DIY Outdoor Pest Control vs Hiring a Professional

Are you wanting to spend more time in your yard but feel like you can’t enjoy it thanks to the pests that have invaded your space?

Have you tried DIY mosquito control or homemade flea and tick repellent without any results? Do you continuously find ants and spiders creeping into your home?

Are you concerned about keeping your family and pets safe from these harmful pests?

While summers in Northeast Ohio can feel synonymous with pesky outdoor pests, this doesn’t have to be the case.

Professional outdoor pest control can help clear the bugs away from your property so you can enjoy your outdoor oasis with a clear mind.

To help you achieve this peace of mind, let’s take a look at why outdoor pest control matters, the advantages of professional pest control versus DIY options, and more.

Why Outdoor Pest Control Matters for Your Yard

Pests like mosquitoes, fleas, ants, spiders, and ticks aren’t just a summer nuisance.

Biting insects can carry harmful diseases that negatively impact the health of their host, and crawling insects like ants and spiders can bring with them a host of germs and sanitary issues as well.

Plus, pests like mosquitoes only need a bottle cap full of water or a thin layer of standing water to lay eggs, so it’s important to ward off these offenders before they have the chance to multiply.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind that areas like the pond, fountain, or bird baths in your yard may be attracting these pests without you even realizing it.

Common DIY Outdoor Pest Control Methods Homeowners Try

If you’ve dealt with any of the above pests on your property before, it’s possible you’ve tried some of these homemade remedies.

• Store-bought mosquito sprays and foggers, which can pose environmental hazards.
• Flea and tick granules that may lead to soil health problems down the line.
• Consumer-grade lawn sprays that don’t provide effective results.
• Essential oils, torches, and citronella plants that can get used up quickly, supplying only short-term relief.
• DIY traps that may bring in more pests than they kill.

The Limitations of DIY Pest Control

While it may be tempting to start with a DIY solution first, that may not always be your best bet.

That’s because DIY methods often do not focus on prevention, but instead try to control the population once the pests have already emerged.

Here are a few other limitations of DIY pest control.

1. Treatments don’t provide long-term relief.

With Northeast Ohio’s warm, humid summers, products can break down quickly due to UV light exposure, rain, microbial activity in the soil, and even the sprinklers in your lawn. In fact, many DIY products need to be reapplied every two to six weeks.

With some products, like sprays, insects may even build up a resistance, rendering the product even more ineffective.

2. Treatments can pose environmental risks.

Certain spray and granule products can pose environmental risks as they run off into the soil and surrounding area.

3. DIY methods don’t take into account prevention.

Effective pest control starts with prevention and an integrated pest management program, which includes sealing entry points, proper timing of applications, and maintaining healthier habitats.

4. DIY products are less effective than professional products.

DIY products don’t tout the same effectiveness or longevity as professional products. And, DIY treatments are often applied more randomly than targeted services and at the wrong time, leading to insufficient results.

5. DIY treatments are costly.

Reapplying DIY treatments adds up and can cost you more time and money in the long run.

What Professional Outdoor Pest Control Services Do Differently

On the other hand, there are a few things that make professional outdoor pest control services a good option.

1. Professional remedies are safer and more effective.

Pest professionals attain a license to apply certain treatments, meaning they have access to better products than you do as a homeowner.

And, pest professionals know exactly how to use the products, have access to personal protective equipment, and understand how to keep products off of your patio furniture, outdoor equipment, toys, and pet supplies.

2. Pest professionals are knowledgeable.

In addition to understanding the products, pest control professionals know everything there is to know about the pests themselves and the areas where these pests will harbor.

They can also target pest breeding zones, allowing them to be more proactive in treating the pests before they become highly active in your yard.

3. Pest control professionals take a preventive and ongoing approach.

Rather than simply treating certain bugs as they pop up, professional pest specialists take an integrated pest management approach that focuses on ongoing population control rather than just temporary relief.

For example,

• Professional mosquito control treatments help keep mosquitoes away from your property.
• Flea and tick yard treatments help keep fleas and ticks from coming into your yard and infesting your family and pets.
• Perimeter pest control seals up your home to guard against common ground invaders like ants, spiders, and centipedes.
  
  

DIY Pest Control vs Professional Treatment: Key Differences

To sum it all up, let’s take a closer look at DIY pest control versus professional treatment.

When DIY Pest Control Might Be Enough

There may be a few instances when DIY pest control might just cut it. For example, you may be set with doing pest control on your own if you:

• Experience small, occasional pest problems
• Practice early-season prevention
• Feel comfortable applying treatments

However, just remember that results may still be inconsistent.

When It Makes Sense to Hire a Professional Pest Control Service

On the flipside, if you feel like you’ve tried every DIY method under the sun to no avail, it might make the most sense to hire a pro.

You might also want to consult with a professionals if you experience the following:

• Heavy mosquito populations
• Fleas or ticks in the yard
• Pets bringing pests indoors
• Outdoor spaces becoming unusable

You may also want to invest in professional services if you desire recurring treatments that can keep pest populations under control throughout the entire season.

Professional Outdoor Pest Control in Northeast Ohio

If you’re looking for a pest control company that will keep biting insects like mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks off of your property and crawling pests like ants and spiders out of your home, consider Turf Pride.

At Turf Pride, we offer the following pest control services:

• Mosquito control, which is a liquid product applied on all of the plant material around a property, including up to 10 feet on larger trees. Smaller amounts of water are treated with a granular product that affects mosquito larvae. Larger water features are treated with small mosquito control dunks, which are floating discs that contain a pesticide to affect the eggs and larva of the mosquito.
• Flea and tick yard treatment, a liquid formulation put down on the lawn, which is also effective against lawn-damaging pests like chinch bugs and billbugs.
• Perimeter pest control, which involves using a liquid product to “seal” off potential entry points of your home to crawling pests.

At Turf Pride, we apply treatments 30 days apart, starting in May or sooner depending on the weather, five times throughout the most active times of the year.

While a full five-visit program will yield the best results, we can do a partial program if a customer requests only a couple treatments.

Enjoy Your Yard Without the Pests

It’s time you stop wasting time with ineffective DIY treatments. If mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, or other insects are preventing you from enjoying your outdoor space and you’re ready to protect your family and pets from these pests, the team at Turf Pride Lawn Care can help.

Our outdoor pest control programs are designed specifically for Northeast Ohio homeowners who want effective, reliable pest protection all season long. Contact us today to learn more about our mosquito, flea, and tick treatments.