The Cost of Outdoor Pest Control

It may be the skittering sound of rodents in your walls or the telltale wood piles left behind by termites, but the moment you see a clue that you have a pest infestation, the countdown is on. No matter where you live, if you are a homeowner, it’s simply a matter of time until you encounter a pest issue. 

Your first responsibility is to contact a pest control specialist. At Home Pros connects you to the best in the business, all in your local area. With just a few clicks, you’ll soon be in contact with local pest control specialists, and on your way to a pest-free environment. 

After reaching out to some of the top pest control professionals identified by At Home Pro’s experts, you’ll also want to determine whether you need indoor or outdoor care. Here are some of the key differences between the two types of pest control services, and what you need to know in order to figure out your focus. 

Outdoor vs. indoor pest control

Whether you need to treat the indoor areas or the outdoor areas of your home is determined by the type of pest you’re dealing with, and to some degree by the geographic location. 

If forms of wildlife — such as rodents, critters or insects — are already invading your property, you will need to treat the pests that have already set up camp inside your home. At this initial stage, treatment options normally include pesticide application. 

This isn’t your grandmother’s pest application, however, and no one is wandering around your home spraying surfaces with an applicator wand. Modern treatment by pesticide application is precise. And if your issue is severe enough, you may need to consider fumigation. 

Most insect and wildlife infestations occur because they are looking for a warm place to breed and rest up, especially during the colder months. One of the best ways to keep pests out of doors where they belong is to seal off the premises. By caulking gaps and double checking windows and doors, you can do a lot to offset those pests’ invading strategy — and you’ll likely find an added benefit with decreased heating and cooling bills as well.

Here are some more tips on creating a secure perimeter around your home so that pests don’t have a chance to move in at all. 

• Windows and door frames: When houses settle, sometimes windows and doors won’t fit perfectly anymore and create gaps where they’re connected to walls, floors, or ceilings. Using caulk, fill in the gaps to limit access to all pests. 
• Pipes and vents: It’s not unusual for there to be inviting gaps around the access points of vents or pipes. Seal these up to ensure your home’s perimeters remain secure.
• Landscaping: There are certain gardening choices you can make that will help you maintain a pest-free environment. Avoid bushes or trees that are inviting pests, such as fruit trees, or keep them planted well away from your home.

Once you’ve created a tight, secure perimeter, you’ll want to turn your attention to your outside environment. Some pests — like fire ants, ticks, and mosquitos — live mainly outside but can still wreak havoc on your home life. Along with painful bites and stings, some of these pests carry dangerous diseases like Zika or West Nile virus. 

Outdoor pest control 

If you have kids and pets who regularly play outside, it’s even more important to keep your yard pest-free. After all, it’s not only an inconvenience to deal with bites or stings when you spend time out of doors, it’s a health threat as well. Vector-borne diseases are often transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks, so a pest control specialist that provides outdoor treatment specifically is essential. 

There’s an added benefit to outdoor pest control: It provides a barrier to those pests that are trying to make their way indoors, creating an even more secure perimeter between the outside world and the interior. 

Pesticide placement is a critical part of an outdoor pest control plan, but you should ask your hired professional if they use aerosolized pesticides. If they do, they should have a definitive plan in place in the event that it rains soon after a reapplication. It’s also a good idea to point out delicate plants or edible ones, so that the technician can avoid these areas. 

If you would like to avoid spraying pesticides altogether, ask your pest control person about less toxic treatments, like boric acid or diatomaceous earth. The most experienced pest specialists will know how to use these options to maximum effect. And with persistent problems, pest control techs may adopt a plan of action that uses bait stations.

Along with window and door frames, your pest control specialists will check other spots around your home for breaches, like crawl spaces or weep holes, which are small openings on brick walls that allow moisture to escape. These areas may need to stay open for the proper functioning of your home, but can be screened or treated with pesticides to prevent them from allowing pests inside. 

What you can do outdoors

Even if you have a professional tending to your pest control needs, there are some habits you can adopt that will make your location less attractive to pests when they’re looking for a place to call home. 

• Eliminate food and water sources: Make sure that you aren’t adding extra fuel to the fire by providing food sources for pests. Garbage cans should be sealed at all times, and any containers that can collect rainwater should be overturned and cleaned. 
• Pine mulch and firewood: Certain substances attract outdoor pests more quickly than others; wood and mulch are two big pest attractants. Make sure that, if you have a pile of firewood to burn in the winter or a pile of pine mulch for your garden, it’s kept well away from the physical perimeter of your home. 

You can also do a little more research on which types of plants and pests can help you keep a pest-free yard. Certain insects and mammals feast on the very pests that are disease vectors and biting nuisances when you’re outside. If you bring in some of these plants or install bat boxes, these types of creatures will be more at home, lessening the likelihood that destructive pests live on your property.  

Financial cost of outdoor pest control

There is a range for the cost of exclusively outdoor pest control care. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $200 for treatment of your yard and gardens. The cost varies by square footage, pest type, infestation degree and company specifics. 

Many companies offer one-offs, where they take care of your issue and you pay for the treatment. They can also provide year-round service, which is a key part to keeping your home pest-free no matter the season.

If you have multiple pests or your property covers a large area, you will be paying more. Most companies also provide free estimates after an initial assessment, so you can shop around for the best quote. 

Winterize your outdoor pest control plan

A lot of homeowners believe that they only need to be vigilant about pest control during the warm months when pests like mosquitoes and ticks are most active, but this isn’t the best course of action.

When cold weather rolls in, a lot of insects and critters go dormant or head to warmer areas. Some search out warm locations that give them access to water and food sources to hunker down for the cold months. Many times, this warm spot that has access to food and water may be the less frequented parts of your home. 

Maintain the same level of protection around your property, even when it’s not typical pest season. At Home Pros connects you with the right professionals the first time around, so your home and outdoor spaces will remain pest-free throughout the whole year.