You’re About to Start Seeing Rodents in Your Metro NOLA Homes…What Can You Do?

It’s that time of year again. The temperatures are finally starting to drop, and soon will be consistently in the 70’s.

And while everyone in metro New Orleans loves when the weather cools down, there are city critters that don’t: rodents.

Rats and mice that live on the streets like to be warm, which means when fall and winter roll around, they’ll be looking at your home as a potential place for an extended vacation!

Rats and mice make their way into your home by a variety of ways, including:

• Weepholes in Brick Buildings

Weepholes are the small openings that sometimes occur in between bricks. They often don’t look big enough for anything to get in, but trust us, mice and rats can squeeze right through them!

• Holes in Eaves

Rodents aren’t afraid of heights, and can actually climb quite high for the size of their little bodies. This means that if you have holes in the eaves of your house, it’s the perfect way for a rat or mouse to climb in and make itself at home.

• Roof Access from Palm Trees

Tall and beautiful palm trees are commonplace in metro NOLA. But did you know that inside these beauties, roof rats love to nest? And, if you have a palm tree near your home, you can bet these rodents are going to find a way inside for warmer temperatures during the fall and winter.

• Garage Access

One of the easiest ways that rodents make their way inside your home is by squeezing inside your garage. Attracted either by open food containers for pets, or just the warmer temperatures inside, once a rodent is in your garage, it makes it that much easier for it to invade your living spaces.

• Entering in Through Damaged Walls and Siding

Just like weepholes in brick buildings provide a passageway for rodents, damages in your walls or exterior siding can create a pathway for mice and rats. If you have any interior or exterior damage to your walls or siding, be on high alert for rodents in your home.

When it comes to your home, preventing rodents from entering your home, wildelife exclusion techniques are your friends. We’ve got some helpful tips on our website that you can check out. But, if it’s already too late and you’ve seen the telltale signs of rodents in your home or around the exterior of your property, it’s time to get expert help, now!

You may think you can rid yourself of your pest problem by buying traps from your local hardware store. But, pesky pests are often trap resistant. To prevent rodents from entering – and multiplying – in your home, you need the assistance of a pest control expert, like those at Fischer Environmental. To protect your metro New Orleans home from these unwanted visitors this fall and winter, call us today at (800) 391-2565.

How Much Will It Cost to Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

People often try to do things themselves or put up with a bad situation when they think they can’t afford a service.

On the other hand, if you’ve got a bed bug infestation, you might be willing to pay just about anything to eliminate the problem.

That’s why one of the first things that people want to know is how much a bed bug removal might cost. Unfortunately, the answer is: it depends.

Bed Bug

Bed bugs are tiny insects, often invisible to the eye, which survive on blood. They aren’t only found in beds – in fact, anywhere they can gain access to blood, from furniture to clothes and even to hair, they’ll take up residence.

They only need to eat every few months to stay alive, so you may not even know you have an infestation at first. Once they do take up residence, however, they can be difficult to get rid of.

Big Factors in Bed Bug Removal Costs

There’s really no good way to give you an accurate estimate before we take a look at your situation and do an assessment. A bed bug removal service can range from just a few hundred bucks to a hefty $4,500, depending on many factors.

Here are the big reasons the price can vary so greatly:

• How bad is the infestation? If you’ve caught it early and there are just a few bed bugs, it will be much more affordable to get rid of the infestation.
  
• How widespread is the infestation? Is the infestation in just one room? If so, the removal process will be easier and faster, which will make it more affordable.
  
• What in the space must be treated? In some cases, we must treat everything from the carpet and furniture to the walls and ceiling. This will raise the price of the removal services.
  

Depending on the severity of these three factors, the price could change wildly. It isn’t until we’re able to inspect and determine the level of infestation that we could offer a useful estimate.

Other Factors that Impact the Cost of Bed Bug Removal

There are other factors that can change the price of a bed bug removal service, although these factors won’t make it fluctuate as much as the three listed above.

First, it’s important to realize that the cost of bed bug removal services will typically be higher than your standard mosquito suppression or termite control, because the technicians must be much more careful with the application of pesticides. We have to spray chemical pesticides where you sleep to get rid of bed bugs, and that means we have to keep your safety in mind as well. This requires more training and expertise.

Another important factor to consider is the fact that bed bug removals may take more than one treatment. While we can treat furniture very thoroughly with one treatment, you can never be 100% certain that you’ve gotten every single bedbug, as they burrow deep into furniture cushions where our applicators cannot reach.

Other Costs for You to Consider

Additionally, there are some incidental costs that come with bed bug infestations that you need to keep in mind when budgeting for this type of service. Some of those include:

• You may need to replace certain pieces of furniture if we determine that they cannot be treated. Sofas and mattresses are often the big-ticket items that get infested beyond control.
  
• The size of your home will impact the cost of the bed bug removal service.
  
• If multiple applications are required to salvage certain types of furniture, this can change the cost of the removal service.

Contact Fischer Today for the Best Case Scenario

If you suspect you have bed bugs, the best thing you can do is get an expert to inspect your home right away and recommend a treatment. Like we said at the start – some bed bug removals only cost a few hundred bucks at the most.

Don’t let the potential costs stop you from getting a no-obligation estimate. You may be surprised! Contact us today to learn more.