Advice on DIY pest control and weathering the kitchen

[syracusa]

Ok...first, I think it's weatherizing, my bad.

I need some help with reducing expenses in two areas. I have learned so much on this forum over the years so if any of you, wonderful money savvy people, could help me with a little hand holding in these two departments, I would appreciate it.

1. I'd like to get rid of the pest control service. I am tired of the bills they keep sending and I feel like I could do myself what they do in few minutes when they spray a few drops outside our house. I just don't want to poison myself or the house or the kids, Lord forbid, and I need some "how to" guidance or direction towards the right place where I could learn how to do it right.

Living in the south, there are always cockroaches around the house and I find them so repulsive I scream like a complete hysterical idiot when I see one. The pest control has been doing a decent job keeping them outside of the house, but rarely one may sneak in anyway. Mostly we find them dead in the garage. And sometimes there can be ants too, but that's about it.


2. In the winter the kitchen gets quite cold because windows have not been changed since the early 80s when the house was built. For whatever reason, they are draftier than in the rest of the house, maybe because there are quite a few of them too. We do not want to invest in replacing them because there is a good chance we will move in about 2-3 years.

In the meantime, what should we do to weatherize this area? Even in the south, temps can drop quite a bit in the winter and we are paying for extra heat just to keep the temp decent in the kitchen.
Any ideas ?

Thank you so much!

[disneysteve]

1. I'd like to get rid of the pest control service. I am tired of the bills they keep sending and I feel like I could do myself what they do in few minutes when they spray a few drops outside our house. I just don't want to poison myself or the house or the kids, Lord forbid, and I need some "how to" guidance or direction towards the right place where I could learn how to do it right.

We stopped paying an exterminator years ago. I went to Home Depot and bought a pump sprayer for about $20 and a couple of gallons of pesticide (about $8/gallon - I buy the generic brand). Every couple of months, I go around and spray the house inside and out and we have had no problems and we're spending a fraction of what it cost to have a professional come and do the same thing. It is as simple as can be. I'm not really sure why more people don't do this themselves. There is literally no skill or training involved. If you can pump the handle to pressurize the sprayer, you've got all the skill you need.

[disneysteve]

2. In the winter the kitchen gets quite cold because windows have not been changed since the early 80s when the house was built. For whatever reason, they are draftier than in the rest of the house, maybe because there are quite a few of them too. We do not want to invest in replacing them because there is a good chance we will move in about 2-3 years.

Examine around each window and make sure there are no gaps. Buy a tube of silicone caulk and seal up any gaps you do find.

Keep shades and curtains open when the sun is shining and closed at night to retain heat. If there are windows that you can cover with plastic, do that.

[kenp11]

DIY Pest control

I buy from Lowe's or Home Depot the 1 gallon Spectracide that has a pump spray built in. Usually $6.95 on sale for $4.95 a gallon. I use it for ants etc. I spray around the house every time i mow the lawn and see a bug. So far ants have stopped coming into the house. Make sure you spray the cracks and dirt as well since they will avoid coming near the house. Chopped up oranges & lemons skins will also work. If you have a ool and use diatomecous earth for the pool filter spread that around base of the house. Even chuli powder will do the trick.

[BrandiOne]

DIY pest control

Hi,

I have found success using Apple Cider Vinegar. I have read that people put it into a spray bottle and spray it in the problem areas. I'm in the south also and have found that if I sit a bowl of Apple Cider Vinegar outside within a couple hours it will have several dead flies floating inside the bowl. Apparently the bugs are attracted to the smell. I've read that beer works in the same manner.

Good Luck!

[creditcardfree]

I agree with buying the basic pesticide at the hardware store or discount store. It is inexpensive. You could wear rubber gloves, long pants and sleeves if you are worried about spraying yourself. They wash those items, or just wash hands well after applying.

Steve's caulk suggestion is a good one, and the plastic window film coverings do a really good job. You would want to reapply each season or leave on all year. They may help keep warm air out in the summer too. If you do it right you can still see through the windows!

If your windows have moisture between the panes this is a sign the window seal has failed. Glass companies can replace just the glass of a window. You could get quotes for glass replacement if this is the case. The new owners would likely insist, so this would be important to fix now and enjoy the comfort of better windows!

[kenp11]

I buy from Lowe's or Home Depot the 1 gallon Spectracide that has a pump spray built in. Usually $6.95 on sale for $4.95 a gallon. I use it for ants etc. I spray around the house every time i mow the lawn and see a bug. So far ants have stopped coming into the house. Make sure you spray the cracks and dirt as well since they will avoid coming near the house. Chopped up oranges & lemons skins will also work. If you have a ool and use diatomecous earth for the pool filter spread that around base of the house. Even chuli powder will do the trick.

Ok...first, I think it's weatherizing, my bad.

I need some help with reducing expenses in two areas. I have learned so much on this forum over the years so if any of you, wonderful money savvy people, could help me with a little hand holding in these two departments, I would appreciate it.

1. I'd like to get rid of the pest control service. I am tired of the bills they keep sending and I feel like I could do myself what they do in few minutes when they spray a few drops outside our house. I just don't want to poison myself or the house or the kids, Lord forbid, and I need some "how to" guidance or direction towards the right place where I could learn how to do it right.

Living in the south, there are always cockroaches around the house and I find them so repulsive I scream like a complete hysterical idiot when I see one. The pest control has been doing a decent job keeping them outside of the house, but rarely one may sneak in anyway. Mostly we find them dead in the garage. And sometimes there can be ants too, but that's about it.


2. In the winter the kitchen gets quite cold because windows have not been changed since the early 80s when the house was built. For whatever reason, they are draftier than in the rest of the house, maybe because there are quite a few of them too. We do not want to invest in replacing them because there is a good chance we will move in about 2-3 years.

In the meantime, what should we do to weatherize this area? Even in the south, temps can drop quite a bit in the winter and we are paying for extra heat just to keep the temp decent in the kitchen.
Any ideas ?

Thank you so much!

I buy from Lowe's or Home Depot the 1 gallon Spectracide that has a pump spray built in. Usually $6.95 on sale for $4.95 a gallon. I use it for ants etc. I spray around the house every time i mow the lawn and see a bug. So far ants have stopped coming into the house. Make sure you spray the cracks and dirt as well since they will avoid coming near the house. Chopped up oranges & lemons skins will also work. If you have a pool and use diatomecous earth for the pool filter spread that around base of the house. Even chili powder will do the trick

[ua_guy]

Others have already mentioned- look into doing your own pest control routine and see how it works out.

If the pest issues are persistent, I'ld look at what the underlying issue is. Then again, I haven't lived in the south where there are cockroaches so I don't know if they just naturally invade homes, or if something attracts them. Things like mice, ants, are usually opportunistic and will invite themselves inside because of moisture issues (ants) or a constant source of heat and food (mice). Properly removing ingress and also sources of food, moisture, will usually keep pests away permanently.

The windows-- that's tough. Sounds like older, aluminum frame windows? Single or double pane? While better than single pane, those older windows do get drafty. Check for proper fit of any portion that slides or opens/shuts and make sure the windows shut and lock securely. If there are weather strip seals, look at replacing those. Places like Home Depot have rolls of that kind of stripping so you can replace it yourself. On older sliding doors, these seals tend to get really beat up. So, if you have a big glass slider in your kitchen as many people do, definitely check it out.

There are also thermal films you can put on the windows to help with efficiency. Check with a glazier to see what they can offer.

Last thing...new windows do add value to the home, so if you are selling in a few years, you might want to look at replacing them (at least estimate cost). If you are handy and can do them yourself, this could be an instant savings proposition. We replaced old aluminum-framed single pane windows in our last house ourselves and we did it on average of around $300/window if I recall. Two of the windows were special-order/ custom size and we had one glass slider replaced at slightly higher cost. But in terms of function/comfort/appearance, A++++ improvement.

If you're worried about wintertime heat loss, now's the time to get under the house and make sure all the HVAC ducting and registers are securely connected and in good shape. Consider wrapping joints, seams with specifically-designed, heat-resistant metal tape.

[DennisWhite]

The moment you notice pest infestation in your home, you should get it treated at the earliest. Many people Google about the pests and products to deal with them on their own. They will head to the supermarket and load their car with all the equipments to take care of the pests. However, there is a need for a reality check. Any person with no background to pest infestation can never match up to the standards of pest control services.