| Pest Questions |
| I see bugs crawling on areas that were treated why aren't they dying? |
The products we use do not kill instantly and may take several hours to kill once contact is made. Products that kill quickly have little or no residual ability, we use quality products with residual properties for best results. |
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| Are carpenter ants dangerous to my home? |
| Carpenter ants are merely a nuisance or a serious structural pest that needs to be addressed quickly. If the weather is mild and you happen to see one every few days, further inspection may be necessary. Try to locate the source. Seeing several daily is cause for concern and treatment may be necessary. |
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| How do I tell a carpenter ant from other ants? |
| The most common way to distinguish carpenter ants from other species of ants in and around your structure is by size (1/2" and larger) and color (black). Carpenter ants are polymorphic, meaning that they are have many sizes within the colony however these ants are typically much larger than other species of ants in our area which typically max out at 3/8". Carpenter ants unlike most others have smooth back (thorax). |
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| What damage do carpenter ants do to my house? |
| Carpenter Ants bore into the soft portions of wood in nature to better regulate the temperature of their colony. Therefore, Carpenter ants are considered a structural pest which can damage the wood materials used to build our homes. |
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| How can I tell the difference between a flea bite and a spider bite? |
| Typically flea bites are much smaller than most spider bites or mosquito bites as well. While everyone reacts differently to bites or stings, the flea bite normally is about the size of a pencil lead or 1/16" in diameter. Most other bites are much larger around 1/4" in diameter. |
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| Are cockroaches a health threat? |
Cockroaches know to be vectors for transmitting various health threats as they move from location to location most typically in our kitchen and bathroom areas. Cockroaches have also been known to cause asthmatic conditions in some individuals. Please talk with one of our representatives or our certified entomologist for more in-depth information. |
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| Are bed bugs a threat to my health? |
| Bed bugs like any other sucking/piercing type of pest can be a vector for transmitting various diseases as they feed off of other and then ourselves. |
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| How can I tell if I have bed bugs? |
| Depending on a person’s reaction to a bed bug bite, a person could have bed bugs for months before seeing any sizes of bites. An adult bed bug is oval in shape, reddish brown in color and most commonly found in and around bed framing and mattress seams. This is not the only areas of concern but it is a good place to start. Please talk with one of our representatives or our certified entomologist for more in-depth information. |
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| Are mosquitoes a health risk in the NW? |
| Mosquitoes can be a vector for carrying the Wwest Nile virus. While this has not reached epidemic levels, Washington State is has an unusual amount of cases considering where we live geographically and the relatively cooler year round temperatures we experience compared to the rest of the US. Please talk with one of our representatives or our certified entomologist for more in-depth information. |
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| What do I do if I have honey bees? |
| Honey bees unlike other species of hymenoptera (Wasps, yellow jackets and hornets) are considered a beneficial insect. There are a number of bee keepers tending honey bees in our area and occasionally a queen will leave her nest and set up house somewhere else like our homes. It is best to call us or a bee keeper to remove these bees by hand rather than exterminating them. |
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| Do moisture ants damage my structure? |
| Even though moisture ants are considered a structural insect, their damage is only secondary to a rot condition already in the affected wood material. A moisture condition from wood soil contact or a leak for instance is what causes the rotting process of the affected piece of wood. The moisture ants come in after the rot has advanced and they eat the fungus and mold found in this rotted area. |
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| Are odorous house ants a structural insect? |
| Odorous house ants can be found in and around the structure as well as moisture which one might think that they could also damage the structure of our homes but actually they are considered only a nuisance pest. |
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| What makes odorous house ants hard to get rid of? |
| Due to their multiple queens in a colony this make them a very aggressive ant. Someone having an infestation of these ants should not treat on their own but hire a professional pest control company to eradicate this insect or risk spreading the infestation throughout their home by a process called budding. |
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| What damage do rats cause to my home? |
| Rats can wreak havoc in our homes. Most damage occurs I our crawlspaces and attics where we typically don’t frequent. Rats routinely pee and poop as they roam in these spaces and in a very short time can saturate the insulation to the point where it will need to be replaced by a professional. Of course, rodents historically have been carriers of many disease which we are susceptible especially through inhalation. |
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| Which is more difficult to get rid of: rats or mice? |
It all depends on various circumstances but generally mice are more difficult to eradicate than rodents. Mice tend to cache away their food source and can be clever enough to avoid control measures. It is best to hire a professional to get rid of mice. Our technicians have the experience to quickly locate nesting sites and the expertise required to select the appropriate measures to eradicate the populations from your home. |
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| How long do rats live? |
| Most species of rodents which infest our homes don’t live more than a year and in most cases not more than a few months. |
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| Do rats carry the Hanta Virus? |
No. The carrier of the Hanta virus is the Deer Mouse not the Norway or Roof rat. |
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| How can I tell whether I have rats or squirrels in my home? |
| Rodents are nocturnal and Squirrels are not so if you hear noises in your attic during the day it is typically squirrels. If you hear noises in your crawlspace or attic at night it typically is a rodent infestation. |
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| How can I tell if I have a Spider bite from other bites? |
| Most spider bites are larger then from other pest 1/4" to 1/2" in diameter. In some cases if you look closely enough you will see two small punctures in the would which differentiates spiders from other pests with sucking/piercing mouth parts like mosquitoes. |
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| How do I get rid of rodents? |
| The first place to start is to talk with one of our customer service representatives to discuss all of the specifics of your particular infestation. Once we start our service we will locate where the rodents are entering your structure, design a specific plan to eradicate your current population and formulate with you how to proactively prevent rodents from getting a foothold again. |
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| Are the spiders in our area poisonous? |
| Most all spiders have venom which can cause mild to severe reactions in humans who are bit. While we do have some potentially dangerous spiders in our area including the hob spider, brown recluse and black widow, they are very infrequently sited in the western part of the State of Washington. |
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| Can birds damage my structure? |
| Birds can cause untold damage to our homes and business by physically destroying our structures and causing health concerns to humans through their droppings and uric acid. |
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| General Business Questions |
| Can I purchase the products from you? |
No. For reasons of safety, you must have training and certification by the state to use or purchase the pofessional products and/or chemicals. |
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| Do I have to leave my house when its treated? |
Rarely do customers need to leave during or after treatments, if this is required we will notify you prior to the service call so that the necessary arrangements can be made. |
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| What are some things I can do outside of my house to keep pests away? |
The following five tips can help keep your home free of pests:
- Locate and seal any cracks and holes outside your home. Make sure vents are screened and gaps around windows and doors are sealed.
- Check around the perimeter of your home for leaky faucets and anything that allows moisture to pool around the base of your home.
- Eliminate debris from gutters.
- Trim tree branches and shrubbery from around your home.
- Store firewood and other wood at least 20 feet away from your home.
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| What can I do inside my home to keep pests away? |
The following tips may help keep the interior of your home free of pests:
- Keep all kitchen areas clean (including floors) and free of useless clutter. Kitchen appliances should be kept free of spills and crumbs. Clean shelves regularly and store foods such as cereal, flour, and pet food in sealed containers.
- Keep garbage areas clean. Garbage should be stored in sealed containers and disposed of regularly.
- Check pipes and pipe areas around the house for leaks, cracks and gaps and seal and patch any problems if necessary. Leaky faucets should also be fixed.
- Keep basements, attics , and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry. If you have mold and mildew in your home or office crawl space, it's a symptom of an excess moisture problem.
- Inspect boxes, grocery bags and other packaging thoroughly. Insects have also been known to come in on potted plants and in luggage.
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| Are the products used dangerous to kids or pets? |
All professional pest control products have been registered for use by the EPA. When they are applied according to the labeled instructions by technicians who have been trained and licensed to use them, they pose virtually no risk to people or pets. |
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| Why should someone hire United Pest Solutions instead of attempting to control their pest problems themselves? |
Just as you would not prescribe medicine for yourself or drill your own cavities - you should not attempt to control termites or other pests on your own. The products and the expertise offered by United Pest Solutions far surpasses what a homeowner could do on their own. Leave it up to the experts for peace of mind. Why risk it? |
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| What happens when I get an odor? |
Most odors that people experience are dead rodents. The best solution is to have one of our professional technicians to come and locate the rodent for you which much of the time can be quite tricky to locate. |
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| Are you licensed, insured and bonded? |
United holds all the industry standard insurances, bonds and licenses. United also hold the City of Seattle Master License not held by many pest control companies. |
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| How long does odor last? |
If a dead rodent were left to go through it’s natural decaying process, the odor associated from this typically last one to two weeks with the predominate strength of odor reducing in a few days. |
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| Do you have a special program for the environment? |
All of our services employ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) service techniques. This philosophy of pest control stresses heavy investigatory processes to determine pest thresholds and locations of infestations to control pests by incorporating environmental control measures to make an inhospitable place for pests to inhabit your structure. The use of environmentally friendly products are employed as a last option not the first. |
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| Is it necessary to treat the inside? |
Sometimes it is necessary to treat the inside of your home with environmentally friendly products. We try to minimize any pesticide contact with the living area but when we need to make an application, we make sure that any treatment is followed according to EPA label standards and an appropriate reentry time disclosed to our customers. |
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| How long have you been in business? |
We are a locally owned and family owned business since 1960. We are in our second generation of providing the highest quality pest control experience that our customers and community expect. |
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| Why should I trust you? |
We believe and strive to build relationships with our customers by establishing Trust and Peace of Mind with not only our customers but our community at large. |
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| What is Quality Pro? |
Quality Pro is an industry standard designed by our National Pest Management Association which requires that only the highest business practices from hiring to servicing our customers are employed. When you see the Quality Pro logo on our forms or on our website you can be sure that you will be taken care of and have Peace of Mind and trust to take care of you and your biggest asset, your home. |
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| Do I have to leave my house when you do a treatment? |
Only if we make a pesticide treatment inside your home or determine with you that it would be the most appropriate step to protect you, your family or your pets from any inappropriate exposure to any of our service applications. |
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| Are your treatments safe for my pets? |
All professional pest control products have been registered for use by the EPA. When they are applied according to the labeled instructions by technicians who have been trained and licensed to use them, they pose very minimal or virtually no risk to people or pets. |
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| Why hire a pest control professional? |
A professional pest control technician who has been appropriately trained will provide you with best and most environmentally sound method for eradicated unwanted pests from your home. We have over 49 years of experience servicing our local pest control needs by establishing Peace of Mind and Trust with our customers and community. |
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| Why would I need a regular pest maintenance program? |
We have found that over the 49 years of providing the highest standard of pest control services, that our customers wanted more than just call us once they had a current pest infestation. Our clients Trust us to give them the Peace of Mind to provide proactive pest control services to protect their families, their homes and their investments. |
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| What kind of training do your technicians have? |
Our pest control technicians receive the highest training available to our industry. Our technicians are Quality Pro certified and receive weekly training from our certified entomologist on staff. All of our technicians are trained in not only residential but commercial pest control servicing to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the pests and pest pressures in our local area. |
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| Why tell your neighbors about our pest control program? |
Our business has relied primarily on referrals over the past 49 years. When you refer us to your neighbors and friends you will receive special discounts for placing your Trust in us. |
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