As summer arrives, so do pests. Ensuring a pest-free environment in commercial facilities is critical for maintaining a healthy and comfortable workspace. At ATALIAN, we understand the importance of proactive pest management. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help facility managers keep pests at bay during summer.
Understanding Why Pests Are Attracted to Your Building
Pests primarily invade commercial buildings for food, water, and shelter. Here’s a closer look at what attracts them:
Food
Pests like ants, flies, rodents, and cockroaches are drawn to food sources such as crumbs, spills, and improperly stored food items. Even pantry pests like beetles and moths can become problematic if food is not adequately managed.
Water
Leaks, standing water, and poorly maintained drainage or irrigation systems provide pests with water. Cockroaches thrive in damp, dark areas, while termites are attracted to moist soil and water-damaged wood.
Shelter
Pests seek relief from the summer heat in commercial buildings with cracks, crevices, and other entry points. Rodents and insects find these spots ideal for hiding and breeding.
Additionally, pests are attracted by:
- Waste: Garbage, recycling bins, and dumpsters offer easy access to food and shelter. Poorly located trash and recycling dumpsters near loading docks or exterior entrances can attract pests.
- Plants and Landscaping: Overgrown vegetation, mulch, and plant debris near the building harbor pests like ants, rodents, and mosquitoes. Tree limbs touching roofs and vines up the side of a building provide pathways for pests to access HVAC or utility openings.
- Building Design: Excessive or poorly designed exterior lighting can attract flying insects to doorways, windows, and loading docks.
- Building Location: Pest infestations in adjacent units or neighbouring properties can spill over, causing additional issues.
Identifying Pest Hot Spots
The most common pest hot spots in and around commercial buildings include:
- Inside: Furnace rooms, food service outlets, lunch/break rooms, employee locker rooms, and shipping and receiving areas. Employee work areas can also attract pests if unsealed food and waste are present.
- Outside: Loading docks, trash and recycling dumpsters, and landscaping features, including ponds and water features, are prime pest attractions.
Preventive Measures to Keep Pests Out
To make your property less attractive to pests, follow these recommendations:
Conduct Regular Inspections
Walk around the exterior of your building with your maintenance staff and pest control service provider to identify structural, landscape, and cultural issues that attract pests. Document the items that need corrective action and set a timeline for repairs.
Keep Doors and Windows Closed
Train employees to close doors and windows to prevent pests from accessing them. If keeping them closed is impossible, use screens to block entry points.
Maintain Landscaping
Regularly trim shrubs, bushes, and trees—do not let them touch the building. Avoid crowding plantings next to buildings and install a 12-inch stone/gravel barrier around the foundation to remove pest harborage areas.
Eliminate Harborage Locations
Minimize inaccessible spaces where pests can hide, such as false ceilings, false bottoms under cabinetry, uncapped concrete blocks, and gaps behind permanent machinery.
Seal Openings with Proper Materials
Screen crawlspace and soffit vents to exclude rodents and other wildlife pests. Seal small cracks and gaps around countertops, pipe breaks, and utility openings with heavy-duty, weather-resistant materials. Install door sweeps and ensure windows fit tightly.
Long-Term Preventive Solutions
Investing in long-term preventive solutions is more cost-effective than relying on short-term strategies. Once pests establish a presence inside a building, eradication becomes more complex, time-consuming, and expensive.
Work collaboratively with your maintenance staff, key vendors (landscapers, cleaning services, food vendors), and a pest management professional to identify and address your facility’s pest vulnerabilities.
This approach helps create a healthy, pest-free environment for employees and visitors.
