Occasionally pests need to be eradicated from residential houses. This does not mean the house in question is unkept or unhygienic. Any home can have uninvited guests, although the cleaner the house - the easier pests are to control once they are in. All the pests that are managed in industry can also be controlled in residential treatments. The product or method used may need to be adjusted to suit a home environment.

A short list of the main domestic pests causing problems in Auckland households is as follows: flies, fleas, spiders, ants, cockroaches, stored product pests (weevil, pantry moth etc), rats, mice, feral cats, bed bugs, carpet beetle and wood borer. This is by no means exhaustive.

There are two important considerations in domestic pest treatments that may vary from industrial treatments.

Firstly the consideration of a home environment. Products must be used that people can then return to and live, eat and sleep safely after a treatment. This must take into consideration children and pets of all sizes also. Softer products can be chosen and combined with other safer treatments.

Secondly the treatment must still remain effective enough to work and be worthy of a suitable warranty. If the treatment is made so safe it also becomes safe for the pests - not much progress will be made.

An industrial solution is not always the best solution. There is a common idea that the best solution is to just fumigate. This may work in some situations but bear in mind that if a cockroach (or whatever pest) steps out while you are fumigating. It can step right back in again afterwards once the fumes are gone. Often a residual spray of a softer product will do more.

It is a good idea to check out the qualifications of the pest controller you choose to trust in your house. There are a small number of pest control associations in New Zealand that require a certain level of qualifications, references etc to be a part. If your technician can show you registration with an org such as PMANZ, it in part shows you are dealing with someone qualified and with enough experience to be nominated for registration into a recognised pest control association.