School Facility Maintenance to Prevent Pest Problems

rat

PHOTO COURTESY OF TERMINIX

It can be challenging to keep up with the many maintenance needs of unique spaces such as schools—especially during the busy fall season as children return to the classroom. The steady stream of foot traffic from students, teachers, and parents entering and exiting a facility increases the possibility that pests may enter undetected. Furthermore, these facilities are often limited by state and local regulations regarding chemical control methods that can be used on or in the structure. Fortunately, there are several simple preventive maintenance tactics that facility managers can implement this fall to reduce the likelihood that pests will enter the building.

A key strategy that school facility maintenance professionals should familiarize themselves with is exclusion, which is part of a proactive pest management approach focused on keeping pests out in the first place.

What pests can exclusion strategies help prevent?

Declining fall temperatures often motivate a variety of pests to seek shelter indoors. These include overwintering pests, such as multicolored Asian lady beetles, cluster flies, and brown marmorated stink bugs, that seek shelter where temperatures are warmer. These pests do not eat or mate during cooler months, and wait for spring to find a mate and start the next generation. Rodents, such as mice and rats, may also attempt to enter a structure when temperatures drop. Unlike the overwintering pests, they will search for food and water, and reproduce inside the structure.

What steps should I take?

Routinely inspect the exterior and interior structure to help locate areas that need to be repaired—including any opening wide enough to allow light through. Problem areas may include openings around utility penetrations, insufficient drainage, and leaky pipes, gaskets, or hoses. These areas should be sealed with an appropriate barrier, such as caulk, tin, or other materials. Staff should check the fit of windows and doors (including both man and overhead), and install door sweeps on any exterior entry door or passage into a sensitive interior space, such as a cafeteria, kitchen, or laboratory.

In addition, keep a thorough log of observed pest activity outside, on, and near the structure. This information may provide important clues in the event of a pest infestation. Encourage all relevant team members to contribute, and share the log with your pest management provider.

What limitations should I be aware of?

Exclusion strategies can help reduce pests from entering the structure and complement a general pest management program that addresses pests already inside. It is important to address any pest populations already inside the building because exclusion work will not mitigate an active infestation. For example, rodents may come and go from the structure. This means that if you seal their entry point, they may simply move to another area of your facility.

In addition, exclusion cannot prevent all pest problems. Some pests, such as bed bugs and German cockroaches, can be brought in on backpacks, jackets, and delivery packages. This means that their presence is not necessarily indicative of a gap in your facility’s exterior.

Perhaps most importantly, know when it’s time to call in a professional. If you suspect pests are in your facility, reach out to your pest management provider for an inspection as soon as possible. They are trained to conduct a thorough inspection and, if necessary, recommend an appropriate treatment for your facility.

By implementing these simple exclusion tips and understanding how they complement a broader pest management plan, you can help reduce the likelihood of a pest infestation this fall.

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management October 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Angela Tucker, Ph.D., is an expert in entomology with leading commercial pest management provider, Terminix, based in Memphis, Tenn.

Featured

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • ProTeam Launches GoFit 6 HEPA Backpack Vacuum

    Technology leader Emerson recently introduced the new ProTeam GoFit 6 HEPA backpack vacuum, according to a news release. The vacuum was designed to capture 99.97% of particulates down to 0.3 microns—including atmospheric hazards like lead dust, mold spores, and other particulates—through an advanced filtration system.

  • California High School Starts Construction on New CTE Building

    Analy High School, part of the West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Career Technical Education (CTE) Building, according to a news release. The 15,000-square-foot facility will offer specialized facilities for students in engineering, welding, culinary arts, agricultural sciences, and design thinking.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Introduces Claude for Education

    Anthropic has launched a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

Digital Edition