Pest Control in West Des Moines, Iowa

What do older Valley Junction houses need?

The older houses in the historic district are often narrow, with cellars, older foundations and windows that no longer close tightly. The technician checks the cellar walls, the sill plate, the window frames and the vents, and looks at any opening where a pipe or a wire enters the house. A quarter-inch gap is enough for the outdoor mice Iowa State University describes, so each opening is checked closely.

We have not checked housing dates or pest records for ZIPs 50265 and 50266. The page describes the openings and the work that older houses call for, and the technician reports what is found in the house visited.

What do the newer subdivisions add to the visit?

Newer subdivisions further from the centre have more uniform houses, with garages, yards and foundations of similar design. A technician works through a street with a consistent sequence, but still checks each house for its own openings. Junctions where the framing meets the cladding and where a utility line was added later are the places most worth a look.

Yards are often larger in the newer areas, and the beds against the foundation are checked for moisture and for insects that find a route to the wall.

How are the retail and loading areas handled?

The Jordan Creek retail area has shops, offices and loading areas, and each has its own sources and openings. Bins, grease traps, dock doors and the back of a building are checked on a commercial visit. The technician records the findings and gives the business a written list, and the business arranges its own repairs.

Residential homes near the retail area are checked along the boundary as well as all round the house, since a bin or a dock can draw insects and rodents toward the homes nearby.

What should a homeowner in West Des Moines do before the visit?

Clear the cellar or crawl space access, move stored items off the floor and keep the garage clear. Keep bins closed and pet food sealed. Walk the outside once and note any damaged screen, any gap at the frames and any standing water.

If the house is in the historic district, let the technician know the access route, since the streets can be narrow and the parking is limited. A planned visit is easier to arrange than a same-day one on a busy street.

A technician will tell you at the start of the visit which parts of the house and the premises are being checked first, so the plan is clear before the work begins, and any question about the access is settled before the day.