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We decided to start offering insulation services as we discovered that many homes are losing money month after month due to poor existing insulation if any at all, but also because bugs are coming in and without any resistance. We partnered up with Fiberlite Technologies to offer InCide® Pest Control Insulation to solve both problems once and for all.  This product will help you significantly lower your energy bill, increase the comfort of your home, and be a good steward of our natural resources.

Cellulose insulation is the preferred choice for retrofits in existing homes. Having InCide® Pest Control Insulation installed in your home brings cellulose insulation and highly effective pest control together in the attic and walls.

Is it cost effective?

It will reduce your monthly utility cost, create a quiet and comfortable environment, and provide nonstop pest control protection where applied. Our customers who have installed InCide® Pest Control Insulation report up to a 25% savings on utility bills, and no more hot and cold spots in the house.

How Is It Installed?

Once our insulation is installed directly over the top of existing attic insulation increasing the ‘R’ value to R-49, as recommended by the Department of Energy. The loose-fill nature of the product fills any voids and gaps for a virtually airtight seal.  For wall applications, the use of the “drill and fill” method of installation eliminates the need for a total wall renovation. While the drill and fill application method is commonly used to insulate walls that may contain no insulation, it can be used to add insulation to walls that already have insufficient or under-performing insulation. The best part is, old insulation does not need to be removed.

How does it treat for pests?

InCide® Pest Control Insulation also kills cockroaches, ants, silverfish, earwigs, crickets, sow-bugs, millipedes, centipedes and book lice. While fiberglass may actually serve as nesting areas, InCide® Pest Control Insulation kills insects upon contact with the insulation. The insulation is infused with an extremely safe and effective pesticide and prevents infestation anywhere the product is applied.

Is it environmentally friendly?

InCide® also brings the unique environmental characteristics found only in cellulose insulation. It is made from 100% recycled paper. It’s a natural product from a renewable source.

• Takes less energy to produce than other types of insulation. Fiberglass has up to 10 times more embodied energy than cellulose insulation, and foam products have up to 64 times more.
• Creates a tight seal effectively blocking air infiltration and convection currents — the two leading causes of energy loss.
• Class 1 Building Material with excellent fire resistance characteristics.
• Scientifically proven to protect against mold and mildew within the insulation system.

The truth is… InCide® Pest Control Insulation is a superior product that provides permanent and continuous pest protection, guards against mold and mildew, and offers excellent sound control and fire resistance with year-round utility savings.

The battle with termites can seem daunting, but it can be controlled and managed.  They are easy to understand creatures. 

They Require 3 Things  

1. Food Source
2. Shelter/Protection
3. Water

Termites do not work as individuals.  They work in colonies and use mud tubes as superhighways.  This is great as it makes it much easier to spot and stop an entire colony.  The bad news is that several colonies may invade a single structure from their own mud tubes at the same time.

The subterranean termites tend to follow lines into a residence or structure. Any line above or below ground would be considered to be very valuable to them for their point of entry.  

• Railroad ties in your garden that touch the home
• Underground power lines or cables
• Underground irrigation pipes
• Driveway and sideways specifically around the edge near the dirt.
• Fencing, specifically if it’s wood touching the dirt.
• Debris like wood, cardboard, lumber lying on the ground touching the home

The thing to remember about the termites is ultimately they are just looking for food to graze on.  Like any animal, once they find a great source of food they are unlikely to relinquish it.  When it’s cool outside, you might find them under rocks or pieces of wood and when it’s really hot they’ll seek somewhere cooler.  Mud tubes and the discarded wings of termites are a great indication of termite activity but are not considered active until you’ve seen live ones moving around. Once they find their food source, you’ll start to find a lot of mud and mud tubing in horizontal lines.

The best key to protecting your home from termites in Kansas City is to cut off their food source.  Protect the slab, foundation, crawl space of your home.  Keep the edges sprayed, and when you notice mud or tubing either call our a professional like us or knock them down.  Prevent debris from laying up against the house. Keep an eye on puddles or standing water near the home.

We can do a lot to stop termites, but the biggest thing you can do is make your house a much harder resource and they’ll go somewhere else where it’s easier.

 These are termites. If you see them but don’t want to keep them call us.

Schedule An Appointment – 913.232.8016

We’ve all looked up one day to see a spider had made a web in the corner of a room, or that ants have tried to use brute force in numbers to take over our homes.  What we’ve done today is created a quick list of easy to check after places that bugs just love to hide and gather their troops for the Spring invasion. 

1.  Foyer and Entrances – Always check under, in or around plants placed near any door.  Look under the door and around cracks or any gaps in the baseboard.  The creatures you are most likely to find in these areas will be ants, spiders, mosquitoes, flies, and cockroaches. Let’s talk briefly about pest control prevention in this area. Reduce outside water sources near door areas, use artificial plants on the interior of the home, review your landscaping with your pest control company to discuss what will discourage pests.  Weatherstrip the doors to create a tight seal and keep doors shut as much as possible. 
2. Infrequently Used Guest Rooms – The most common places in these areas that bugs will gravitate towards would be ceiling fixtures, bathrooms, mattresses, and headboards.   The most common pests in these areas will be bed bugs, cockroaches, and ants. Here is how we’d look at doing pest control prevention. Scan the mattress tags and around the seams looking for rust-color stains which would indicate bed bugs. If you find any, quarantine those rooms immediately and call a professional to come out for treatment.  Remove all food debris and prevent moisture from sitting whenever possible.  Every six months, remove headboards and inspect them – especially behind them – for beg bugs or staining. Look for any bunched or buckled carpet or wallpaper as that offers perfect cover.
3. Laundry Room – You will want to look underneath and behind laundry machines and in our around towel/linen storage.  The typical pest in this area would be rodents and cockroaches. The best way to do pest control prevention would be to check, clean and make sure all drains are sealed and working properly.  Repair water leaks as quickly as they are noticed, throw away lint and other laundry debris which prevents microfungal growth that these pests are attracted to. Get behind and underneath the washer and dryer and give them a thorough cleaning to prevent any easy places to make a home.
4. Kitchen – This can be a difficult area so it requires constant monitoring. You will want to make sure any drain is clean, sealed and in good repair.  Check all cabinets and wipe out any food crumbs. Keep the trash cans and waste disposal areas as tidy as possible, and throw out trash promptly.  Clean up sticky spills. Light fixtures on the ceiling are prone to spider webs and be sure to move and clean under kitchen appliances.  Your most common pests in this area tend to be cockroaches, flies, ants, and rodents.  The best way to do pest control prevention these pests from getting a foothold in your kitchen is to remain vigilant. Be sure to seal all food containers, secure close bags, and wipe up crumbs. Inspect all packages brought in to ensure they are not transporting pests. Wipe up all spills immediately. 
5. Outside Trash Area – Everything from wildlife, rodents, ants, and spiders love a dumpster or trash can.  The raccoon has been dubbed the trash panda due to its love of the trash can as it’s such an easy source of food.  The best way to prevent problems here is to keep the dumpster away from the house as much as possible. Sanitize and wash out the trash regularly to do pest control prevention is to avoid build-up and sticky substances from attracting the undesirables.  Be sure to keep the area surrounding the trash cans or dumpster free of trash and debris and if needed spray off the area where the cans sit.

If you need help in the Kansas City and surrounding area we would be more than happy to come out and protect your home.  We offer a yearly service* for only $239 which sends us out to your home in the Spring, the Summer, and again the Fall.  If you notice problems in between give us a call and we’ll send a technician out at no further cost.  Let’s work together to give you and your family the safe and secure feeling of a pest free home this year. Talk to our technician or representative about what specifically is covered in our yearly service.

A lot of people have never experienced bed begs so if you see either these insects or these stains, you’ve got bed bugs.

If it’s the middle of winter in Kansas City, don’t pay for needless pest control services. Almost all ants, spiders, termites and other pests are inactive this time of year. Save your money and don’t have someone come spray your house in the snow. Come spring time contact Pete’s Pest Control to start up your annual pest control service in Kansas City.