The new year is a time to reset and start fresh. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s be ready for everything. Luckily, you’ve got New York’s most reliable pest control team at your back. With a little guidance, you can confidently resolve to be pest-free the next 12 months.

Whether your business is experiencing a few bugs or a biblical-sized plague, rest assured that we’ve got the professional pest control experience to eliminate your problem and keep it from recurring. Here’s a quick primer on how to make your new year pest-proof and worry-free.

What Pests are Ringing in the New Year with You?

Winter in New York means pests have moved inside to find warm habitats and dependable food sources. Your business is under siege by a cadre of the city’s most notorious seasonal offenders. Here’s the dossier of who to be on the lookout for and signs of pests run rampant:

Cockroaches. Nothing breaks the mood like a cockroach scuttling across the room. These tiny but tenacious terrors are hardy survivors who will eat and destroy nearly anything in their path. Look for dark pepper-flake droppings, light brown egg casings, and smear marks along the wall to locate the offenders.

Pantry pests. The group of small insects including moths, beetles and weevils that infest your dried foods and cupboards fall under the banner of pantry pests. Look for shed skins, worm-like larvae and ruined food in your kitchen/commissary areas.

Carpenter ants. These miniature mulchers can leave a wake of real damage if not properly stopped. They establish colonies inside walls and tunnel through wood and other building materials. Identify them in moist areas where they thrive and look for sawdust piles and small holes where winged flyers emerge.

Mice. Everyone’s dealt with mice, they’re a constant nuisance and difficult to stop. The problem is they’re prolific propagators. If you see mouse holes, nests, droppings or hear gnawing, address the problem quickly.

Rats. The New Yorker’s arch nemesis. Rats are smart, opportunistic and tenacious and once they locate a safe place to crash, they’ll invite their friends. Don’t hesitate to activate serious pest-control measures if you hear scratching in the walls, see droppings and footprints or notice greasy smears along baseboards.

Prevent Pests from Spoiling Your New Year

If your resolution is to keep pests out of your business, take these simple steps to turn your goal into a reality. Unlike fad diets and impossible workout routines, keeping pests out all year simply requires some common sense and a little elbow grease.

Keep pests from ever getting in by sealing the doors and entrances they use. For pests this means any small opening where insect and rodent alike might find passage.

• Seal cracks in walls.
• Repair holes in doors, windows, foundation and elsewhere.
• Seal gaps where plumbing and electrical enter your building.
• Cover vents with screens.
• Patch leaky roofs.

Don’t overlook any potential pest portal or underestimate their cunning. Rats and mice are experts in squeezing through the smallest of unlikely openings. A pest control technician can audit your premise and advise you where the most vulnerable areas are.

Stay Clean All Year Long

Keep your business clean and healthy all year to discourage pests from taking up residence. Without a stable food supply or safe nesting grounds, pests won’t be able sustain a presence for long.

• Clean the kitchen and eating areas regularly.
• Empty garbage and waste bins.
• Store food and snacks in tightly sealed containers.
• Don’t leave food or used dishes out.
• Clean and rotate any stored food.

A tidy workspace is never a bad thing and when you deny pests their basic needs, they’ll will quickly move on to a less clean venue. It’s a win-win for you and your new year.

Commercial Pest Control Services Can Help

If you’ve resolved to keep pests out of your business this year but need an extra nudge getting started, contact Assured Environments today. We can assess your workplace and give expert suggestions on how and where to focus your efforts. We can help with the prevention and we can eliminate existing threats to make sure pests don’t give you the same “old lang sigh” this year.