With all these hot summer days, you wouldn’t think this is the time to be worried about the cooler weather and protecting your home from termites.  But let me explain why getting started now makes the most sense for piece of mind and your pocket book.

When termites get to your home, they are literally designed to tear it apart, tiny piece by tiny piece.  This fall is it is critical for your home’s safety that you get on a program to prevent these types of infestations.  Let me explain why. Fair warning.. this gets a little scary.

 Termites and ants are the home wreckers. They breach your home’s defenses and build colonies in your walls. Those colonies feed and burrow into your wood, making vast pathways through support beams and framing. Many homeowners don’t even see the destruction till it’s too late, and they are looking at thousands of dollars of repairs–if they can repair at all.

Rodents get into your crawl spaces and walls and bite on wires, and snack on sheet rock. In this way, other than being an awful, shaggy, disease carrier, that creeps through your cubberds and pantry, they can also cause issues with your electric, telephone, web, and TV wiring. These are difficult to find issues covered up inside your attic or walls, and can cost a great deal to fix. On the off chance that you’ve at any point paid an electrician to do anything, you know they’re not cheap.

Fall critters also bring infections and sickness. The cockroach loves microorganisms and rot. When he is finished dragging his gleaming dark colored body through the sewer pipe, he is all too happy to slither into your flour pack, or over into your silverware drawer. The bad part is, normally you don’t know it. Your kids becomes sick with this season’s flu virus, and you think it is just the season, unaware that the issue is being brought into your home by a fall intruder.

Creepy crawlies, wasps, insects, and ticks, love a decent warm place to spend winter. They get you while you’re sleeping or while you’re relaxing on the deck. They get you while you’re comfortable on the sofa. Insect bites are worse in the fall, because there are more of them. Also to the bugs, your warm, secure home, looks like a great place to settle in for their long winter stay.

Then, there are a whole slew of pests that are just plain irritating, like: ladybugs, stink bugs, crickets, silverfish, centipedes, cluster flies, and more.

In the fall, bugs and rodents are looking for a place to hibernate or overwinter. And they can turn your happy home into a horror film. That’s why fall pest control is so important. A pest professional can treat your yard, and set up devices that watch for harmful insects, like termites. They can stop many bugs before they even get to your home. Professionals have training on how to seal your house, and can spray the outside of your home, especially in hard to reach places, like the roof line and third story window frames.

You don’t have to live in fear of bugs and rodents. Proper fall maintenance can keep your home and your family safe, and bug free. You have enough to worry about. Leave your bug worries to the professionals.

Spring is almost here, which means many homeowners will indulge in spring cleaning in the next few weeks. During this time, we encourage homeowners to consider pest-proofing in and around the home.

Spring is the time, no matter how good or bad the winter, when people begin to notice an increase in pest infestations like ants, termites, flies and wasps or mosquitoes. The simplest way to minimize the possibility relevant to an infestation is prevention. Adding just a few quick and simple tasks along with the spring cleaning to-do list can work very well in keeping pests away from the home.

We recommend the next steps to prevent an infestation this spring:

•     Eliminate sources of moisture or standing water at your house, including birdbaths also in clogged gutters.
•     Seal cracks and holes along the foundation of the house including entry points for utilities and pipes.
•     Screen windows and doors.
•     Keep tree branches and other plants from touching the house .
•     Store firewood at least 20 feet off of the home on a raised structure with concrete blocks.
•     Inspect the skin of a home for nests built by stinging insects, which can be found in the eaves under roofs or under the vinyl lip.
•     Keep kitchens clean by wiping down counters and also other food surfaces after meal prep.
•     Take out the trash frequently and store it in a sealed container outdoors.
•     Avoid leaving pets’ food dishes out for long periods of time.

If you suspect you have an infestation, contact us at  731.422.2643 so we can help you determine the best course of action by determining the species of the insects and recommend a program of treatment.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Homestead Pest Management Offers Homeowners Tips to Protect Their Families and Homes

There are very few things that can have a truly significant impact on the way we live and the quality of life we all enjoy, and pests are at the top of that list.  Termites cause almost $5 billion in damage to homes annually; mosquitoes drive people indoors, unable to enjoy their outdoor living space; and roaches, ants, mosquitoes and rodents all have the ability to contaminate food and spread diseases.  The summer months represent peak pest season and the perfect time to take a stand against these disgusting and destructive invaders. 

There are many simple steps that homeowners can take inside and outside their homes to greatly reduce their risk of pest infestations. Homestead Pest Management has put together the following tips to help homeowners declare their independence from pests.

Exterior

• Seal any gaps around exterior doors, windows and entry points for utility wiring and pipes.
• Make sure window screens are free of holes or tears and are secured properly.
• Thoroughly check items that provide common transportation for pests including plants and firewood before bringing inside.
• Remove all sources of standing water around your home.
• Store outdoor trash receptacles away from the home and make sure lids fit securely.

Interior

• Keep sink areas clean and dry.
• Wipe down counter-tops after use and clean up spills immediately.
• Store all food in sealed, air-tight containers.
• Rinse food containers before discarding.
• Make sure your inside trash can is clean with a secure cover and place all garbage in plastic bags.
• Repair dripping faucets, clogged drains and plumbing leaks as soon as possible.
• Remove all trash and recycling at least once a week.

If you would like a thorough inspection of your home please don’t hesitate to contact us at

731.422.2643

So today we wanted to share a note from one of our clients. Here it goes:

“Dear Homestead,

I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know how great the service tech was that came to the house.  Last week we set up an appointment for service because we had the never ending ant problem like most of your clients, I’m sure.  So the next day, Greg came out and did an inspection on the house and sprayed an ant killer. 
I was curious about the pets we have and how that would affect them and he let me know that the animals were going to be fine. 
Once he was finished with the outside he treated the area around the pool just as we asked Ms. Carol in the office to tell him.

Thanks so much for your help and we are very happy with the pest control treatment you provide.”

If you are seeing ants in your home, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at

731.422.2643

As we get ready for the upcoming rain and humid days and with mosquitoes being a hot topic in our area, learning all you can for mosquito prevention goes a long way.

There are some steps you can take to help discourage the mosquito population around your home.

• Change water in pet bowls at least once a day
• Change water in bird baths and wading pools at least once a week
• After a rain, check for holes or low areas in your yard that are not draining well. If these areas still have water after a few days, regrade by filling or leveling these areas out
• Look for and repair outside leaky faucets
• Check trash or weeds in drains or ditches to keep water from collecting in these areas
• Check and clear your gutters for debris or standing water
• Keep plant saucers clear of accumulated standing water

Prevention and ongoing perimeter checks are key to reducing mosquito population around your home. You have other options for mosquito control as well that we can provide.

Try as-needed mosquito yard sprays:

• The technician will spray the entire yard, plus all bushes, trees and landscape areas.
• The technician will also let you know of all potential breeding areas, such as low-lying areas or objects in the yard that collect stagnant water to avoid future issues.

Mistaway Mosquito Misting Systems:

• Our precision-engineered mosquito misting nozzles are installed about every 10-15 feet around the perimeter of your property; on fence lines, trees and risers positioned in the landscaping for a mosquito-free yard.
• Your system can also help control other unwanted insects, like spiders, flies and gnats.
• The misting unit’s electronic controller is programmed to automatically initiate a 30 – 60 second mist around dawn and again at dusk, when the mosquitoes are most active and other beneficial insects – like bees and butterflies – are not.

Whichever options you choose, as needed or permanent year round, mosquito control has come a long way with providing safer, environmentally friendly options for protecting your family and pets from mosquito infestations.

What makes Homestead Pest Management the best choice in West TN pest control?  Let’s just break it down:

Homestead Pest Management, Inc. was founded in 1976 by Matt & Diane Markowski, and it is still owned and operated by the Markowski family. It is currently owned by their son David Markowski and their daughter Donna Tyler.  Their son-in-law, Charles Moore, is also our Pest Control Manager.

Homestead Pest Management uses the latest techniques to eliminate pests, including using baits and low odor liquids. We were the first company in this area approved to use termite baiting systems,  and we strive to always use products that will have the least amount of impact on the environment. All of the technicians employed by Homestead Pest Management are state certified and undergo continuous training to stay on top of the newest techniques and developments in our field.

Matt Markowski was instrumental in forming the Local Pest Control Association, serving as its First President. He also served the Tennessee Pest Control Association as a Director, President and Committee Chairman. Diane Markowski has served as Secretary, Treasurer, and President of the Local Pest Control Association and has also served the Tennessee Pest Control Association as President, Director and Parliamentarian. She has additionally served as Director and Committee Chairperson with the National Pest Management Association. David Markowski has been President of the Local Pest Control Association and President of the Tennessee Pest Control Association. Donna Tyler is currently Secretary/Treasurer of the Local Pest Control Association.

Let Homestead Pest Management, Inc. demonstrate our expertise and commitment to West TN by assessing your home and property and providing you with a customized plan of attack that consists of both extermination and maintenance, as needed.  Contact us today, and let us take care of all your pest control needs!