One of the most common ways homeowners try to save money is by turning everything they can into a DIY project. Do the walls need a new coat of paint? Bring out the roller. Want to freshen up the living room? Let's reupholster the furniture. While saving money on household projects by doing them yourself seems easy, you can easily run into trouble if you take on an excessively complicated task requiring special knowledge or tools. And there is no doubt that pest control falls under the list of jobs that are best left to professionals. DIY pest solutions often cost homeowners more money in the long run, especially if implemented incorrectly.

Time Is Money

DIY pest control may be effective if you are willing to invest a ton of time, effort, and money into finding something that works. Even sites dedicated exclusively to DIY information encourage homeowners to invest in professional treatments. Forget the time spent setting up traps or applying store-bought pesticides. Simply finding the right product can take an eternity. Searching for "insecticide" or "pest control traps" on the internet yields pages and pages of results. Without preexisting knowledge or experience, just sorting through the options and figuring out what is worth trying can take hours.

The trial and error required to find an effective DIY pest control solutions will likely mean your time is better spent elsewhere. Pest control experts like Tonys Pest Killers can complete the job in a fraction of the time it would take you to do it yourself. With specialized equipment and products ready to go, an expert can maximize efficiency and effectiveness, which can be essential when preventing a pest population from growing rapidly. In many cases, every minute counts.

Guaranteed Pest Solutions

After investing your time and energy into pinpointing the best DIY solution, there is still no guarantee that it will work. Pest control is rarely as easy as spraying and praying. Most of the time, eradicating an infestation requires a multistep strategy that presents numerous opportunities for something to go wrong. For example, once you've decided on a chemical solution, you still need the proper tools for dispensing it, not to mention personal protection equipment. A small pump sprayer may be cheap, but it also won't have the ability to apply the product efficiently. You'll have to refill it repeatedly, and each time comes with the chance of mixing the solution incorrectly or coming into contact with toxic materials. An advanced and reliable rig can be expensive, and while insecticides don't expire, they do lose potency.

You'll need to be doing frequent DIY pest control at this point for it to be worth it. On top of that, many DIY solutions don't work. A vast majority of natural solutions that people claim kill pests are unproven and ineffective. 

Should your DIY strategy fail to work, you'll have to pay for professional treatment anyway, but you may also need to spend money on additional repairs. Many pests cause structural damage when allowed to increase. For example, subterranean termites cause around $5 billion in structural damage annually in the United States. 

Sometimes DIY pest control may seem practical, particularly in the case of very small-scale infestations. However, even if your strategy successfully deals with a critter or two, it most likely isn't addressing the root of the problem. 

For instance, removing a rat with a trap might deal with that specific pest, or using a bug bomb may kill some bugs on the surface; however, it won't do anything to keep other pests from expanding their reach. A pest control professional won't only eradicate the current problem. It can also deliver enduring solutions to prevent future issues, such as exclusionary techniques and knowledge about dealing with region-specific pests. Additionally, pest control professionals can access stronger and more effective products that aren't readily available to the general public.

Expert Pest Control In Illinois And Virginia

Ultimately, DIY pest control costs more than professional treatments. Hiring a reliable pest control company is the best way to ensure a problem is completely eradicated and won't continue to be an issue. While the upfront cost might seem higher, you'll save money thanks to guaranteed solutions and time well spent. You also won't have to pay for specialized equipment or products. The professionals at Tonys Pest Killers are dedicated to providing residents of Chicago, Il, and Hampton Roads, VA, with cost-efficient pest control solutions that are guaranteed to keep their home pest free. Contact us today to learn more about our professional treatments and pest control services.