Condos. Office buildings. Apartment complexes. These types of properties tend to have a lot of different people coming in and out, putting them at high risk of potential pest problems. Keep the buildings you manage clear of trouble by staying on top of maintenance and sanitation.

Managing any type of property is hard work. We’re here to ease your workload as a property manager by covering the best pest prevention and sanitation tips for buildings. That way, you can focus on the ten thousand other things on your to-do list instead of worrying about rodents, bugs, and birds.

How can I best prevent pests from entering the property I manage?

Keeping pests from entering your managed property can be difficult. Just because you take care of the building doesn’t mean you have complete control over everyone inside. You can’t force tenants to wash out their garbage bins; you can’t stop them from leaving old food on the counter. What you can do, however, is make your best effort to stop pests from getting inside in the first place. This is best accomplished through vigilant perimeter management. Try to take weekly trips around your building’s perimeter to look for breaches and other issues. Anything problems you notice should be fixed immediately. Common breaches include loose door and window fittings, screen with holes, and crumbling brick.

What sanitation practices should I use to deter infestations?

Ideally… all of them! But more specifically, you want to do your best not to let anything sit for too long. Get your garbage chutes cleaned on a regular schedule. Make sure the trash is being taken out regularly and the dumpsters are being cleaned between clearings. Keep an eye on laundry facilities so you can fix leaks or similar issues as soon as they occur. Clean, sweep, and disinfect the dark corners of the buildings. Pests love dark, dirty places—don’t give them a place to hide! Don’t just clean the visible, easily accessible parts of your buildings either. Pests don’t discriminate… they’re more than happy to infest the basement and storage rooms.

If I have a pest problem, what’s the best way to quickly solve it?

The quickest way to solve any pest problem is with a professional pest control company. If the building owner has an issue with the price, tell them it’s even more expensive to let infestations run free; fines could be incurred, tenants could leave bad reviews, and structural damage could develop. A professional can take the burden off your back. They’ll be able to diagnose where the problem started and work with you to remove it as well as prevent future infestations. Future problems could be prevented through integrated pest management techniques, tenant training, or something else entirely depending on your exact wants and needs.

It’s hard work being a property manager. Whether you look after an office, multi-unit housing, or another commercial property, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Don’t add more to your workload by letting small pest problems become big. The next time you suspect pests in your property, give the team at Assured Environments a call.