At SPM we are often asked questions about what to do in certain situations, as well as what we do and how it works. Below are a few of these questions but if your query isn't answered here, feel free to Contact Us.

I've found Spiders in my house. What should I do?

Do the DIY spray products you see in Hardware stores and Supermarkets actually work?

Do I need to have my house sprayed for Spiders?

How do I know if my house has termites or not?

I'm renovating and have found termite damage. What should I do?

I have found active termites in my house. What now?

I'm building a new house and am not sure what we should do to make sure termites don't affect it. Can you help?

I'm about to buy a new house but I think it has had termites in it previously. How can I find out?

I've had a termite inspection done but I don't understand the report. What does it all mean?

I have started to see Cockroaches getting around the house. What should I do?

Why do I have Cockroaches when my house is always clean?

I have had a Cockroach treatment carried out but I am still seeing them. Has it worked?

We keep getting birds under our awnings and on the window ledges. Can this be fixed?

We have found a bees nest in a tree outside the house. What should we do?

There is a mud wasp nest on our brickwork. Is it safe to knock it down?

Are the products you use harmful?

Why do your technicians wear overalls when you are telling us that the products are safe?

What about my pets?

Do I have to wash everything after a Spider Treatment?

My business needs to have a treatment carried out, but I don't want to close down for the day. Can you help?

Are you licenced to carry out work in a commercial kitchen? 

• I've found Spiders in my house. What should I do?

If you have a spider issue,  Contact us to book in an arrange a full Spider Treatment.
The treatment can be undertaken at a convenient time to you and your family. For a complete internal spider treatment you need to be out of your house for a minimum of 3 hours. We also prefer if you are able to take your pets, such as dogs away for the duration of the treatment, this just ensures that you pet does not accidentally escape the confinds of the yard and get hit by a car or bites the technician during the treatment. Birds and Fish should be well covered. If you have any queries please discuss them during the arrangement of your treatment.

• Do the DIY spray products you see in Hardware stores and Supermarkets actually work?

Homeowners now have a variety of sprays and repellents designed to allow you to carry out your own pest management routines. These sprays often claim that they are the same as what professional pest managers use, and in essence this is occasionally true - the active ingredient in these products is the same as what we use. The difference however, is that most commercially available products are very weak, and are formulated for a fast knockdown as opposed to a residual barrier effect. This means that while the product may appear to work very well in the short term, it does not provide any real deterrent for spiders and other pests after it has been applied. As licensed Pest Management Operators, SPM has access to products that not only provide immediate knockdown to quickly and effectively bring problems under control, but also provide a residual barrier effect, meaning the problem is maintained well after the initial treatment.

• Do I need to have my house sprayed for Spiders?

The decision on whether to have your property sprayed for Spiders is entirely up to you. SPM recommends Spider Treatments be carried out in the warmer months of the year and repeated on an annual basis to ensure you and your family are protected year round.

• How do I know if my house has termites or not?

In most cases the first contact homeowners will have with termites is by finding damaged timber. Regular inspections are important because they provide you with a snapshot of what is going on at your property - not just a 'yes or no' answer as to whether you have termites or not. Generally inspections are carried out on a 12 monthly basis but in higher risk areas, or on properties that have a known history of termite activity, this can vary.

• I'm renovating and have found termite damage. What should I do?

If you are renovating or carrying out construction work and come across possible termite damage, it is very important not to disturb the area. Diagnosis is made much easier and quicker by being able to see the actual damage - not just the area around it. Therefore Contact us to book in an inspection.

• I have found active termites in my house. What now?

If you find active termites, do not disturb them! If termites are disturbed, it can be difficult to locate them again, which means that treatment can take a longer period of time. Instead, Contact us  and we will assess the damage and work with you to provide a solution to suit your particular needs.

• I'm building a new house and am not sure what we should do to make sure termites don't affect it. Can you help?

Yes. SPM Wagga can present you with a number of options to make sure you are the only guests 'moving in'.  Contact us to discuss your options.

• I'm about to buy a new house but I think it has had termites in it previously. How can I find out?

Often as part of the purchase of a new home, banks, financial institutions or your solicitor will require you to have a Timber Pest Inspection and possibly a Building Inspection carried out on the property, even though at the moment such documents are not legally required in the purchase, such inspections do provide you with peace of mind. The reports provide you with an accurate assessment of the property, and can identify any previous issues that may have been present, will outline if there is anything which may contribute to the presence of termites, or even worse, will report active termites. SPM Wagga only undertake Timber Pest Inspection not Building Inspections, but we can assist you with arranging both inspections on your property. Contact us to book in a Pre Purchase Inspection or if you have any queries.

• I've had a termite inspection done but I can't understand the report. How do I 'make sense' of it?

We aim to write all of our reports in clear, easy to read language that doesn't give you a whole page of technical jargon. If there is something in your report that you are unsure of, or something that just doesn't quite make sense  contact us  and we can explain your report over the phone.  

• I have started to see Cockroaches getting around the house. What should I do?

If left to their own devices, cockroaches can become a significant problem which may require multiple treatments to bring under control. Apart from increasing and maintaining general cleaning and hygiene practices, SPM Wagga can inspect your premises and treat active cockroaches as well as put in place preventative measures to minimise the likelihood of future activity. Upon inspection we can also advise you of any conducive conditions or areas that may require attention, such as possible entry and harborage points. Cockroach jobs vary in price depending on the extent of treatment required, so please contact us to discuss your needs.

• Why do I have Cockroaches when my house is always clean?

Cockroaches feed on scraps, and in some cases even each other. Generally they harbor in the small crevices that you may not always see or be able to access to keep clean, in which case debris can build up and provide a good food source. Contact us  we can provide you with an inspection and treatment service in which can assist with identifing such areas and give you options on how to best treat or remove them so you don't have a problem in the future.

• I have had a Cockroach treatment carried out but I am still seeing them. Has it worked?

It is normal to sometimes see cockroaches still active after a treatment, as depending on what chemicals were applied, the effects and processes by which they control the pest can take time to act. Gel treatments in particular can take time before notciable results are achieved. Depending on what your treatment comprises, the technician will inform you of what to expect and how to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment while they are carrying out the job, but once again if you have any queries please  Contact us.

• We keep getting birds under our awnings and on the window ledges. Can we fix this?

Yes. SPM Wagga also specialise in bird netting, bird proofing and bird management, having carried out a large number of such job across the Riverina for homeowners through to large industrial scale installations over the past number of years. Such jobs are best quoted depending on the problem, therefore please Contact us to discuss your needs.

• We've found a bees nest in a tree outside the house. What should we do?

If the tree is not on your property, contact your local council as they may have a preferred contractor to carry out work. If the tree is on your property, Contact us and we can eradicate the nest so the area is safe to be around. If a bees nest is found, stay away from the area and do not provoke the bees, as swarms can be very dangerous, and if allergic they can be fatal.

• There is a mud wasps nest on our brickwork. Is it safe to knock it down?

If you are sure it is a mud wasp nest, yes it can be knocked down and cleaned up just like regular dirt. If it is a paper wasp nest, do not approach it and Contact us,  wasps can be dangerous and especially when provoked, and if any one is allergic then a bite can be extremely dangerous or even fatal.

• Are the products you use harmful?

Modern chemical formulations are far more advanced than the older style products used many years ago. This means that we need less chemicals to do more effective treatments, which results in less potential damage to the health of the operators, the clients, as well as the environment. By using the latest technology and responsibly monitoring our chemicals, we can take care of all your pest management needs with as little reliance on chemicals as possible.

• Why do your technicians wear overalls when you are telling us that the products are safe?

Our technicians are working around chemicals for extended periods of time most days of the week, and thus it is an Occupational Health and Safety requirement that we wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This does not mean however that you as a client are required to do so as well to enter your home - an exclusion period is put in place after a treatment has been carried out, which is designed to allow the treatment to work, but also to return the area to a safe state for humans to occupy.
Don't be scared by technicians in PPE - we carry out treatments every day, and your exposure to any form of chemical after a treatment is carried out either on your home or business is extremely minimal.

Click here to view the Victorian Dept of Health and Safety's website, and an article on Commercial Pesticide use. SPM Wagga is licensed to carry out Pest Management work in both NSW and Victoria and thus we abide by all standards mentioned on the DHS website.

• What about my pets?

Some animals, in particular birds and fish, can be very sensitive to the chemicals used in Pest Management treatments. For this reason, we recommend that if possible they be removed prior to us carrying out a treatment on your home. Dogs and cats do not need to be removed from the premises but they must not stay inside during or immediately after the treatment. If in doubt it is best to remove the pets from the premises if possible.

• Do I have to wash everything after a Spider Treatment?

No. The residual effect on items inside the home is minimal and there is no need to cover everything prior to treatment. We do recommend covering food such as fruit bowls etc and putting away any cutlery and crockery that may be around, but otherwise the treatment will not stain or damage items inside your home.

• My business needs to have a treatment carried out, but I don't want to close down for the day. Can you help?

Yes. SPM Wagga understands that every day you are closed is a day of lost profit, therefore we don't expect you to shut up shop to let us do our work. Depending on what treatment you require, we can work discretely in the background without alerting your customers to our presence, or even after hours when nobody is around.

• Are you licenced to carry out work on commercial kitchens?

SPM Wagga is fully HACCP accredited and all technicians have NSW and Victorian Pest Management licences. This, combined with our experience in commercial situations, means that you are in safe hands. Some of our biggest current clients are also commercially based food operations.

Is your question not answered here? Contact Us