How Schools in Utah Should Approach Pest Control

Schools present a complex and unique environment when it comes to pest control, primarily because:

• Large amounts of children are there all day
• Large amounts of food are stored and served

On top of this, schools generally run on tight budgets, meaning when a pest control issue pops up, the funds may not be there to hire professional help. Luckily, many creative and natural pest solutions save money and avoid the overuse of chemicals.

Integrated Pest Management: Have a Pest Control Plan for Your School

Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a multi-faceted approach to pest control. IPM considers the entire building and surrounding ecosystem when addressing pests, and aims to utilize natural control methods using safe, targeted pesticide applications only when necessary.

Control methods used in an IPM program typically involve things like:

• Detailed inspection and positive identification of any pest(s) in question
• Identification and removal of pest food and water sources
• Habitat and harborage modifications around the property
• Physically trapping and removing pests
• Sealing the building against pest pressures
• Targeted chemical applications only when needed, applied correctly by a licensed professional

SOME QUICK ADVICE FROM Thorn: The state of Utah recommends that every school (or at least each district) has a minimum of one person on staff with a pesticide applicator license, but there’s a problem with this.

A pesticide license isn’t the same thing as experience in pest control.

If there’s a licensed pro on staff, your school might decide to perform its pest control in-house, but you should still hire a pest professional to formulate an IPM program specific to your school’s needs. This is the best way to ensure your pest control program is budget-friendly, well-rounded, effective, and safe.

And lastly? Schools should try to find the budget to perform pest control properly. Pest control needs to be prioritized in the school budget, so large-scale and ongoing pest issues don’t become a recurring disruption in your students’ learning environment or a risk to their wellbeing (and their families). School pest programs don’t need to break the bank, but pest control isn’t always the best place for schools to try and cut expenses.

Integrated Pest Management: Have a Pest Control Plan for Your School

Many factors in a school environment can present pest challenges, such as:

• Lots of doors, windows, vents, and pipes (potential entry points)
• People coming and going frequently
• Lackluster building maintenance
• Food and garbage messes, both inside and outside the school

Unfortunately, some of the dirtiest pests are the most attracted to school environments, pests that can spread illness and filth like rodents and cockroaches. These issues need to be handled quickly and efficiently. If pest problems aren’t resolved, the health and safety of the students are at risk.

With over 15 years of experience managing pest problems for Utah schools, Thorn Pest Solutions can help you exterminate your doubt regarding school pest control and give you thorough and detailed reporting about every bit of work we do.

How to Get Rid of Pests in Schools and Keep Them Away

Inspect

Schools should conduct regular inspections of PVAs or Pest Vulnerable Areas. These are areas that:

• Provide pests access to food
• Offer pests easy inside access
• Have sanitation issues

Identify which areas provide these things and focus your pest control efforts on those places first and foremost. Other areas (non-pest vulnerable areas) should still receive some attention but can be inspected less often.

Regularly inspect the outside of the building for any pest activity, especially wasps and stinging pests. Considering some students could be allergic to these pests, they should be dealt with quickly before they become a more significant health risk.

When an inspection is performed, a detailed report should be written, so the school has a record of what was inspected, what was found, and what was done to solve the problem.

Eliminate Pests

To remedy pest issues at a school, the focus should always be on non-chemical controls, like:

• Exclusion (sealing holes) to keep pests out
• Addressing sanitation issues
• A plan to regularly remove trash from the school
• A system for keeping the garbage area tidy
• Removal of pest hiding places (tall grass, items stacked around outside)
• Keeping food service areas clean and free of food debris
• Moving mulch and vegetation away from the school’s perimeter

SOME QUICK ADVICE FROM Thorn: Never underestimate the power of thorough vacuuming. A vacuum is an excellent tool in the fight against pests. They’re great for combating indoor spiders, carpet beetles, cockroaches, and other bothersome intruders. Heat treatments for specific problems can also be helpful, but chemicals should be used carefully and never when students are present.

Monitor and Evaluate

Monitoring means keeping an eye on pest populations to see what they’re up to. If you want an all-inclusive pest program, you’ll need to monitor separately for the following pests:

• Rodents (rats and mice)
• German cockroaches
• Spiders
• Ants
• Wasps and stinging insects

Whenever work is done, those in charge of the school should receive inspection reports, monitor reports, and service reports for their records. This is something a professional pest control company can provide with ease, where school maintenance staff is often too busy to document so many details adequately. This is where having a pest professional on your side can reduce stress exponentially.

Knowing what’s happening with pest populations around the building will help the school (and pest control company) stop infestations before they reach out-of-control levels. Having a pest control company to help will also ensure that any products applied are done so legally and with documentation, per state requirements.

Much work goes into proper pest control. If you’re located in Utah, Thorn Pest Solutions can help eradicate your pest stresses. We’ll handle all the inspections, monitoring, treatments, and reporting so you and your staff can prioritize your students and their families.

Educate School Staff and Students

One of the primary defenses against pest issues in a large building like a school is open communication between the school administration and the people who spend the most time inside the classrooms.

Administrators can’t see everything all the time, and they need to rely on other people present (especially teachers, staff, and volunteers) to report pest issues. If you need further information to prepare your team better for this task, you’re in luck! We wrote the guide on commercial pest control, and we’re Here to Help anytime you need us.

Thorn Pest Solutions: The Best School Pest Control in Utah

If you’re looking for practical and budget-conscious school pest control in Utah, look no further than Thorn Pest Solutions. There’s a reason schools and universities in Utah trust us with their pest control needs.

From the office to the field, every job we do is as professional and efficient as possible. With detailed reporting throughout the entire process, you won’t need to worry about keeping your pest control records up to date. We’ll do that for you!

Schools have an important job, and so do pest control companies. Let’s work together to ensure your students learn in a safe and pest-free environment every day.