Are pesticides from Terminix safe?
Pesticides can be very effective in getting the job done (exterminating pests). However, these same products can be fatal to humans and animals. This raises a legitimate concern to question if the services offered by Terminix are safe. Does Terminix Use Safe Chemicals?
Does Terminix spray get rid of ants?
Rob Steinbach found this out after a Terminix technician sprayed around his Memphis home in late 1997 to get rid of an ant infestation. Instead, the ants multiplied.
How do I contact Terminix for a home inspection?
Apart from a meeting with a Terminix technician when they come over for inspection, you can also chat live with its online representative. An online representative from the service will try to the best of their ability to provide you with satisfactory answers. Additional materials (downloadable) can be sent to you for further clarification.
How effective is Sentricon for termites?
A study by Texas A&M University of 75 homes using such baits found that, after one year, only 50% of infested homes had fewer termites. (Dow AgroSciences, which markets Sentricon, one popular system, claims 98% effectiveness provided enough stations are used and they are serviced properly.)
Terminix Approach For Pest Control
EcoControl provides the guaranteed protection from pests you expect from Terminix Commercial, but utilizes environmentally considerate methods. It’s a pest solution that reduces your footprint and effectively protects your business from pests.
How our Ecocontrol pest control works
We start by working to prevent pests versus reacting to them. We perform a proactive inspection and work to eliminate pest-conducive conditions.
What you should know about yard spray for mosquitoes
Like most residential and commercially available pest treatments, mosquito spraying has both pros and cons. Mosquito spraying is essential if you want to help protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites.
Mosquito sprays only repel mosquitoes
It's important to know that mosquito sprays will usually only repel mosquitoes as opposed to killing them. But these sprays, depending on how effective they are, can potentially keep mosquitoes away from your yard for weeks.
Is mosquito spray harmful to humans or pets?
Some of the most common active ingredients in lawn, landscape, yard and garden insecticides have some level of toxicity, so you, your family and your pets should not enter the yard until after the spray has dried. Some DIY pesticides can also be toxic to honey bees and other pollinators, having an impact on crop production.
Mosquito sprays applied on your skin
The most commonly used mosquito sprays contain DEET. It is used by more than 50 million Americans each year for protection from mosquito bites, and it has been applied more than one billion times over the past 40 years.
Mosquito sprays for the yard
Mosquito sprays for the yard are ideal for use prior to a backyard event. Be sure to follow the label instructions for proper usage.
Tips for control
In addition to spraying your yard for mosquitoes, it's also a smart idea to use a few other techniques to control mosquito populations:
Should you hire a professional?
Professionals know exactly how to apply mosquito spray to your yard, and they know what to look for when spotting mosquito infestations, including standing water and other trouble areas in your yard. They also have access to professional-grade products, which are going to be more effective than consumer products bought at the store.
How effective is tick spray?
Tick spray can be effective in controlling these blood-sucking parasites if administered correctly. Tick spray for the yard has been found to be most effective against deer ticks in the nymphal stage; however, it can help reduce adult tick numbers, as well. Since using tick pesticides can be dangerous to other living things, such as your pets, many of the products used to kill or repel ticks are only available to licensed professionals. Before purchasing tick spray for the house, you may want to consult a pest control specialist to help ensure the best and safest results. Below is a list of chemicals typically used in tick control products:
What is the difference between deltamethrin and permethrin?
Deltamethrin: This chemical is available to licensed professionals only. Lambda-cyhalothrin: This chemical is restricted to licensed professionals only. Permethrin: This chemical is mostly sold in products that can be found over-the-counter, but some may be restricted to licensed professionals only.
What is the role of the queen in an ant colony?
Ants live in complex social colonies, with the queen being the leader and the workers foraging and protecting their home. Learn more about ant colonies.
Is deltamethrin only for licensed professionals?
Deltamethrin: This chemical is available to licensed professionals only.
Is pyrethrin a licensed product?
Pyrethrin: This chemical is sold in products available to both homeowners and licensed professionals.
Does Terminix treat ticks?
With over 90 years of experience in the pest control industry, Terminix® knows how to deal with pests. Our professionals at Terminix can help treat for both ticks and their hosts. When you make an appointment with us, our professionals will inspect your home free of charge to help find any areas that may be attracting ticks. Contact Terminix today to schedule a free inspection .
What is mosquito spray?
Mosquito sprays claim to help protect your yard and your family from the threat of mosquitoes. Homeowners are able to use products like hose-end sprayers, aerosols or foggers to treat their property and use them in and around mosquito resting sites, like tall grass, flower beds and standing water. But does mosquito spray work? And are DIY sprays just as effective as professional treatments?
How to treat bed bugs after treatment?
NON-CHEMICAL TREATMENT. Try heat treatment. Put your infested clothes and bedding in your clothes dryer on high heat for at least 20 minutes.
Does Terminix take care of bed bugs?
The team at Terminix is happy to help take care of your bed bug infestation so you don't have to tackle it on your own. Contact Terminix today to get rid of your bed bugs for good.
Can you spray bed bugs on couches?
Use an EPA-registered bed bug spray that is intended for indoor use. Don’t use a bed bug spray on mattresses, couches or other areas where children and pets sleep or play. Doing so could make your family and pets sick. Inspect and re-treat if necessary.
Does Terminix fumigate drywood?
If you've found drywood termites in your home, and all other treatments have failed, you may want to look into having your home fumigated. Although Terminix does not perform fumigations, we do work with subcontractors that are knowledgeable about fumigation best practices, if your home is in need of such a service.
Can you use insecticide on bed bugs?
If you choose to use an insecticide for bed bugs, it should be a product registered with the EPA. Be sure bed bugs are listed on the insecticide’s label. Follow the instructions carefully or hire a pest management specialist to conduct the treatment for you.
What is the best insecticide for cockroaches?
The June 2010 report noted two other popular insecticides used by professionals: Fipronil is a white powder used to control ants, beetles, cockroaches and other insects. Boric acid is another white powder used in a variety of insecticides. It is derived from naturally occurring boron.
What is the most common active ingredient in insecticides applied by licensed exterminators?
Pyrethroids and Pyrenthrins. Permethrin is the most common active ingredient in insecticides applied by licensed exterminators. It is one of a large class of chemical insecticides known as pyrethroids. They mimic pyrethrins, which are botanical insecticides typically derived from Australian and African chrysanthemum flower varieties.
What are the ingredients in pesticides?
While each company likely has a unique formula, the most common ingredients in professional-grade pesticides are pyrethroids and pyrethrins, according to a June 2010 study in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. Piperonyl butoxide and hydramethylnon are the next most common ingredients.
What should an exterminator tell you about pesticides?
Your local exterminator also should tell you the potential health threats associated with the pesticide, symptoms of poisoning, and any additional instructions for minimizing exposure and health impacts.
What is hydroxymethylnon used for?
Hydramethylnon. Hydramethylnon is typically used in bait for ants, cockroaches, termites, crickets, and silverfish. It is a slow killer of insects, making them lethargic and slowly killing them over three or four days.
Is insecticide toxic to humans?
These insecticides are generally safer to humans and other mammals than many alternatives, and they do not seem to trigger asthma and allergic reactions. However, they are highly toxic to aquatic organisms, so care must be taken to minimize spray drift and runoff that could get into water.
Is boron a pesticide?
It is derived from naturally occurring boron. Both pose minimal health dangers for humans if used properly. No matter how effective professional-grade pesticides may be, simply spraying away the bugs is not as effective as a more comprehensive approach that includes cleaning and removing sources of food and water.
What happened to Terminix?
This happened after the company applied an illegal chemical methyl bromide for pest control in a U.S Virgin Islands resort. This caused a family of four vacationing in this resort to suffer from pesticide poisoning. This problem was caused by Terminix. Thankfully no one died from the poisoning.
How much was Terminix fined for?
In 2016, a report from Fortune.com featured a story about the company being fined about $10 million for the illegal use of a dangerous pesticide.
Is Terminix safe for pest control?
So, is Terminix safe? It is still one of the most reputable pest control services. This won’t be possible if it continued to use toxic and poisonous pesticides like methyl bromide.
Is Terminix a professional company?
Terminix is also a professional company that has continued to attract new clients from across the world. What makes this comforting is the fact that there are lots of satisfied clients to show. A lot of these clients still trust Terminix as their number one pest services provider.
Is Terminix a reliable pest control service?
Even when the information you come across seems to support Terminix as a reliable pest control service, it’s necessary to discuss with technicians before treatment.
Can you chat with Terminix techs?
Apart from a meeting with a Terminix technician when they come over for inspection, you can also chat live with its online representative. An online representative from the service will try to the best of their ability to provide you with satisfactory answers.
Does Terminix Still Use Methyl Bromide as a Pesticide?
Terminix has since abandoned the use of methyl bromide for pest control.
When did Terminix have the service contract?
Spence disagreed, contending that because Terminix had had the service contract since 1987, shortly after the buildings were completed, any damage had to be "new" damage and the exterminator was responsible for paying for repairs.
How much Dragnet did Orkin use to treat termites?
Shortly after Orkin applied more than 160 gallons of Dragnet FT to treat termite infestation at his Coloma, Mich., home in 1999, Veal's youngest daughter, Lindsay, had to be rushed to the hospital for vomiting and diarrhea. Veal says he suffered from upper respiratory problems and "couldn't think straight.".
What did Rob Steinbach do to get rid of ants?
Rob Steinbach found this out after a Terminix technician sprayed around his Memphis home in late 1997 to get rid of an ant infestation. Instead, the ants multiplied. What did Steinbach do? "We went on the Terminix Web site's online database and found the type of ants we had, Pharaoh ants. It said that if you spray, the colony will divide," says Steinbach. "We went out and bought our own baits, and within six weeks the ants were gone." Steinbach then canceled his pest service contract with Terminix. While not commenting on Steinbach's claims specifically, a Terminix spokeswoman says the Memphis office has an on-staff entomologist available, "as a resource to all technicians, and (he) speaks often with customers."
What to do if you have a bad taste for bug spray?
Got a bad taste for bug spray? Then ask your exterminator for a copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet and the chemical's label for your own records. Besides providing application instructions and noting EPA approval, the documents will list what side effects can occur if you're overexposed to the chemicals.
What is tracking powder used for?
A rodenticide known as tracking powder is often used to control mouse problems in restaurants and other stores where food is sold. Shortly after running through the chalky substance, a mouse or rat is all but doomed.
Did termites eat wood?
Just ask John Spence. Last July, Spence, president of his condominium complex in Ormond Beach, Fla., noticed that termites had eaten away chunks of wood holding up a picture window. He then found similar damage at five other buildings in the complex. He was told by Terminix that the damage was considered "old." Spence disagreed, contending that because Terminix had had the service contract since 1987, shortly after the buildings were completed, any damage had to be "new" damage and the exterminator was responsible for paying for repairs.
