildlife Removal: Why It Matters and How It’s Done

Humane Wildlife Removal: Why It Matters and How It's Done


Discovering nuisance wildlife on your Pittsburgh property can cause you a world of problems. Not only are invasive pests annoying, but they can pose health and safety risks to you, your loved ones, and your property. If you’re dealing with a wildlife problem, you may be tempted to take care of it yourself. However, many store-bought removal methods, such as traps and poisonous sprays, are inhumane and often cause more harm than good. Here’s why humane wildlife removal is important and should be left to the pros.

Why Choose Humane Wildlife Removal?

The biggest benefit to humane wildlife removal is the animal isn’t harmed in the process. While they can be a nuisance, most wildlife are simply looking for a safe place to rest. When they realize people are on the property, they’ll often feel threatened or scared and retreat deep into the walls where they become trapped. This is when an animal is most at risk to you and itself. Applying inhumane DIY removal methods will only stress the animal out more, causing the spread of more noise and contamination.

Humane wildlife removal makes sure the animal is carefully located and safely removed from your property without causing it any pain. The entire process is much faster and less stressful for everyone involved. Humane wildlife removal is also just as permanent as other, more fatal, methods. Humane methods of animal removal relocate the critter and prevent it from returning while also protecting the ecosystem. This process is a net benefit for both property owners and their local wildlife.

The Benefits of Hiring Humane Wildlife Removal Experts

If you’re dealing with nuisance animals on your Pittsburgh property, you’ll want pest control experts specializing in humane wildlife removal to handle the job. Fortunately, Critter Control® of Pittsburgh is here to help. Our four-step CritterSafe® method includes:

  1. Inspection – Our team of professionals will conduct a thorough walkthrough to determine the infestation’s size and extent.
  2. Removal –Using safe and eco-friendly methods, all unwanted wildlife is humanely removed.
  3. Restoration –Any property damage caused by the animal is cleaned, repaired, and restored.
  4. Exclusion –Entry points are sealed to prevent further infestations.

Greater Pittsburgh’s Humane Wildlife Removal Professionals

The experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove invasive wildlife from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our efficient and humane wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

The Legal Aspects of Wildlife Removal: Understanding Regulations

The Legal Aspects of Wildlife Removal: Understanding Regulations

Nuisance wildlife should never be a welcome sight on your Pittsburgh property. Invasive pests can cause significant damage to your home or business in a small amount of time and pose a health risk to you and your family. While it’s important to solve the issue quickly, attempting wildlife removal on your own may result in legal issues that could be worse than any infestation. Here’s what you need to know about the legal aspects of wildlife removal.

What to Know About Legal Wildlife Removal

Wildlife removal is a complex process that is often regulated depending on where you live and the invasive species you are dealing with. Some important things to keep in mind regarding wildlife removal include:

  • Permits: Some species of animals, such as bats and birds, are considered protected species that require a license for removal.
  • State laws: Pennsylvania law removes protections for animals that are sick, pose a risk to people, or cause damage. However, there are still strict laws regarding wildlife removal and release.
  • Release regulations: Even if you trap the animal yourself, there will still be regulations on how and where you release it. It is also illegal to release animals on government property, so your options are limited.

The Legal Ramifications of DIY Wildlife Removal

While DIY removal is possible, it is not worth the hassle. For one, many DIY wildlife removal methods involve ineffective, inhumane, and unsafe practices that often harm the animal and can expose you to potentially dangerous diseases or animal attack.

Furthermore, there are many legalities to sort through if the wildlife on your property is a legally protected animal. Removal of an endangered species will require the experienced expertise of a team of wildlife removal professionals that have the necessary permits and methods to remove the critter legally. If you remove or harm a protected animal, you can face steep fines, penalties, or even the possibility of  jail time, depending on the critter and the severity of your offense.

Ultimately, attempting DIY wildlife removal could end up causing more problems than you’re solving. That’s why if you have a nuisance animal on your Pittsburgh property, you should call the wildlife experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Professional Wildlife Removal Services in Pittsburgh

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, we use a tried and tested CritterSafe® method that is safe, effective and affordable. Our four-step process includes a thorough inspection, humane removal, property restoration, and exclusion techniques to permanently keep unwanted wildlife off your property. Our methods are efficient and follow all Pennsylvania wildlife removal laws.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast, safe, and legal wildlife removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

What Is the Best Dead Animal Odor Eliminator?

What Is the Best Dead Animal Odor Eliminator?

A mysterious, rotten odor in your home can put a real stink in your day, especially if the sudden foul smell reeks of a dead  animal decaying somewhere inside the walls of your Greater Pittsburgh area home. Fortunately, there are several natural dead animal odor eliminators that are fit to combat the funk infesting your home.

Dead Animal Odor Eliminator Items in Your Pantry

A perfect place to start looking for dead animal odor eliminators is the kitchen. You likely already have the following are natural odor absorbing and eliminating items in your pantry:

  • Vinegar – Vinegar can be an effective solution to absorbing odors. Add a squeeze of lemon juice or some essential oils to a bowl of vinegar, and let it sit in the smelliest area of your home overnight to help clear the smell right out.
  • Baking Soda – Pouring baking soda onto the floors of rooms where the smell is present and vacuuming after a few hours can also be an effective tool to clear your nostrils. Pour just enough to rid the smell, which may involve doing this multiple times.
  • Coffee Grounds – You may also try pouring coffee grounds into a bowl and leave it in the foul-smelling room until the odor has vanished.

Getting rid of dead animal odors can be extremely difficult and dangerous if you lack the proper tools and safety equipment. To prevent the spread of potential diseases and contamination due to toxic bacteria, contact dead wildlife removal professionals to safely and effectively deal with your issue.

Professional Dead Animal Odor Eliminator

The wildlife control specialists at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh are more effective than any DIY dead animal odor eliminator methods you can find on the internet. Not only will we locate the source of the dead animal odor and remove any lingering infestations in your home, but we will also use special deodorizers, neutralizers, and air purifiers to permanently clear your home of dead pest odors.

To schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our dead animal odor eliminator services, call Critter Control of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

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