Exterior pest inspections may require a change in direction

PHOTO: ANDRII YALANSKY/ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/GETTY IMAGES

The winter months are a great time to focus on finding and communicating pest exclusion opportunities to clients. For example, the Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) estimates 20 million homes are invaded each winter by mice. We know mice need only a 0.25-inch gap, or a hole the size of a dime, to squeeze their way into a building. By providing thorough inspections and comprehensive recommendations to your clients, you can help seal out winter rodents before they get inside.

But what about the home of a client who has been a regular customer for many years? What if all the holes have been found, all the cracks have been sealed? When faced with a challenge like this, pest management professionals (PMPs) need to seek a new perspective on the problem.

GRAPHIC: PMP STAFF; HEADSHOT: DR. JIM FREDERICKS

PMPs often will habitually walk in the same direction around every building. Some prefer a clockwise path; others prefer the opposite. Over the next quarter, challenge yourself to walk a new path. Simply changing the direction you walk around a building to inspect or treat can bring a new perspective, and reveal new exclusion opportunities. You will see a new side to every object, and a new view around every corner.

Focus on edges and areas where building materials meet. These often are the weakest points in a building envelope, and present opportunities for pests to enter. And don’t focus solely on vertical surfaces — check underneath edges, too.

Providing exclusion opportunities to your client can add value to your service, and if your recommendations succeed in keeping curious rodents at bay, you just may be protecting yourself from a costly callback.