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Regardless of whether you have a current termite problem, or you’re simply trying to protect your property investment with a termite prevention program there are a few things you may want to consider as you choose a termite control service:

First, take some time to discuss termite control with your friends and neighbors and ask them what kinds of services their providers offer.  Ask them what they like and don’t like about their pest control service and make it a point to ask your potential provider about these things during your initial visit.

You also want to have a good idea of whether or not you’ve currently got termites or if you property has had a termite problem in the past.  Most states require that the seller of a property disclose any prior termite infestation to the new owners, but you may want to go back and review your initial inspection report and closing documents if it’s been a while.  You can also look around your property for tell-tale signs of termites—things like mounds, tunnels, droppings and wood siding that is jagged from being chewed on.

When you’re finally ready to make a decision on a pest control service, make your choice based on three important things:  price, experience, and customer service.  Obviously you want to get the best value for your money, but keep in mind that not all pest control services are created equal.  Be sure you compare a company’s experience and customer service by checking references, reading customer reviews online, and talking to people you know about how well they served them.

Termites are very serious pest control problem that can affect the overall value of your home or property.  Don’t delay calling a pest control expert if you suspect a termite problem, and be ready to take action if they determine there is an infestation.  For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

At some point almost every family has had to deal with fleas.   There are many ways to bring these miserable critters into your home but the most common way they get in is hitching a ride on the family pet.  Nevertheless, once they get in they can make themselves cozy in the carpets, bedding or other areas where fresh, warm blood might come around on a regular basis.

Fleas adapt quickly to a new environment and will start reproducing immediately.  A single female flea can lay up to 60 eggs per day!  They can and do bite humans as much as pets and their bite marks often show up around the feet and ankles with red, irritated bumps that itch terribly.

Preventing fleas is easy since most pet stores and veterinarians sell flea shampoos and medications for your pets.  But if you find you’ve already got them in your house, you’ll need to do a thorough, deep clean to remove the existing fleas as well as any eggs or hibernating cocoons. 

If your best efforts have still failed to remove all the fleas from your home, it may be time to call a professional pest control service.  Pest control services will have the latest technology and the very newest tools and pesticides at their disposal not to mention years of practical experience to help you take care of your problem.

It’s important to remember that, like cockroaches, fleas are able to adapt quickly to new environments and can develop immunity to specific pesticides even within one generation.  If you have already tried treating your fleas with another pest control service or with your own store-bought pesticides, be sure to let your new pest control service provider know so they can plan a strategy that will be most effective.

For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Your pet is not just some cute creature you let hang around the house—he or she is a part of your family.   You want to protect your pet from any harm that might befall them, including removing poisonous plants, dangerous wires, and choking hazards from their reach.  But what about pesticides?  Many people continue to use these chemicals without considering how they might affect Fido or Fluffy.

While some pesticides are developed specifically for use with your pets to control things like ticks and fleas, other formulations that are used for controlling ants, roaches or rodents may actually be dangerous to them.  How can you protect your pet from these chemicals?  Whether you are using a pesticide you’ve bought at the store or you’ve hired a pest control service, keep these tips in mind:

• Before you begin applying pesticides, remove your pets from the area until you are finished.  During the pesticide application, remove their toys, food, and bedding from the area.
• Read the directions on the label and follow them precisely.
• Bring your pets back into the area only after the pesticide is dry and the area has been ventilated.
• When using baited traps, make sure you place them in areas that your pet cannot reach.
• Avoid secondary poisoning:  a pet being poisoned by eating a pest that has previously been poisoned.
• Discuss your concerns with your pest control provider and find out what options you have that will best accommodate your pet and the rest of your family.

If by some chance you fear your pet has managed to get into some pesticides, do not hesitate to call your veterinarian’s office immediately.  These kinds of chemicals can be fatal to small animals, and even larger pets may sustain injury by ingesting them. 

For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

One of the first questions we get asked when potential clients email or call us is how much our pest control service is going to cost them.  There’s no simple answer, but there are a few things you should know about that will impact the cost of any pest control service:

•  Location
  The location of your property can have an impact on how expensive a pest control estimate ends up being.  If you’re in a rural area, for example, the provider will have to travel a great distance to get there and it may end up costing you more.  Additionally, different parts of the country have unique pest control challenges, so if you’ve recently moved from another area you shouldn’t necessarily be surprised if you see a variance from your previous service in the bids you’re getting now.
• Property Size
  Another consideration is the size of the property that needs treatment.  If you’re in an urban apartment the cost of your service will be different than that of a large home on a couple acres of land.  Pest control often encompasses your home’s interior as well as the perimeter and outlying areas of your property where pests may be breeding or nesting.
• Type of Pest
  Different types of pest control situations require different solutions.  Some are a bit more labor intensive to address than others.  If you have multiple pests the estimate will reflect that as well.
• Degree of Pest Problem
  The old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could not be more true when it comes to pest control.  Preventing a pest problem will never cost more than taking care of one that has managed to get out of hand.   That’s why you should call and speak to a pest control expert immediately if you even suspect you have a pest problem. 

Of course once these things are taken into consideration, you will also get different estimates from pest control services based on their own rates and experience.  For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Crickets are not necessarily a danger to your health as much as they are an annoyance.  These prolific insects are extremely noisy and their chirping can drive you to distraction, especially when you’re trying to get some shut-eye.  They can also damage indoor and outdoor plants, furniture, and fabric.

You can control crickets with the use of pesticides, but it is a good idea to call a professional pest control service like Accuracy Plus California when you’re ready to address the problem.  The misuse of pesticides can be dangerous to people and animals, and may affect your drinking water or your family’s quality of living.

A professional pest control service will use the very latest insecticides and know precisely how to administer them only as much as is needed to get the job done.  They will also be able to help determine the location of the crickets’ nest and take preventative measures to keep them from coming back once the nest has been removed.

Other ways you can keep crickets out of your home is by limiting the bright lights you have on outside at night.  These creatures are attracted to bright lights and will gather in your yard if you keep an outdoor light on after dark.  Crickets also prefer damp environments, so make sure your outdoor areas are well-drained and not holding water. 

A professional pest control service like APC.com has experience and access to specialized equipment to remove whatever pests are plaguing you and your family.  Don’t let the crickets keep you up all night!  For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to www.accuracypluscalifornia.com.

There are hundreds of ant species living in the U.S., but one of the largest and most easily identifiable is the Carpenter Ant.  These creatures can range between 3/8”-1/2” and are either red or black.  Carpenter ants are actually quite common and may be spotted indoors or out.  They seek out sugar and proteins in the form of other insects.  The do their foraging at night and can travel up to 100 yards from their nests to find food.

Despite their name, carpenter ants do not eat wood.  They do, however, tear wood away as they build their home and tunnels leading to and from it.  They are particularly fond of moist or rotting wood such as tree stumps, old boards or logs left outside in a pile, or within old walls or floorboards.   This means that if you hope to prevent a carpenter ant infestation, it is vital to make sure high-moisture areas are drained and wood that is not piled up and allowed to rot on your property.  If you keep firewood, be sure it is in a dry spot where air can circulate around to keep it from getting soggy.

When you walk around your property, look for piles of wood chips or sawdust, swarms of ants, or even individual ants carrying pieces of food.   All of these are an indication that a nest is on your property.  To ensure that the ants are destroyed and do not come back, you will need to destroy the colony.  In this case, you should definitely call a professional pest control service. 

Professional pest control companies like Accuracy Plus California have experience locating and removing all kinds of pests including carpenter ants.  Using the latest equipment and methods, we can effectively eliminate pests and help to ensure there is no re-infestation in the future.  For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to www.accuracypluscalifornia.com.

Bed bugs aren’t just a myth. For centuries they were a common pest, and in recent decades they have made resurgence here in the U.S.  These small, bothersome insects are named because they come out at night, often feeding on the blood of their hosts while they sleep, unaware.  As they bite to feed off your blood, they also release mildly poisonous saliva which can cause redness, swelling and serious itching. 

However, even greater danger lies in the diseases which bed bugs may carry and pass on through their bite.  There have been almost 30 types of diseases carried by bed bugs in the U.S. reported to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  These include various viruses and bacteria as well as parasites.  Furthermore, they can cause sleep disturbances and in some very serious cases, blood loss and anemia in malnourished children.If you or your family is waking up with strange bites on their bodies, or if you find tiny spots of blood on your sheets make it a point to look in draperies, carpets and furnishings for traces of bed bugs. 

Bed bugs may also find their way into your luggage or electronics if you are traveling.  Hotels are notorious offenders when it comes to hosting bed bugs.  Additionally, when you buy used furnishings (no matter if you’ve purchased them from a reputable collector or not) it is a good idea to inspect them carefully for bed bugs before bringing them into your home.

In case you find them in your home, it is a good idea to contact a professional pest control service immediately.  Companies like Accuracy Plus California are updated on the very best methods and insecticides that can be used to eliminate bed bugs and prevent them from reoccurring.  For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to www.accuracypluscalifornia.com.

Fleas are tiny insects that feed on the blood of human or animal hosts.  They are extremely small (usually around 1/8” or less), and have the ability to leap long distances, making it easy for them to find new hosts.  Of course, as they break the skin and feed off the blood of their hosts, fleas can also transmit diseases making them a serious health threat to pets and people.  Some people and animals are even allergic to flea bites and can experience severe swelling, itching, and even hair loss at the location of the bite.

What all this means is that you want to make every effort to prevent fleas from infesting your property.  Preventative steps can include keeping animals, carpets and upholstery meticulously cleaned—indoors and out.  However, while vacuuming is a great way to remove both fleas and their eggs keep in mind that the eggs can survive inside the vacuum, so you should destroy the vacuum bag right away or at least seal it up in a plastic bag if you throw it in the trash.  Otherwise, the eggs can hatch and fleas may escape to continue their infestation.  Also, if you buy any kind of used furnishings, a thorough cleaning is in order before you bring it into your home.

You can also buy special flea repellant products and solutions that you can use before they become a problem.  Fleas do have the ability to build up immunity to chemical insecticides, however, so it is advantageous to consult with a professional pest control service if you’re experiencing flea problems.  These professionals will be able to provide you with up-to-date products and methods for controlling these miserable pests.

Fleas reproduce quickly and en masse.  What starts out as a little problem can quickly develop into a full-fledged infestation that might cause damage to your property or health, and cost a pretty penny to get rid of.  It’s definitely better to take care of fleas as soon as you have an inkling they are around.  For a free Los Angles pest control inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to www.accuracypluscalifornia.com.