A lot of homeowners try to handle pests themselves before calling a professional — and there’s nothing wrong with trying. But because pests behave differently depending on species, pressure level, entry point, and environmental conditions, some common DIY methods unintentionally make things more complicated, more expensive, and sometimes even more hidden.

1. Spraying over areas where pests are hiding

For many pests — especially ants, roaches, and bed bugs — spraying visible areas can push them deeper into walls, ceilings, outlets, and voids. They don’t “die out”; they relocate, split colonies, or avoid treated zones.

2. Using products that repel instead of control

Many over-the-counter sprays work by repelling, not eliminating. That can break natural trails, scatter colonies, or cause pests to form secondary satellite nests that are harder to reach later.

3. Sealing gaps before identifying the active route

Sealing too early can trap pests inside walls or attics, where they continue breeding and searching for new exit points — often coming out in bedrooms, bathrooms, or light fixtures.

4. Ignoring moisture, heat, and pressure clues

Pest presence is rarely random. Conditions like dripping pipes, stored cardboard, mulch lines, roof gaps, or landscaping touching siding feed long-term activity. Killing what you see does not remove what attracts.

5. Treating symptoms instead of the source

Seeing pests on countertops doesn’t mean the infestation is on the countertop. In Florida, many originate from wall voids, soffits, attic spaces, drainage lines, or outdoor nesting zones that require targeted treatment.

So what actually works?

• Correct species identification
• Locating entry and harboring zones
• Targeted, low-volume treatment where pests are living
• Upstream prevention steps, not just product
• Monitoring, not guesswork

Professional pest control is not about having “stronger chemicals.” It’s about knowing why pests are there, how they are moving, and what stops the pressure at its real source.

Not sure if DIY helped or made things worse?

We don’t guess — we inspect, identify, and explain. No pressure and no rushed upsells.