Pest control is often an afterthought for commercial properties. Instead, we like to construct the building and worry about pests such as rodents, insects and birds once the job is complete. But, we’re here to tell you that thinking about pest control during the construction stages of a build will save you time, money and pain in the future. There are many options to prevent pests, and we’ve curated the best reasons for you to do so: 

Pest proof a building 

Preventing pests from ever gaining access to a building is the number one tip we can give you. It is wise to speak with a professional pest control company to identify ingress points in your building plan and find areas that pests can exploit.  
It would help if you looked at drainage first; pests such as rodents (rats) exploit poor drainage systems. You can purchase different proofing equipment such as a rat flap which prevents rats from running through the drainage but still allows water to flow freely. Other typical ingress points include under doors and through air vents; again, these can all be proofed to prevent pests from using them to enter your building – and trust us, they will! 
It’s recommended that if the new building has bin storage, there are no areas where pests can take advantage. This means securing the lids and ensuring plugs are inserted into the bottom of all bins. 
Once you have identified which pest control products are needed to proof the building, you can contact a pest control supplier like 1env. They provide all the equipment and materials required to prevent pests from ever becoming a problem at your new commercial property.  

Contact a professional pest control company 

There are loads of companies that can help to prevent pests at your commercial building. However, choosing one with all the accreditations required to work at your industry and site is essential. Thankfully, you’ll find a pest expert in every city across the UK.  
We recommend visiting the British Pest Control Association website, which allows you to search for a local pest control company. You’ll want one experienced in rats, mice, squirrels, bugs, insects and birds. They will visit your site and building to identify where pests could take advantage and discuss the recommended solutions that you should implement to help prevent an infestation from ever occurring. 

The financial impact of pests 

There are many reasons to prevent pests from causing damage, reputational damage, health risks and risk of closure. However, the biggest concern you have is the financial impact caused by all these issues.  
Once an infestation is substantial, there is a high chance that the pest problem will be costly to remove. Furthermore, pests such as rats can damage electrical cables and cause fires. Pests such as woodworm and termites can damage the structural foundations, resulting in an infestation removal cost and a cost to repair the damage they have done to the building. 
Other financial impacts can occur when a building gets shut down by environmental health. The council will not allow the business to operate with a pest infestation, especially if the company is a restaurant or food processing business. Having to close a business can seriously impact your ability to work and make money, which makes preventing a pest infestation more critical than ever. 

Impact on Human Health 

If you choose not to prevent pests, you run the risk of causing profound health implications to yourself, your family, or your staff and customers. Pests carry a whole range of diseases transferable to humans and can contaminate the air we breathe with their faecal and urine. 
Other insects such as cockroaches can contaminate food, making customers sick if you’re serving it to them. For this reason, they need to be controlled if they’ve entered your commercial building. 
Cockroaches are known carriers of diseases such as dysentery, diarrhea, cholera and typhoid fever. They walk over all surfaces and spread these diseases to worktops, kitchens and food. 
It would be best to prevent pests at the beginning of your construction build, but sometimes that is not possible. If you already have a pest infestation, search for some pest-proofing products or contact a professional to stop the problem before it escalates.