How Long Does Pest Control Take?

What you don’t know about pests can cost you more than you would think. Pests can become a threat to your health and property. In fact, most pests are carriers of harmful diseases. You see, pest control is very important if you want to have a healthy and peaceful life. In order to have that healthy and peaceful life, you may decide to hire a pest control service but you have no clue how long it will take. Well…

How Long Does Pest Control Take? Pest control takes different time intervals in various situations. There are certain pests that need more time to exterminate than others. While rodent pests require multiple visits to control, ant pest control only takes a couple of hours. In addition, larger homes or buildings would require more time and effort as well.

Below, we’ll discuss how often you should get pest control treatment and how long it takes to work. Many homeowners also want to know if it is safe to stay in the house after pest control and if they have to leave they want to know for how long? Keep reading! You’ll find answers here. 

Is pest control worth the money?

Pest control is definitely worth the money. Whether you decide to use DIY methods or employ professional services, pest control is a useful investment. Why? 

Trust me, you don’t want to experience a serious infestation. If you let the pest get a foothold you will soon find yourself with a major infestation. That can cause property damage and more importantly health issues due to the unsanitary conditions created by an infestation.

In the case of mosquitoes, they carry different diseases from dengue fever to malaria. They could infect you and your loved ones with these diseases.

Termites would destroy your precious furniture, your hardwood floor, and ceiling plank. This would cost you quite a bit of money to replace. It might cost a bit now to pay for an exterminator to come out but it will save you a ton in the long run.

For more information on dealing with termites , we have a full guide on detect, kill, and prevent termites.

Other pests like ticks, fleas, and fire ants, can cause life-threatening diseases to humans. The best way to handle an infestation is to prevent it. Prevention would save you from property damage and harmful diseases in the future. 

If you discover that you have pest problems, analyze what you can do alone. If you can’t use a DIY method, it would be more of a benefit to you to hire a reputable pest control company.

Most times, infestations of termites, swarming cockroaches and bedbugs, are much worse than initially thought and will probably require the help of an exterminator. But be very careful! Thoroughly research the quality of the service of any company you choose to hire, check out their guarantees and fees. This would give you an idea of what you would spend on pest control. 

How often should pest control be done?

No one loves to share their space with pests. This is why homeowners always seek out pest control options. In the process, you might want to cut costs and ensure quality treatment. 

Most times you basically want to know how long each treatment will keep the pest away from your home. This is why we want to find out how often pest control should be done.

Actually, different pest treatments require distinct pest control frequency. While some pests need frequent treatments because they occur rapidly, other pests do not appear quite as often. 

There are several factors that determine the duration of your pest control measure. They include:

• The kind of pest
• Your environment(desert, mountains, etc)
• The severity of the infestation
• The quality of the pest control measures used

Moreover, you should know that various pest control chemicals work at a different speed and definitely require different treatment durations. So, it’s important you contact a reputable pest control company if you have pest issues. 

They’ll conduct a thorough inspection of your building and note down the type of pest in your home and how severe the infestation is. This would help determine the best pest control treatment for your home. They’ll also set up a treatment schedule that’ll keep the pests from showing up again.

Most of the time, a bi-annual treatment is enough to treat normal pest problems, while more severe situations may require a monthly treatment.

Generally, quarterly pest control treatment is a recommended measure to avoid pest control problems in your house.

Find out more about quarterly pest control and whether or not it is worth it.

How long does pest control take? 

Typically, pest control procedures involve the spraying of pesticides and other eco-friendly substances. Different pests often require unique procedures and duration. 

While some treatments take only a few hours, others take longer. Here is a table stating a few pests and how long their pest control treatment should take. 

How Long Does Pest Control take to work?

Usually, it takes an average of 2-3 days for pest control measures to work. However, the specific time frame depends on the severity of the pest problem and the particular pest being treated.

Oftentimes, smaller pest problems take less time to work than severe cases. Some types of pests take a long time and extra effort to exterminate.

In certain cases, you might notice an increase in pest activity just after pest control treatment. There’s no need to worry! This is a sign that the treatments are active and the pests are now very uncomfortable in your home! Simply give them a week, they’ll die or move on and you’ll have a pest-free home.

If you realize that the pests are still around two weeks after pest control, it could be that they are resistant to treatment. Now, you’ll need a follow-up visit from your exterminator. Do well to contact them and follow their instructions.

In a nutshell, the time taken for pest control to work is highly specific to each particular case.

Is it safe to be in the house after pest control?

Actually, your safety depends on the products being used for the pest control treatment. 

Learn about the Pros and Cons of Natural Pesticides vs. Synthetic Pesticides.

You should inquire about the products the professional would spray in your home. The professional would be able to tell you whether to leave or stay in the house after pest control. 

Moreover, some advanced pest control products are safe for both pets and humans. So, you basically do not have to leave your home. Though, most exterminators would advise you to wait for a few minutes to allow the treated surfaces to dry. 

However, pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions like asthma should be very cautious and follow the advice of the professional. Generally, it is always safer to stay out of your house for some hours after pest control.

How many hours do you have to stay out of your house after pest control?

Before a pest control treatment, it is reasonable to find out how long you’ll have to stay out of your house after the pest control measure. This would give you the opportunity to make special arrangements. 

The particular pest service you require goes a long way to determine how many hours you’ll have to stay out. For instance, flea service would require you to stay out for 3-4 hours. While other less severe infestations may require shorter periods. 

Ideally, you should leave your home for at least 2-4 hours after pest control. This would prevent you from inhaling fumes of toxic chemicals as you never know if you may be allergic to any spray used. While some cases may take longer, the usual maximum time required is 24 hours. 

You should know that the pest control professionals you decide to contact are in the best position to direct you on how long you should stay out. 

What to do after pest control? 

These are essential things to do after pest control in order to ensure a useful treatment and maintain a healthy life.

• Dispose of any food left outside or uncovered

It is possible that you left food outside or uncovered before the pest control. Ensure that you trash it even if organic chemicals were used for the treatment. The food will never be healthy for consumption.

• Do not be in a hurry to clean up

Pest control treatments are usually sprayed on surfaces. Cleaning up your house might wipe off this treatment and reduce their potency. Relax! This doesn’t mean that you’ll not get to clean your house again, the exterminator would tell you when to clean up.

• Repair any leaks or holes

Holes are the entry points for pests. It is important you block their point of entrance to prevent them from coming back.

• Be cautious

It is possible that the sprayed areas have not completely dried up, protect yourself with gloves when dealing with the sprayed surfaces.

• Watch out for pests

After a pest control treatment, you’ll probably find dead pests around for some time. Make sure to remove them and also check pests’ hideouts and clean them up. If you do not do this, the dead pests would attract even more pests to your property.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. You will have to follow other directions given by the pest control service. Remember! Each pest control case needs special procedures.

Final thoughts on How Long Does Pest Control Take?

You might want to handle your pest problems yourself but there are few questions you should ask yourself. 

• Are you well-skilled to perform the treatment? 
• Do you have the right tools? 
• Can you deal with a larger infestation? 

Some homeowners actually make their pest situation even worse by attempting a DIY pest control method. So it is always advised to consider hiring a professional, or at least consulting with one before attempting a DIY method

If you are determined to get the situation fixed on your own, take necessary precautions, and act diligently.