How to Design the Right Pest Program for Your Apartments

Here at Thorn, we prioritize pest control education in everything we do.

Over the years, we have found that there is a great need for additional educational resources in the pest control realm, especially for people who own and manage multi-family housing units.

While our company Thorn Pest Solutions is located in Utah, the principles of effective commercial pest control apply regardless of location. That's why we wrote the book on commercial pest control programs with clients everywhere in mind!

Thorn Pest Solutions: Commercial Pest Control Specialists

Thorn's primary specialty (aside from providing stellar commercial and residential pest services in Utah) is staying up to date on the latest and greatest pest control methods available.

Our owner, Kevin Thorn, is the president of the Utah Pest Management Association (UPMA) and is regularly tasked with speaking at pest control conferences all over the country.

Whether it's s the National Conference for Urban Entomology, NPMA's Pest World, or the annual Global Bed Bug Summit, we love the chance to be in attendance and actively involved in learning, networking and furthering the world's understanding of pest control.

Here at Thorn, we have extensive experience performing commercial pest inspections and services in the following settings:

• Small apartment units (duplexes and triplexes etc.)
• Large apartment complexes (multi-unit, multi-building locations)
• Schools ranging from small preschools to large university campuses
• Food production plants and warehouses
• Restaurants and food service areas
• Hotels and hospitality settings
• Office buildings and government buildings of varying sizes
• Airports
• Healthcare Facilities

While the remainder of this article will cover pest control programs in multi-family dwellings such as apartment buildings, please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your specific pest control needs. Even if you're outside our service area, we may be able to help you if you feel like you're missing a piece to your pest control puzzle.

Are Landlords Responsible for Pest Control in Utah?

When it comes to pest control in Utah, landlords often find themselves having to provide pest control services.

According to the Utah Fit Premises Act, there are specific circumstances where tenants are responsible for pest control, but more often than not, the responsibility of pest control service falls on the building owner or property manager.

Landlords and property managers are busy! Adequate pest control measures take experience, time, patience, and extensive coordination efforts, which can lead to feelings of discouragement and frustration.

Have you found yourself responsible for providing commercial pest solutions? Where do you start? How do you avoid making the problem(s) worse?

Apartment Pest Control in Utah

Proper pest control requires a long-term, scientific approach. It is NOT a chemical application game.

Just like a doctor cannot prescribe proper treatment without an accurate diagnosis, pest control treatments shouldn't be applied without knowing what's going on..

There is a common misconception that pest control is all about applying and distributing chemical control methods, such as sprays, baits or poisons. This could not be further from the truth! Pest control is all about playing investigator, asking the right questions, and formulating the right plan based on your findings and the biology of the pest.

We've heard it many times before: "All pest control companies are a rip off!" This also isn't true! The right company will do a good job and make sure you're getting your money's worth, but have realistic expectations: long-term pest solutions often require boots on the ground, patience and ongoing prevention measures.

There are lots of questions that surface when pest issues start popping up in apartments, and knowing the right pest specialist is SUPER important! They'll ask all the right questions:

1. What pest is causing issues?
2. How far has the problem spread?
3. How do you put together a bullet-proof pest plan for apartments?
4. Why are there so many recurring pest problems in multi-family and low-income housing?
5. How do you perform pest control while minimizing stress for yourself and your tenants?

Why are Pest Problems Common in Apartments?

It can be difficult to hear, but multi-family dwellings such as apartments are a reservoir for pest-related public health issues, especially:

• Cockroaches
• Bed bugs
• Mice or rats
• Ants

There are several reasons why multi-family and low-income housing units are prone to pest problems. We will go into these reasons in more detail later, but one of the primary reasons is the extent of work and scheduling required to adequately get control of these issues.

The strategies recommended for commercial pest control in multi-family homes or apartments vary depending on circumstances, but methods can include:

• Sealing and exclusion
• Trapping
• Baiting
• Dusting
• Vacuuming
• Heating
• Sanitizing

Applying these control methods correctly can be tricky. In Utah, Thorn Pest Solutions specializes in a low-stress approach to pest control in multi-family dwellings. This means less disruption for your tenants and less of a headache for you. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

What Causes Pest Issues in Apartments?

Every property is different. Each apartment building or complex presents a unique situation that requires careful planning and thought to address pest problems. Depending on the size of your property, you may even need to take a different approach based on where pests are located on the premises.

Communication Between Tenants and Landlords

Studies show that as high as 90% of tenants won't report a pest problem inside their unit.

If you're a landlord or tenant, this is probably a concerning statistic, and rightfully so!

To avoid these hang ups, ensure that your tenants have been educated about the risks of pests in their units, what they can do to prevent them, and how to identify possible pest issues.

It's also worth it to develop a solution for how tenants can communicate pest concerns with you discreetly and/or anonymously. This may be a tenant drop box, a dedicated email, or an anonymous contact form through your website. Need help brainstorming solutions to your commercial pest issue? Email us today and we'll help get you taken care of.

High Traffic Areas

When it comes to apartments and low-income housing, people moving in and out can commonly spread pests in multi-family dwellings.

Most commonly, the pests being spread this way are bed bugs or cockroaches. Both can spread rapidly throughout apartment buildings, and the more tenants you have moving in and out, the higher the risk for your building.

Come up with a systematic approach for inspecting, monitoring and treating units, especially when tenants are moving in or out.

Sanitation and Cleanliness

This will come as no surprise, but sanitation and cleanliness are vital when it comes to pest remediation in apartments.

For starters, make sure the outside of the building is kept free of debris and can be easily inspected if a pest issue pops up.

From there, make sure that cleanliness standards are communicated to the residents. While you can't control what people do inside their units, you can make sure that your tenants are aware and accountable for the cleanliness and sanitation of their spaces.

Design and Structure

Given that apartments have shared walls, hallways, elevators and other communal spaces, this can aid in the spread of pests throughout the building or complex.

Understand that pests (especially cockroaches and bed bugs) can take advantage of shared spaces and walls to spread from unit to unit, turning a one-unit pest issue into a building wide issue in little to no time.

Service Methods and Frequency

Implementing the right pest control methods at the right time and with the right frequency is difficult but necessary.

If you have attempted your own pest control in your apartment building but have had no success, it may be time to call in a second opinion. Pest control methods are always improving and changing. Perhaps it's time for a fresh perspective on the situation.

If you already have a professional pest company coming out but your pest issue is still ongoing, there are a couple of possible hang-ups here:

1. Your company may need to come out more frequently
2. Your company may need better access to units
3. Your company may not be monitoring appropriately

Surveillance, Monitoring and Follow-Up

Follow-up visits are essential long-lasting pest solutions. It is during follow-ups that technicians are able to monitor what pest populations are doing, how they are moving around and where they are most active. This gives pest professionals the information they need to make educated adjustments to treatment plans.

Pests are living organisms. They grow, develop and change depending on their circumstances. What worked once may not work forever, or it may need to be used in tandem with other methods to increase efficacy.

Thorn's Educational Pest Resources

Thorn is actively involved in the pest control community and we have been working hard on expanding the educational resources available for our clients and colleagues.

Whether it's our YouTube channel, or if you contact us directly...you can always check back with us for more updates and information about your commercial pest concerns, and consider sharing some of our resources with your tenants so they can better educate themselves about the pest concerns surrounding multi-family units and apartments.

The Best Pest Control Near Me: Utah Edition

Don't wait until your pest control headache becomes a nightmare.

If you're having a hard time developing an effective pest control program for your apartment building, the specialists at Thorn will waste no time pin-pointing your issue and formulating a treatment plan.

The greatest thing about Thorn? The partnership. We are not here to shame you or boss you around, we are here to support you and make life easier and more enjoyable for you and your tenants!

Our treatment plans are designed to knock populations down to a manageable level quickly and keep them that way. So, what are you waiting for?! Here at Thorn, we're eager to help bring you peace of mind.