A pest infestation in your home is an inconvenience, you fix it and forget it, but an infestation at your place of business can literally be the end of a good reputation, which, more often than not, equals the end of the business itself.
From damage to your facility that carpenter ants will produce, lost time and revenue while dealing with a pest problem, to the myriad of pathogens and bacteria just about every invading pest carries, a pest infestation in your business comes with a very steep price.
Let's take a quick look at pests that commonly invade Texas businesses, what you can do to prevent infestations, and where to find reliable pest control in Austin if prevention fails.
The Pests That Invade Austin Businesses
In Texas, you're likely to have to evict the following pests from your business:
- Norway rats are 7 to 9 1/2 inches long with brown fur and grey undersides. Norway rats carry several diseases and gnaw on walls and furniture.
- Roof rats grow to 8 inches long, are excellent climbers, and bring similar problems as Norway rats. They spread diseases, and their constant gnawing damages the things around them.
- House mice are 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches long with grey fur and cream-colored undersides. They carry a number of diseases and damage walls and furniture.
- Cockroaches, such as American cockroaches, brown-banded cockroaches, and German, commonly infest businesses. All cockroaches have oval-shaped bodies in different shades of brown and spread several infectious and sometimes deadly diseases.
- Ants in your business can be any species, from carpenter ants to odorous ants to fire ants to pharaoh ants. Carpenter ants can cause serious damage to the building itself. The rest of the ant species are nuisance pests in private residences, but an ant infestation, regardless of the species, in a commercial setting, especially those open to the public, can get a health inspector on site and result in serious fines and temporary closures.
- Flies are attracted to the smells of foods and fermenting matter. These insects multiply with unbelievable speed, contaminate every surface they touch, and will drive your customers out the door faster than a hurricane.
While a hotel is more likely to end up infested with bed bugs or mice than a travel agent's office, most Austin pests will happily make a home in your business regardless of what you make or sell.
A Pest Infestation Can Quickly Ruin Your Business's Reputation
There is nothing more important to a business than the reputation it holds in the eyes of its customers and partners. Even a rumor of a bed bug-infested hotel, cockroaches in a restaurant, or a rental building infested with rodents will seriously damage your bottom line and ruin your business's reputation that took you years to build.
Easy Pest Prevention Tips To Implement In Your Business
It's a lot easier to prevent a pest infestation than to evict pests once they've made a home in your business, and the following tips will give you a hand up in that:
- Seal cracks and crevices in outside walls.
- Make sure the doors and windows are well-fitted.
- Store food in sealed containers.
- Dispose of garbage regularly.
- Cover vents and drains with close-nit mesh.
Consider adding an annual inspection by a reputable commercial pest control service in Austin as insurance against future infestations.
How To Keep Pests Out Of Your Business For Good
At EnviroGuard, we've provided commercial and residential pest control services for Austin businesses and residences for over 40 years.
Get in touch with us for a free inspection or to help protect your business from an infestation already threatening the success of your business!