Pests can damage your home or health. Ants and termites cause costly structural damage, cockroaches spread disease-causing filth, and rodents can chew through wires and gnaw on wood.
In 2004, PP&R began a three-year trial of pesticide-free park management at Lair Hill, Sewallcrest and Arbor Lodge parks. During the trial, volunteers weeded by hand and controlled invasive species by other methods.
Pest Identification
Pest control involves identifying and addressing insects or animals that are unwelcome in your home. While some pests like ants and cockroaches are more of an inconvenience than a nuisance, others like rodents can pose a serious threat to health by transmitting diseases and damaging homes. Pest control professionals identify these unwanted intruders through inspections and preventative measures.
Prevention methods involve creating physical barriers to keep pests away from your property. These can include fences, screens, and door sweeps. Depending on the type of pest, pest control professionals might also use traps to capture them for extermination. Sanitation is another way to reduce pest populations, and it’s something that all homeowners can do on their own. Regularly cleaning food spills and crumbs, fixing leaky pipes, and removing debris from the yard can all help to keep pests away.
Pest control treatment is a more proactive approach than pest prevention, and it usually involves using chemicals to kill or repel pests. Some common pest controls include sprays, baits, and pellets. In extreme cases, pesticide gas might be used to eradicate a large infestation of pests. Pest control providers often recommend preventative measures, and these can include things such as routine cleaning, sealing cracks and crevices, storing food in airtight containers, and trimming bushes and trees. PP&R has been managing habitat at several parks in Portland since 2004. We started a three-year trial of pesticide-free park management at Lair Hill Park in Southwest Portland, Sewallcrest Park in Southeast, and Arbor Lodge Park in North Portland. During this time, PP&R and volunteer work parties regularly weeded, mulched, and controlled invasive species through other methods without the use of any pesticides.
Pest Control Strategy
Pest control strategies are designed to prevent pest infestations before they begin. This involves creating barriers to stop pests from accessing your home and can include things like fences, screens, and door sweeps. It also includes keeping your home clean and free of food spills and crumbs, repairing leaky pipes, and removing debris that can provide hiding or nesting spots for pests.
While some pests are merely annoying, others can cause significant damage to your property and health. For example, ants can eat wood and contaminate your food, cockroaches spread filth-borne diseases, and rodents can chew through wires and gnaw furniture. Quality Portland pest control can stop these pests before they cause serious problems.
In the fall of 2004, PP&R began a three-year trial of pesticide-free park management at Lair Hill Park in Southwest Portland, Sewallcrest Park in Southeast Portland, and Arbor Lodge Park in North Portland. This approach to managing parks eliminates the use of pesticides for weed control and instead uses manual labor and other methods, such as aeration and overseeding of turf.
Some pests can be prevented with regular cleaning and maintenance, such as sweeping up food crumbs and spills, fixing leaky pipes, storing food in airtight containers, and regularly trimming bushes and shrubs. Other preventive measures include repairing cracks and openings, keeping woodpiles away from structures, and eliminating moisture sources.
Pest Control Equipment
Pest control providers use various equipment to prevent or eliminate pests. They might use traps to capture rodents like mice or rats, or they may spray pesticides to kill bugs and other critters that are invading an establishment. They also might use pheromones to lure pests away from areas where they are damaging plants or building nests.
A more general form of pest prevention is keeping your home clean and free of food and water sources that attract pests. Sanitation is a simple way to keep pests at bay, and it can help you spot signs of infestation, such as droppings, gnawed furniture or wires (indicating rodent activity), small piles of sawdust (potential termite activity) or spider webs and ant trails in your home.
Another method of pest prevention is to install barriers that prevent pests from entering your home. These might include fences, screens or door sweeps. Pest control professionals can install these barriers for you, or they might suggest that you do it yourself as part of your pest protection plan.
In extreme cases, pest extermination is necessary to get rid of the pests that have invaded your home. This is typically the last resort, and providers take care to minimize health risks. In addition to spraying rooms or buildings with pesticides, providers might use pesticide gas to clear large spaces in a short amount of time.
Here is a list of pest control agencies in Oregon with their addresses and contact details:
- Orkin
- Address: 17900 NE Riverside Pkwy, Portland, OR 97230
- Phone: +1 503-548-0622
- Website: Orkin Oregon
- Oregon Pest Guard
- Address: 19540 Renee Way, Oregon City, OR 97045
- Phone: +1 503-713-3467
- Website: Oregon Pest Guard
- Pete’s Pest Control
- Address: 11221 SE Ogden St, Portland, OR 97266
- Phone: +1 503-774-1640
- Website: Pete’s Pest Control
- A&A Pest Control
- Address: 7535 NE Ambassador Pl Ste A, Portland, OR 97220
- Phone: +1 503-254-6588
- Website: A&A Pest Control