Articles

Enlist Some Help Fighting Pests

Bill Melville, Quality Assurance Director, Orkin PCO Services

Published: CondoBusiness, October 2008

Condo managers know that keep ing pests out of the units isn’t optional - pests infuriate residents, turn off prospective owners and threaten a property’s reputation as a clean and inviting place to live. Pests can also cause expensive structural damage and, in some cases, threaten residents’ health. Insects, rodents and birds can all carry serious diseases and diseasecausing organisms like hantavirus and salmonella.

Unfortunately, condos can provide all of pests’ basic needs (food, water, shelter and comfortable temperatures) making condominiums very attractive to a variety of critters looking for a home.

Condo managers looking for a more effective and environmentally friendly approach to pest control should implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM focuses on the reasons why pests infest properties in the first place, stressing prevention over remediation and biological, physical or cultural solutions over chemical ones. Through a proactive, ongoing approach, IPM helps reduce the number of pests trying to enter the buildings, thereby naturally reducing the need for pesticides and other reactive measures.

Some tips residents should keep in mind

But it ’s not enough for condo managers and pest management providers to follow IPM protocols. An effective IPM approach includes the active cooperation of the entire staff - everyone from the sales office to maintenance employees. The good news is that it only takes a little bit of work to get your team on board.

Talk about your IPM plan.
If staff members don’t know about IPM or its benefits, then it will be more difficult to get their support on the program. Make sure all employees understand the property’s IPM program so they can support pest management efforts. Some pest management professionals will provide training materials and other resources to help management communicate with staff about IPM and its advantages.

Educate staff members on the importance of good sanitation.
Rigorous sanitation is one of the most important components of effective IPM, and it’s also the area that requires the most work from a condo property’s staff. Good sanitation helps eliminate pests’ basic needs and hiding places. Educate employees on the property’s pest hot spots (pools, public meeting areas and waste disposal zones) which can be powerful pest attractants if not kept clean. Let the staff know that small steps like properly disposing of trash can help avert pest infestations.

Some of these small steps include regular monitoring for standing water that can accumulate in and around the property, such as around utility openings. Immediately repair any leaks that are found and remember to look into areas that are prone to puddles after rainstorms - they can provide drinking water for pigeons on the rooftop or rodents and insects. In the summer months, mosquitoes use standing water to breed.

Even the tiniest crack can be an entry point for a pest so be sure to ask the maintenance staff to monitor for these openings and seal them tightly.

What may be trash to your residents can be a gourmet meal for pests; place community dumpsters as far f rom bui ldings as possible, clean and rotate them often. Clean all trash chutes regularly and monitor for trash buildup in trash rooms and the chutes. Eliminate outside waste to avoid attracting pests in the first place. This can be done by regularly cleaning surrounding sidewalks and parking lots and ensuring residents have access to outdoor trash cans.

Ask staff members to be the “eyes and ears” for pest management.
Right behind keeping the building clean, staff members have an important duty to alert management to problems that could send an invitation to pests. After all, pests can invade even the cleanest of properties - entering through cracks and crevices, open doors or even by hitching a ride with an unknowing visitor ’s belongings. Let employees know that the management and residents rely on them to report any pest sightings, conditions that might at tract a pest and any maintenance concerns. Encourage them to keep doors and windows closed when not in use. Ask them to alert management about any cracks in the façades of your buildings or any lighting, HVAC or landscaping issues that might make the property more appealing to pests.

Model smart pest management practices to your residents.
The staff can play a fundamental role in influencing another crucial member of the team: residents. It’s imperative that all employees demonstrate good IPM practices so residents will follow their lead. Resident involvement is especially important given that a pest infestation in one condo can easily spread throughout the entire property if unchecked. Equip staff with the knowledge they need to educate residents on the role everyone (employees and residents alike) should play in keeping all community areas clean and free of food and water.

Remember that effective pest management takes the cooperation of all. Committed, educated employees and residents mean a stronger team to help keep pests away.

Bill Melville is Quality Assurance Director for Orkin PCO Services. Mr. Melville has 35 years of experience in the industry and is an acknowledged leader in the field of pest management. For more information, email Mr. Melville at bmelville@pcocanada.com or visit www.orkincanada.com.