Residential Pest Control


Common Household Pests

Fun fact:

A cockroach can live a week without its head. The roach only dies because without a mouth, it can't drink water and dies of thirst.

Indications:

Increased insect activity in your living space is generally one of the first indicators. Maybe you’ve noticed a roach, spider or silverfish crawling along the ceiling or the floor. Perhaps you’ve noticed spider webs hanging in the corners of your interior and exterior walls.

Most household pests typically spend the majority of their time in dark areas such as: under sinks, couches, chairs, furniture and inside cracks and crevices . Various household pests can transmit disease and cause allergic reactions, so eliminating them from your home is highly recommended.

During the warm weather months, perimeter insects such as silverfish and firebrats tend to be drawn to the void space behind exterior walls. This is due to the moisture content behind the brick or siding. This cool damp environment serves as a perfect harborage and breeding location for these pests.

Inspection:

An HPM certified technician will conduct a thorough inspection and analysis of your property to identify the various pests present, then determine the severity of the infestation and identify other conditions that encourage insect breeding. We will also look at all non-pesticide control opportunities such as: water collection spots, water and drainage management, physical exclusion opportunities and other conducive conditions needing attention. For example, simply using cooler burning yellow light bulbs instead of white light bulbs outside will greatly reduce the insect presence at your home since white light tends to attract insects at a greater rate.

Plan of action:

Begin by calling our office and scheduling an appointment with one of our HPM professionals. We will have our certified technician conduct an inspection and point of entry analysis of your home.

An HPM analysis will:

Reduce the time to control and start the elimination process.
Correctly Identify pest(s) and pest(s) point of entry.
Possibly reveal other non-related pest issues you may not be aware of.
Reveal what can be done to reduce the probability of the pest(s) return.
Provide you with useful homeowner tips and suggestions.
Provide specific costs relative to your home and your pest problem(s).

To schedule your appointment call: 1-888-BUGSHPM or 281-376-3901

Still have questions?

Couldn’t find the answer to your question here? No problem! Visit our HPM Pest Library or call one of our certified professionals today. We’re more than happy to address all of your pest questions or concerns, as well as recommend the treatment that is right for you.

Household Pest FAQ

My house is very clean, so why do I have roaches?

Dirt and clutter do not breed roaches, roaches breed roaches. Roaches like dark, tight spaces like a crack or crevice. Clutter simply provides roaches with additional cracks and crevices to use as a breeding harborage.
It is important to note that there are a variety of roaches common to the greater Houston metro region, many of which can be brought into your home in paper bags, cardboard boxes, etc. Others may enter exterior points.

Where did these pests come from?

These pests can enter your home in a variety of ways. The most common are: openings or holes in your exterior walls, weep holes, caulking that has been weathered or removed, via gaps in window frames or any other small opening that provides access to your home.

I’ve only seen one or two roaches in my home, so my problem isn’t that bad, right?

The severity of the infestation can only be determined by a thorough inspection conducted by one of our HPM certified technicians. Typically, if you are seeing roaches in your home, it’s a good bet there are more in the cracks, crevices, wall voids and attic space that you haven’t seen yet.

What is the difference between a firebrat and a silverfish?

Essentially their color. Silverfish are shiny, silver or pearl gray, while firebrats tend to be shiny, red or mottled gray. Adults of both are slender, wingless, soft-bodied insects approximately 1/3 to 1/2 inch long. Silverfish live and develop in damp, cool places, particularly in basements and laundry rooms. Firebrats thrive best in very warm, mostly dry places, like attics and walls.

What needs to be done to eliminate the activity?

There are several approaches to control, eliminate and prevent insect activity in your home. Our exclusive HPM standard approach begins with reducing population centers outside where most pests originate. Then establish control points in the wall voids, attic space with no or minimal application of pesticide in your home living space. Your HPM certified technician will discuss all control options after conducting a thorough inspection and analysis of your premises.

How can I prevent this from occurring in the future?

Remember, perimeter insects start on the outside, not the inside. Our HPM prevention programs not only provide you a prevention control barrier but also provide you with useful information about external conditions you may not be aware of, thereby reducing the time for corrective measures to occur.