Like humans, pests need to shelter themselves and keep dry. This is why they persistently invade buildings even after countless efforts of being repelled. The HVAC system is one integral part of commercial properties that can be easily infested. Once pests begin to breed and live inside the HVAC system, you can expect several health risks, including allergies and respiratory problems.

Another reason why it’s paramount for facility management to properly maintain the system is because pests can invade its parts and cause massive damage. Some of them can even get trapped inside and die. Not only can this result in costly repair bills, but also in a problematic indoor air quality.

Pests That Can Invade HVAC Systems:

Mice and Rats
Cockroaches
Spiders
Snakes
Possums

HVAC System Pest Control Tips:

Clean and secure your ducts, vents and flues post-installation
Inspect for any cracks and gaps
Get an annual HVAC maintenance
Have air-vent screens installed and clear outdoor units
Keep cooling system free of vegetation and debris
Change the filters on a regular basis
Ensure exterior areas around the building are free of weeds and overgrowth

Seek the Help of Professionals

Effectively keep pests out of the HVAC system in factories, schools, retail stores, and other commercial properties by scheduling regular pest control treatment and maintenance. When it comes to seasonal pests, quarterly treatments are suggested.

At Bob Gunn Termite Solutions, we offer commercial pest control and can assist you with HVAC system pest control. Get in touch with us in Brisbane today and let us know about your needs. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Effective Integrated Pest Management for Businesses: Involve Your Staff

The only thing your business should warmly welcome are your customers, not pests. Whilst it’s highly likely that you already have an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program in place, the question is if your employees are familiar with the most common pests lurking in your commercial space.

Do your staff know the tell-tale signs of rats and mice? What about those of cockroaches?

When it comes to defending your business against pests, your employees are the front-liners. It’s important that they know your IPM program by heart so they can help detect and report pest issues. This, in turn, will enable you to resolve any arising issues quickly.

Why this matters, you might ask? Apart from being downright nuisances, pests can threaten the health of your customers, especially if it’s an infestation we’re talking about. E.coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Shigella, Bacillus and Clostridium are just a few of disease-causing pathogens pests such as flies, rodents and cockroaches transmit.

What’s more, pests and poor pest control practices can cost your business annual audit points. A poor score can damage not only your reputation, but also your bottom line.

Avoid the risks pest pose and involve your staff on the front end. Follow the simple steps below and you’ll be on the right track in training them.

1. Be Proactive

Establishing daily sanitation routines is essential. A few practices to enforce include the following:

• Sweep and mop on a regular basis. Be careful not to leave out the space underneath machines, tables and beds.

• Wipe down equipment regularly.

• Wipe off countertops and sweep floors especially where food is present.

• Line and cover all trash cans securely. Dispose of trash every day and ensure garbage bins and dumpsters are cleaned regularly.

• Clean spills around the sinks of bathrooms and break rooms. Pests such as mice and cockroaches only need a minimal amount of water to survive for multiple days.

2. Always Inspect

Closely monitor every square foot of your commercial space. Ensure the following pest hot spots are regularly checked by your staff:

• Hidden, protected places such as wall voids (through access panels) and under appliances

• Food preparation and dining areas

• Staff locker rooms

• Storage areas and closets

• Laundry areas

• Loading areas where shipments come in and go out

3. See Something? Say Something.

Early and proper communication is a vital part of an IPM plan. Create a pest-sighting protocol that clearly defines the steps to be taken if a pest is spotted. This ought to include whom to report it to. Ensure every staff member understands and can implement the protocol as well.

To give your pest manager the best chance to come up with a customised solution to resolve the issue, your employees will need to record when, where and how many were seen at the time. What’s better is if you can catch one of the pests for later identification. Just remember to keep it in a container.

It’s paramount to be on the forefront when it comes to preparing for a pest problem. Properly and continuously educate your staff on pests and pest prevention practices. This will enable you to maintain a clean and healthy space not only for you and your employees, but also and especially for your customers.

Got a pest infestation? Call Bob Gunn Termite Solutions in Brisbane today. We offer FREE quotes for all our services.

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The 6 Common Restaurant Pests to Watch out For

We’ve all heard stories of insects ending up in someone’s soup and damaging a restaurant’s reputation (and business). Aside from resulting in an angry diner, complaints about pest sightings, dead insects or their random body parts in food items can easily get you penalised by the regulating authorities. These can even lead to the closure of your business, which is why, as a restaurant owner, you ought to always be on the lookout for such nuisances and prepared when there’s a pest sighting in your establishment.

Awareness Is Key

The first step to protecting your restaurant from creepy crawlies is by knowing what pests to watch out for and how to prevent them. Read on and discover the most common restaurant pests that can ruin your business.

1. Rats and Mice

Restaurants are a haven for rodents. Not only are there several food and water sources easily accessible to them, but a restaurant also provides them with warmth especially during Winter.

Widely known as food contaminators, rats and mice damage food, products, packaging and equipment through their gnawing, feeding and breeding. They also often carry illnesses which can easily be transferred through contact or their droppings, posing a threat to the health and safety of a restaurant. These illnesses include, but are not limited to, rat-bite fever, Salmonellosis, Leptospirosis and Murine Typhus.

2. Cockroaches

Apart from being particularly (if not the most) scary for most customers, cockroaches can establish huge infestations quickly and contaminate the area by releasing bio-waste like faeces, disgorged food and their own smell. They can also pollute indoor air with tiny parts of their exoskeletons.

3. Flies

Different fly species are attracted to different kinds of food odours coming from kitchens. Take fruit flies and drain flies for example. The former like fermented sugary liquids and can gather in bars and kitchens. The latter, on the other hand, are attracted to sewage and rotting food.

Flies carry vector-borne diseases and harbour pathogenic bacteria. It is recommended to opt for professional pest control when it comes to their eradication as they’re often immune to regular cleaning chemicals.

4. Stinging Pests

Bees, wasps and mosquitoes are major threats and nuisances to restaurants with an outdoor dining or waiting area. Not only are these pests annoying, but they’re also very dangerous, considering their painful stings can trigger severe allergic reactions in some cases.

5. Ants

Proper ant treatment begins with the correct identification of ant species present as different types pose different issues for restaurants. Whilst some ants can be managed with baits, different methods are required by others. Tracing the ants back to their colonies is also necessary for effective treatment.

6. Stored Product Pests

Moths, weevils and beetles are some of the most common pests attracted to stored food products. They can arrive within your next food shipment and make a home in your restaurant’s cabinets, cupboards and shelves.

Stored product pests can breed and build huge populations rapidly and are known to leave their eggs and larvae behind, contaminating food items.

Apart from prioritising your establishment’s sanitation and cleanliness, the best way to prevent the pests mentioned above is by employing the services of a reputable pest manager—just like Bob Gunn Termite Solutions.

Let us help you protect the reputation and ensure the integrity of your restaurant. Commercial pest control for the food and beverage industry is one of our specialties. For enquires or a FREE quote, get in touch with us today.