Pests are a nuisance to most homeowners, but for a business owner, they can be even more problematic. These pests do not discriminate between properties, and they can attack both your home and business. Whether you are running a restaurant, retail store, or professional office space, pests can cause a lot of problems.
On the internet, you will find many articles on how to manage termite or pest infestation in your home. However, this is not the case when it comes to commercial pest control. Our experts at Jamison Pest and Lawn have created this guide focused on commercial buildings. Here we will cover the following:
- What are pests?
- How they can harm your business?
- The steps that you should take
- How we can help
What Are Pests?
Pests are insects and other animals that can cause damage to homes and businesses. They may carry diseases to people and pets, or they may simply damage the plants they live on. These pests can attack your property year-round, especially in the spring or summer season.
Types Of Pests
The most common pests are mosquitoes, ticks, rats, mice, roaches, and other insects. These pests can carry diseases that can be harmful to your health. They can also carry bacteria that can contaminate food or water supplies.
A major concern of business owners is that pests can cause structural damage to buildings by chewing through wood and infesting insulation material in walls and roofs
How Can Pests Harm Your Business?
You may not realize it, but pests can have a direct impact on your business. These creatures can be a nightmare for your property and cause serious damage if they go unnoticed. If you’re not careful, pests can enter your office or warehouse and cause major structural damage. Here are some common ways pests can impact your business:
Pests Can Damage Materials In Your Building
Pests can damage materials in your building. Every year, businesses face considerable inventory loss due to a pest infestation. For example, rats are often attracted to the smell of food and will chew through walls and floorboards in search of it. If you have a rodent infestation on your premises, they could potentially ruin products stored in warehouses or offices by chewing through boxes and packaging. Additionally, if you operate a restaurant or coffee shop then having pest problems can be detrimental to business. Customers will avoid eating at places where there is evidence of infestations, such as mouse droppings. A pest infestation can bring down the value of your business as well as your property.
Pests Can Increase The Risk Of Injury Or Illness For Employees Or Customers
Employees and customers are two of the most crucial aspects of any business. It’s important to know that pests can pose a risk to the health of both employees and customers. Pests can spread disease, cause allergic reactions, cause infections, and more.
If left unchecked for long periods of time, pests can make employees sick and may even lead to hospitalization. This not only impacts you as an employer or business owner, but it can have a major impact on your customer base. For example, if you own a restaurant and the bacteria gets mixed with food, it can harm the customers who eat there. It is also important to note that these threats will vary based on the type of pest infestation you have. This is why commercial pest control is necessary for all business owners.
Pests Can Lead To Loss Of Reputation And Finances
Pests can cause you to lose customers, and be harmful your reputation. If a pest infestation is severe enough, it can cause customers to leave and not enter the premises. Every year, companies report heavy losses due to pest and rodent infestations. A few stories of people getting sick from pests in a restaurant can do severe damage to your business’s reputation. Even if you’re able to keep your establishment up and running, this could cause a drop in revenue by deterring some customers from visiting at all.
A pest infestation can also have a major financial implication on your business. Pest and rodent removal can cost your company a lot, especially if there has already been structural damage to your building. If pests contaminate any food products, you may be at risk for fines or legal action against your company, as well as possible lawsuits from customers. A major pest infestation can ruin a business, and that is why it is important to have a reliable commercial pest control company treat your business.
Loss In Productivity
Pests not only cause financial loss, but they can lead to a decrease in productivity. If an employee has noticed insects on multiple occasions, or has had cockroaches crawl across their desk, that employee might feel uncomfortable working there. No business owner wants their employees worried about pests or rodents when they are at work, and it is important that you never deal with the issues a situation like this may cause.
The Steps You Can Take
It should be clear that pests in the workplace can cause considerable damage to your business and it’s reputation.
If you don’t take steps to prevent pests from entering your office, you could end up with an infestation that will cost you time and money. Below, we share some tips to keep your business protected from pest infestations!
Keep Your Business Clean!
The first thing you should do if you are not already, is to keep your commercial property clean. Cleanliness is a crucial aspect of commercial pest control.
This means you should be regularly cleaning:
- Your kitchen
- Your bathrooms (showers and toilets)
- Your office space, especially desks and chairs, as these are likely to be where pests will like to hide
If you run a restaurant or warehouse, it’s important that these areas are kept clean as well. Make sure that the inventory that you order for business is cleaned and double-checked for pests.
Be Mindful Of Your Trash.
How you manage your trash can be a key factor in keeping pests away. Leaving trash out, whether it be bags or containers and food scraps, is a surefire way to attract rats. Rats will also go into your garbage cans looking for food. This is why it’s important to make sure that you’re emptying them regularly, and keeping them closed when not in use.
Here are some other tips:
- If possible, keep your trash out of sight from the public eye: don’t leave bags sitting on curbs or near dumpsters where animals may have access to them
- Don’t leave trash cans in plain sight outside of buildings
- Don’t leave dumpsters open for hours at a time – especially overnight; if possible,
Watch Out For Moisture
One of the easiest ways to keep your business free from pests is to keep moisture and other chemicals out of the building. If you have a basement, check for leaks regularly. You should also clean up any spills as quickly as possible. If you are storing food or products in your commercial facility, make sure these areas are kept clean at all times. Also, keep an eye for stagnant water, as it are a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Block Entry Points
The best way to prevent a pest infestation is to make sure that they can not enter your property. Keeping your doors and windows closed can be an effective way to keep certain rodents out of your building.
Check for holes in the walls, doors, and windows. Any size hole or crack to the exterior of your business can be an entry point for insects. When you find these cracks, you must make sure they are treated and repaired as quickly as possible.
Use caulk to seal up cracks or gaps between flooring boards/joists where bugs might crawl through them (even tiny ones). Again: even if these cracks appear small, they are usually large enough for pests like cockroaches or ants…they’ll still find their way through somehow! It is also important to make sure all openings around pipes/ducts are sealed up tightly as well.
Hire A Professional For Commercial Pest Control
All these tips are good for preventing pest infestation, but they do not guarantee that you that pests will not enter your commercial property. If you want an expert and consistent approach, then it is better to hire a professional pest control company.
There are multiple reasons hiring a commercial pest control company will benefit you.
- They’ll come in and handle everything for you, so all you have to do is sit back and focus on running your business as usual.
- Commercial pest control services will make sure that they take care of your problem as soon as possible
- It’s less expensive than doing it yourself, as professionals are highly trained and are knowledgeable
What To Look For In A Professional Pest Control Company?
If you notice a pest infestation at your home or business, it’s time to find a good pest control company. There are some steps you can take to ensure that you hire a reputable company that can match your needs.
Check That The Company Is Licensed
The first step is to make sure the company you choose is licensed and insured. You’ll want them to have the proper training, certifications, and licenses so that they’re able to provide you with the best service possible. A certified technician will have training in the proper use of pesticides and other chemicals that could be harmful to humans and pets if used incorrectly. It will also help if they are trained in a specific field, such as bedbug removal or termite removal.
You should always hire a company that is fully insured to keeps your business protected!
Hire An Experienced Contractor
Commercial pest control is not an easy job, and it cannot be done by everyone. It’s always best if you are able to get a recommendation from another business owner about the best commercial pest control company in town. It is also why you should hire a contractor that has a sufficient experience.
Pest control is a fast-moving field, and it changes often—a company with years of experience will be able to keep up with industry trends and keep you updated on the latest developments.
Look For Reviews
Look up reviews online, and read what other customers have said about their experience with a particular company (and don’t forget to check out Yelp). You’ll get a better idea of what kind of services they provide, and whether or not people recommend them overall! Google reviews are a great place to start when researching the reputation of a commercial pest control company.
Ask For References
The next thing you need to do is check references. A good pest control company will have happy customers who are willing to talk about their experiences with the company on record. That way, you know that what the company says about itself is true! It’s always best when someone you know can personally recommend a particular pest control company based on their own experience.
Why Jamison Pest and Lawn Can Solve All Your Needs?
We understand that the search for the right commercial pest control company can be tough, and you have much better things to do with your time. This is why we are here to take care of all your commercial pest control needs.
At Jamison Pest and Lawn, we offer a comprehensive commercial pest control program that can work for any business.
We offer the best pest control services for both small and medium-sized businesses.
We offer the following commercial programs for various commercial industries.
Retail Spaces
If you own a retail shop, then you must be aware of any potential pest infestations. It can ruin your business and your reputation. Don’t let pests destroy your store. Keep them from getting in with our total pest management program.
Dental Programs
One of the more important aspects of running a medical office is maintaining a safe and sterile environment for patients. At Jamison Pest and Lawn, we understand this and bring highly professional pest control plans made specifically for medical facilities.
Restaurants
Tennessee offers a variety of cuisines. If you are a restaurant owner in Tennessee, you would be worried about various insects and pests entering your kitchen and ruining all your food. A pest infestation can ruin the reputation of any restaurant.
If you choose to work with us, you will not have to worry about all this. We offer professional-grade pest control and treatment services for restaurants of all sizes
Final Words..
We hope that you now have a better understanding of how pests can impact your business. If you’re dealing with a pest infestation in your building, don’t hesitate to call the professionals at Jamison Pest and Lawn. We offer free estimates on all of our services and will work with you to create a customized plan to suit your needs. Contact us today at (901) 452-1505 and get started on your plan.
