Targeting Vehicle Storage Pest Control: What You Need to Know

By The Storage Group

You put your heart and soul into your company. You show up every day to operate your business. You are putting out fires by placating unhappy tenants, attending to sales calls, selling supplies, and chasing down late payments. The last thing on your mind is pest control. But in your industry, pest control is a must. Self-storage is an enticing environment for critters and creepy crawlies: It’s dark, filled with goodies, and sits undisturbed for long periods. It’s no wonder it’s a pest paradise. 

Ask What Your Tenants Can Do For You

There are steps your tenants can take to prevent an infestation before it becomes a problem. And prevention is going to be your best option. You are not shrugging off the responsibility of pest control to your tenants. However, a few simple steps can go a long way in nipping the problem in the bud before things get out of hand.

You may have these points already listed in the leases for your tenants, but a little reminder every once in a while won’t hurt anyone. Encourage your tenants to follow the rules below:

• Avoid storing any perishables or food of any kind.
• Use plastic, airtight containers with lids.
• Keep items off the ground using pallets or boards.
• Use simple preventative measures such as using moth balls and bug traps.
• Wrap cloth items such as furniture and mattresses with blankets or covers.
• Inspect for any signs of current pest damage and report it to management.

And Also Ask What You Can Do For Your Tenants

As a vehicle facility owner, there are some responsibilities that you have in operating your business. Even though the nature of the business attracts vermin and there is no way to avoid this, there are still measures you can take to prevent the inevitable from becoming overwhelming.

Prevent

• Keep your units airtight with weather stripping and caulk to keep moisture from entering. 
• Ensure the sealing of cracks and holes.
• Fill gaps. 
• Take into account the layout of your facility and make sure that there is proper drainage to prevent stagnant water and the hazards that come with that.
• Have a dedicated trash disposal that is regularly maintained.

Inspect

• Has the property been inspected by pest control professionals to establish records of problem pests and other recurring problems? 
• Inspect the property yourself as well to take note of what sort of pest control methods are working and which ones need to be rethought.

Treat

• Have your facility professionally treated regularly. 
• Treatment should include the spraying of chemicals that are effective against pests. 
• Professional exterminators should also set out bug and vermin traps, to catch some of the bigger creatures.

Maintain

• Maintaining the cleanliness of your facility is a must when treating pest control. 
• Maintaining a regular pest treatment schedule will be more effective at preventing an infestation. 
• Monitor your facility regularly to take note of problem pests.

Getting your pest problems under control is a team effort. Not only are your tenants going to have to follow some rules and procedures to prevent vermin and critters from taking over, but you as a vehicle storage facility owner are liable to have to adapt to some changes as well. Pests are attracted to your business by nature, and so you have to stay on top of them to protect your tenants’ belongings and the reputation of your facility.

The Storage Group has a team of experts specializing in the self storage industry that offers  digital marketing services as well as innovative software solutions. The Storage Group provides self storage business owners with industry-leading marketing campaigns and online technology tools to improve their facilities’ online presence, drive higher conversion rates, and increase revenue

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