Presto! A blog!

There are so many great apartment buildings in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and the Virginia/Washington D.C. area. Old apartment buildings have great charm and historical character, but they can also have some not-so-great hidden gems as well. Living in an apartment building means it is harder to keep your apartment pest-free, and older buildings are even more of a challenge. These older dwellings tend to have more water problems caused by leaky pipes, and that means more standing water pools and wet, rotting wood – two things that roaches absolutely love. Living in Close Quarters Living in close proximity to your neighbors means that if you have neighbors that are not so neat and clean, roaches from their apartment can quickly become your problem. Unfortunately, roaches might be nesting in common walls and traveling back and forth between apartments. If the walls are insulated, the chances are that roaches are actively breeding...

These days, more and more people are renting apartments than ever before. Rather than moving out to the suburbs and living in a mini-mansion, many modern citizens prefer to live the city life. While renting an apartment is more cost-effective and comes with a lot of perks, one of the most significant downsides is that they can be hotbeds for pest infestations. Unfortunately, no matter what you do, the fact that you share your building with other people means that pests have easy access to the internal structure, such as pipes and drywall. To help you sleep easier at night, we’ve compiled a list of helpful tips to remember when dealing with pests in your place. Although you can’t control how your neighbors live, you can help make sure that your apartment doesn’t become a danger zone. Step One: Identify the Pest Depending on where you live, pests come in all...

With their abundance of food and water, restaurants are likelier to attract pests than many other types of businesses. From cockroaches to rodents, food establishments are vulnerable to countless varieties of infestations. As a restaurant owner or manager, it may seem like the odds are stacked against you. The good news is, however, that you and your employees have a great deal of control over whether pests invade your place of business. What Attracts Bugs and Rodents? Food scraps and dirty dishes -- especially those left out overnight -- are pest magnets. One surprising place where dirty dishes, food and other forgotten waste draw pests is the employee locker area. Overflowing or otherwise neglected garbage cans lure insects, mice and rats with their sticky residue, food waste and other debris. Cardboard boxes make the perfect egg-laying spot for roaches, as well as a food source for roaches, termites, silverfish, moths, beetles...

If you've ever stayed in a hotel, there's a chance you may have experienced bed bugs at some point, but not every hotel has these small pests. Some of the hotels that aren't as cared for as much as others tend to have them in beds, box springs, and even the furniture. There are a few other pests that you should look for in hotel rooms aside from bed bugs, many that can hitch a ride in your luggage and go back to your home with you. A common pest that you might see in a hotel room is a roach. They are usually seen in bathrooms and in hotel rooms that have a kitchen. You might see roaches behind the headboard or crawling on the walls of the room, especially at night. Roaches usually live in conditions where they can easily find food, so if you notice any trash around...

If you run or manage an office and want to safeguard yourself and your team from the unthinkable, learning to spot common office pests is vital. Pests that get into your office can cause a range of issues before you notice the warning signs. Discovering how you can detect them in the early stages saves you time, energy and money. Always contact a pest control team the second your problem gets out of hand, and you won't need to worry about additional complications. Mice Mice are a common office pest of which you need to be aware if you don't want them to cause harm. Mice that get into your office can taint your food, chew on wires and spread harmful pathogens to your staff. Look for holes in the walls, chewed bags of food and rodent droppings if you believe mice have invited themselves inside. A professional can detect and...

Pest infestations often come as a surprise to homeowners, tenants and business owners. The basic idea is that if a pest infestation is happening, this must mean that the person in charge of the property has done something wrong. Minimizing Exposure Pests are just small animals that have the same basic needs as any other living creature, so it is important to understand the infestation from that perspective. Pests may appear at particular times of the year, for example. Many pests play a critical role in the local ecosystems, so it is not possible to eliminate them all from the area. You can minimize the amount of exposure these pests will have in your immediate living environment by taking a few simple precautions: Eliminate any areas where trash is stored on a regular basis. Failing to take out the trash can result in a faint scent being released into the air,...

Keeping nursing homes free of pests is important for both the health and safety of the residents. In addition to protecting the patients, nursing homes should also strive to keep pests out of their premises to protect their businesses. Pests in nursing homes can cause reputational harms and significant financial losses. Nursing homes are attractive to many types of pests. Because there is a lot of traffic in and out of multiple entry points along with large food preparation and storage areas, pests can easily invade. It is important for nursing homes to understand the pests that they need to prevent along with the vulnerabilities that they have. Pests That Cause the Most Problems Nursing homes should start by identifying the types of pests that can cause the most problems. In general, nursing homes should work to prevent infestations of ants, roaches, flies and rodents. All of these pests can spread...

If you are like the countless people planning to travel this year, you are probably feeling excited and motivated to take your trip. You might get so caught up in the fun that you forget to protect yourself from common threats, such as bed bugs. Going into a hotel that has bed bugs is a good way to invite the pests into your home when you return, and you won't always notice the threat. Learning the top signs that a hotel has bed bugs will reduce your odds of facing an infestation, putting your worries to rest. Red Marks on Other Guests To avoid disturbing their host, bed bugs release a mild painkiller while they are feeding, and you won't feel a thing when they bite. The painkiller, though, will cause red marks to appear on the skin after a few hours, so looking at other hotel guests can help you...

If you run or manage a restaurant and don't want to face unexpected problems, it's important you put in the effort to protect yourself from common pests. Inability to handle a pest infestation can prompt the health department to issue fines or shut you down, but it can also compel your customers to write negative reviews online. Learning to spot and secure your restaurant from these pests will go a long way when you would like to enjoy positive results. You will know you have chosen the right path when you see the outcome, and your customers and staff will appreciate your dedication. Cockroaches Taking a look at cockroaches and their behavior is a great starting point for those who want to protect a restaurant from danger. Since these pests do their best to avoid light, spotting them in the early stages won't always be easy. The worst part about cockroaches...

Pest management in healthcare facilities is an integral part of keeping patients healthy and safe. Even though the majority of healthcare facilities outsource this vital task, it is crucial for employees to be aware of areas where pests tend to accumulate and what to do if problems develop. Patient rooms are not often overlooked due to the constant influx of traffic in and out of these areas. However, pest problems can also develop in less common areas such as the ones mentioned below.  Parking lots  Parking lots are often an overlooked area concerning pest control. However, it is not uncommon for major pest problems to exist in parking lots. For starters, these open areas often have bright lights that can attract many types of insects. Parking lots are also a prime area for the accumulation of trash or food scraps that can attract rodents and cockroaches. Keeping your parking lot clean...

When you own a hotel and don’t want to face unneeded threats, learning how you should respond to a pest control problem is vital to your long-term success. Preventing pests from entering your hotel is nearly impossible because of the large number of people who come and go on a daily and weekly basis. Your customers want to know that you will keep them safe when they stay at your hotel, and discovering pests is enough to turn them away. Following the right steps and keeping proven tips in mind will help you overcome this challenge.  Speed is Vital Speed is one of the most important factors for effective pest management. If pests invade and you don’t contain them during the early stages of an infestation, getting rid of them will be much harder. The pests can spread to different rooms and floors if nothing stands in their way, and you...

We all know about the risks of bed bugs. Stories in the media remind us that these bloodsuckers lurk in hotel bedding, library books and used furniture, waiting to feast on their unsuspecting prey. But did you know that these pests cost businesses a lot of money every year? Presto Pest Control talks about the financial impact bed bugs can have on businesses in various industries. Business Costs Associated with Bed Bug Infestations Pest control treatments are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to expenses after a bed bug infestation. The following are additional costs incurred by these invasive pests: Lawsuits Lost business Replacement of inventory With so many financial vulnerabilities, it's safe to say that prevention is key when it comes to avoiding bed bug infestations. Bed Bugs in Hotels Of course, it comes as no surprise that hotels are especially vulnerable to bed bug invasions. With...