How much do you spend to spray your house against bugs? (Austin: houses, scorpion)

[burtsbeeschic]

We're thinking about moving to Austin but really concerned about the roaches/spiders/mosquitoes/scorpions/etc...

We're planning to spray (pay an exterminator) inside our house and outside in the yard. We're looking at Circle C or Steiner Ranch houses approx 3000 square foot. Can you tell me how much you spend on this and how often it needs to be done? Are there any "natural" sprays that aren't harmful to us? Also, do they take care of scorpions too?

[SurferDude]

I use bulwark exterminating. it cost me $100 on move in, and I think about $65 every 3 months. if i get bugs inside before my 3 months are up, they come out for free. They also kill those fire ants in my grass. They charge the same no matter how large your house is.

Our bulwark guys are friendly and are great communicators. Send me a PM if you need more info.

Originally Posted by burtsbeeschic

We're thinking about moving to Austin but really concerned about the roaches/spiders/mosquitoes/scorpions/etc...

We're planning to spray (pay an exterminator) inside our house and outside in the yard. We're looking at Circle C or Steiner Ranch houses approx 3000 square foot. Can you tell me how much you spend on this and how often it needs to be done? Are there any "natural" sprays that aren't harmful to us? Also, do they take care of scorpions too?

[neddy]

We use the guys that do the pest in the walls and its every 3 months for us includes fire out and inside if we want. We usually only get him to come in once maybe 2x a year. Had one dead scorpion that is it.

[centralaustinite]

ABC comes quarterly for about a hundred dollars. They do the house (inside and outside) and the yard.

[CptnRn]

We have used three different companies to come out and do an annual termite inspection and to treat the house and yard. For the most part once a year has been all we needed in SW Austin for a 2400 sf home.

Most recently we used Oliver Termite and Pest Control $106 in 2007, termite inspection and treatment included with house/yard inspection and treatment. We have had very satisfactory results. When we had a minor reoccurrence of tiny ants around our kitchen sink, Oliver came out and retreated for free, we have not had a reoccurrence.

Thanks for the reminder I need to call for a termite inspection. It has been almost 2 years, I try to do this every year just to make sure. It is so much cheaper to do an annual inspection and treatment, then to pay for repairs from termite damage.

In regard to the most ecological approach, the recommendations we received were, do not chemically treat your home for problems you do not have. Why live with chemicals in your environment that are not really needed? It is much safer to treat only for problems you actually experience.

[BentBow]

I just by a bag of seven dust and go around the perimeter of the foundation, about every 6 months.

Not much for skeeters, but I have no ants, spiders, water bugs, scorpions, except a stray June bug flying in now and then as we come in the door past the porch light.

[burtsbeeschic]

Thanks everyone! This is very helpful.

Do you ever see roaches/spiders/scorpions inside the house after treating inside/out?

Thanks!

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by burtsbeeschic

Thanks everyone! This is very helpful.

Do you ever see roaches/spiders/scorpions inside the house after treating inside/out?

Thanks!

Occasionally, not often. We have only had 2 scorpions in our houses during the 32 years we lived in Austin, and that was when our first home backed on undeveloped woods. Once the are got developed we never saw them even in the backyard anymore.

Tree roaches are more common usually coming in only during the hottest driest months of the year when they are looking for water.

Spiders I probably kill one every month or two.

[CATXTransplant]

I have lived in Steiner Ranch for 3 years (and we back up to a greenbelt). We have never had our house sprayed and don't have a problem. We have had two scorpions in the house, but they were small and the dog always found them for us.

[capcat]

Originally Posted by burtsbeeschic

Thanks everyone! This is very helpful.

Do you ever see roaches/spiders/scorpions inside the house after treating inside/out?

Thanks!

Whenever we've had our house treated, it has lasted for years. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Anyway, once every several years has done it for us....so rarely that I don't recall how much we pay each time.