Expertise: Pest Control
Craig Sansig, ACE, technical services manager

Most people think summer is the peak season for bugs and other pests, but that's not entirely accurate. "The danger is really when you don't see them around outside anymore. We see an explosion of calls in September and October when the temperatures dip and insects are looking for a place to stay warm," says Craig Sansig, ACE, technical services manager for Viking Pest Control. The most common pests that may find their way into homes in the fall include ladybugs, stink bugs, spider crickets, ground beetles, cluster flies, mice, rats and even yellow jackets, which can bore through sheetrock to get inside a home, he warns.

For this variety of potential intruders, homeowners need to rely on a company that knows the ins and outs of pest control. In 1980, Viking Pest Control began with one man, and now has more than 200 technicians serving five states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and New York. "We focus only on pest management. We specialize in several aspects of pest control—wood- destroying insects, yard pests, vector species—and we offer services for households and commercial businesses," says Sansig.

We spoke with Sansig about how Viking Pest Control can protect homes and why its methods are the most effective.

What do you look for when inspecting a home?
One of the biggest things we need to do is inspect the exterior, looking for penetration or small gaps. Mice only need a ¼-inch opening and rats a ½-inch to fit through. We look around plumbing, electrical, gas lines and gas meters, HVAC, around corner studs, under vinyl siding and around the concrete by the garage doors—all places these pests can take advantage of and we want to make sure are sealed.

Where are some other spots that might harbor insects?
We'll look for leaf litter around the shrubbery trunks. Leaves can harbor insects and mice, and decaying matter is a food source for small insects which in turn attract larger insects like spiders and centipedes. Gutter cleaning is also a piece of pest control we do because it is critical to reduce water sources for insects, mice and rats, not to mention mosquitoes.

What products or methods do you use to treat and seal a home?
Once we have determined the root cause of the issue, we want to solve it long term. Our approach is integrated pest management (IPM). It doesn't mean we won't use pesticides, but it's not the sole measure. We use the environment against the pest. Insects aren't able to adapt, so we'll take away their shelter and food sources. Sometimes it's getting the customer to address moisture issues or depending on the pest, we can seal openings with copper steel wool, which doesn't stain, shrink or fall out. Expanding foam that is often used by homeowners and found at the store is not as viable and rodents can chew through it—plus it looks unsightly.

How safe are the products you use?
Most people don't realize that a majority of pest control products have a lower risk factor for toxicity than most cleaning products used around the home. Product selection is very important to us. We use what will have the lowest environmental
impact, best efficacy and best safety record for the public. No two houses are the same. The home's design, age, materials utilized, build quality and nearby habitats like aquatic and wooded areas have a big impact and require differing approaches to treatment. Pets, koi ponds and vegetable gardens will each change the way a particular pest concern is addressed as well. What separates us from someone buying these products at the store or using other companies is the training. We know the biology of these pests and how to use it against them.

Viking Pest Control
Viking Pest is a full-service pest control company that has been providing pest control for residential homes and businesses since 1980. For more information about their services, visit VikingPest.com or call their 24/7 care center at (848) 251-0751.

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 22, Issue 1 (October 2021). 
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