|
|
Keep Residents— Not Pests—Happy
January 22, 2010
Reflect on 2009 and assess your pest management program for the New Year
By Bill Melville
It’s nearing the end of the year, and while for many things tend to wind down, apartment owners and operators must stay on top of resident requests and property chores in order to keep up tenant satisfaction. In the New Year, your residents will have the opportunity to reassess their living situations and consider other options. The last thing you want to do is give them a reason to move. So use the end of 2009 to review your pest management program and make improvements as needed; because just one pest might send your residents running for the apartments down the street.
If you don’t already have an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program in place, consider implementing this environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pest control. Rather than waiting and reacting to pest problems after they occur, IPM promotes a proactive approach that stresses preventive methods to prevent pests, before they infest your buildings. An IPM program can help to reduce pest pressure in multifamily environments by removing access to food, water and shelter—the three things pests need to survive on your property.
With an IPM program in place, you can easily review your existing pest management program, and make the necessary preparations for next year.
Evaluate ’09 Efforts
Plan to sit down with your pest management professional and discuss the current pest control situation on your property. Make sure to mention any concerns you have such as reoccurring pest issues, treatment options or response time. Assess any problems that occurred during the year, and how they were handled, to determine if any changes need to be made.
Also, consult your pest management professional about what “green options” they can offer for the New Year. As consumers become more eco-conscious, your residents might demand a more environmentally friendly approach. With an IPM program in place, you’ve taken the first step, but also consider green pest monitoring and control tools that may be available. Once you and your provider are on the same page, you’ll be ready to continue preventing pests in 2010.
Inspect from Top to Bottom
You should inspect your property regularly for needed repairs or ongoing maintenance, but also consider performing an end-of-year inspection to take a closer look at pest “hot spots”—places where these unwanted tenants are most likely to visit. Laundry facilities; dumpsters and recycling areas; picnic spots, especially those with grills; maintenance closets; common areas; and employee rooms are all prone to pest infestations because they provide access to pests’ basic needs—food, water and shelter. Look for elements that might attract pests such as excess water, or places where pests could get inside, like holes or cracks in the foundation. If you spot droppings or exoskeletons that suggest the presence of pests, contact your pest management professional immediately.
Create a Sanitation Plan
Sanitation is a necessary part of any pest management plan, but is especially important to IPM programs as it can help to remove the conditions that attract pests in the first place. Increased sanitation efforts can actually aid in reducing chemical applications, since you’ll be preventing pests to begin with, and reducing overall pest populations. Create a sanitation plan for your property that outlines the areas regularly in need of cleaning. Then, assign roles to your staff so everyone knows their responsibilities when it comes to stringent sanitation. Encourage your residents to keep their units clean with monthly sanitation tips or by holding a pre-spring cleaning event.
Take a Team Approach
The most important element in a pest management program is a strong partnership between you, your staff and your pest management provider. Starting with a solid foundation of support from these parties can help to make sure nothing slips through the cracks—pests included. Take the time to define roles and determine who is responsible for each part of your pest management program. Also, ask your pest management professional to train your employees on best practices in pest management. Teach staff to report pest sightings immediately, which can help to prevent a few pests from turning into an infestation. With everyone on board you’ll ensure a successful team effort.
Monitor Moving Forward
Your IPM program is in place, sanitation efforts are in full swing, and your staff is trained on pest management – so what’s next? Monitoring is an ongoing part of the IPM process. Ask your staff to be the eyes and ears of your property. Since pests are a constant threat to multifamily environments, monitoring is one method that can be done by everyone—including residents—to help combat pest issues.
Hitchhiking pests are especially a problem in apartment communities. Pest such as cockroaches or bed bugs can latch onto clothes or personal belongings and make their way into residents’ apartments. Unfortunately, these pests multiply quickly and can grow into an infestation in a short amount of time. Make your residents aware of these issues and provide tips they can use to prevent pests in their own homes. And, when you prepare apartments for the next tenants, perform a full inspection for pests before allowing anyone to move in.
Taking the time now to evaluate your pest management program for next year will not only help to prevent pests from moving in, but it will help to keep your residents happy and resigning their leases as well.
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.
|
|
 |
| |
|
|
| |
| < Back |
|
|
|
| Copyright © Canadian Apartment Magazine. All rights reserved. |
|
|
|
|