As spring arrives, facility managers face the challenges of maintaining their properties, along with combatting the intrusion of cold weather pests. Dips in temperatures often drive pests indoors, seeking warmth, food, water, and shelter. Knowing what strategies to implement will keep your office space, warehouse, and building pest-free during the colder months as well as part of your spring maintenance plan.
What are the most common types of pests?
Rodents: Rats and mice are known to wreak havoc, notorious for seeking warmth and food indoors as outdoor resources become scarce due to colder temperatures. They can enter through any gaps as small as .5” wide. It’s important to monitor these pests because they can affect your business, cause property damage, contaminate areas in your facility, and pose health risks to employees by transmitting diseases.
Insects: While some insects become less active during the colder months, some remain an issue as they find ways into your building. Cockroaches, spiders, and ants gain easy access through overlooked seals and cracks in your foundation and structure.
Overwintering pests: Pests such as stink bugs, cluster flies, ladybugs, and boxelder bugs survive the winter by going into a state of dormancy — also known as overwintering — in the warmer parts of your building. Although generally harmless, on warmer, sunny days they become active, and their presence can be a nuisance by affecting employees and visitors to your building.
Wildlife: Pests such as birds, raccoons, squirrels, and bats may also run for cover in your facility to keep warm. Similar to other rodents, these animals can cause structural damage and carry diseases if they gain access to your business.
To stay protected against these unwelcome intruders, implementing effective pest control prevention strategies is key. With a proactive approach and some practical tips, you can help safeguard your facility pest-free:
Identify potential entry points. Inspect your facility thoroughly for potential entry points for pests, including any openings or holes. Be sure to seal any gaps in walls, windows, doors, and around utility pipes in the wall. Ensure weather stripping or door sweeps are not damaged, and that they fit tightly. Also, make sure vents are screened appropriately.
Implement pest control practices. Partner with a pest control company that can develop and execute an IPM program which will include conducting routine inspections, monitoring, and giving tips on how to implement preventative measures. A pest control provider can help create a customized pest control program and provide in-house guidance on using other products such as traps, baits, and environmentally conscious treatments to help target specific pests.
Educate staff. Train your staff on the importance of pest prevention, how to recognize signs of pests, and the crucial role they play in helping keep pests out. Make sure they’re comfortable reporting any sightings of pests, documenting hot spots, or letting you know about any potentially exposed entry points that need repair. Establish cleanliness protocols and instruct your teams on proper sanitation practices. Your pest control provider may offer complimentary staff IPM training programs for a more cost-effective way to have a stronger line of defence against pests.
Prevention is a must when keeping pests out of your business. A consistent effort following these tips throughout the season will help protect your staff and visitors from health risks, and your business from costly pest infestations and damage.
Alice Sinia, Ph.D., is the Quality Assurance Manager of Regulatory/Lab Services for Orkin Canada, focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. For more information, email Alice Sinia at asinia@orkincanada.com or visit orkincanada.ca.
