Mr. Meek

Security & Safety

Regular Facility Maintenance Can Discourage Unwanted Guests

By Frank Meek, International Technical & Training Director, Orkin, LLC

For many of us, the start of a New Year means another list of New Year's resolutions. We set goals and start over fresh, pledging to improve ourselves over the next 365 days. Many hoteliers will make their own New Year's resolutions, from "increase business" to "raise the value of our service." But one thing that can spoil the chances of your hotel achieving these goals is pests.

During the winter months, pests can pose a threat as they seek refuge from the harsh outside weather. In fact, some mice will gnaw through holes as small as a dime in search of shelter, food and water. In a recent poll Orkin conducted, 85 percent of regular hotel-goers reported they might never return to an establishment if they saw or heard a mouse. In the summer months, rodent pressure can give way to fly and cockroach infestations, which are also very off-putting to hotel guests.

To prevent these unwanted guests from entering your hotel, make one of your New Year's resolutions "to improve facility maintenance to keep pests out." Facility maintenance is one of the hallmarks of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which employs a variety of non-chemical as well as "traditional" techniques to manage pests. To uphold this resolution, work with your pest management professional to implement the following facility maintenance tips:

Seal off all entry points

Maintenance and housekeeping staffs can take quick and easy steps to reduce the likelihood that pests may access a hotel through windows and doors. Make sure the windows in every suite shut completely and remind staff members to keep doors shut as they are coming and going through storage areas, laundry facilities and the hotel basement. Install door sweeps and weather stripping to block entry along the tops, sides and bottoms of doors.

Don't forget that pests also can enter through tiny openings in the exterior of a facility and can even gnaw around tiny cracks and crevices. Seal any unnecessary openings with a weather-resistant sealant and ask your pest management professional to incorporate copper mesh or steel wool into the sealant to prevent rodents from biting their way through.

Change the air flow

The start of a new year is the time to take proactive measures to guard your facility against warm-weather pests, such as flying insects. Especially in the summer, positive air flow (i.e. air flows out of, not into the building) will also deter pests from checking-in to a hotel. To test the air flow in your facility, hold a lighter near an open door or window. If the flame does not blow toward the outside, work with your pest management and HVAC professionals to make the necessary modifications. Place fans near loading docks or service entrances to make sure pests do not enter through these heavily trafficked areas.

Strategically place lighting

When summer guests try to enjoy the hotel pool or other outside amenities, make sure their experience isn't ruined by flying insects. Since bright light with high ultra violet output attracts flying insects, one of the easiest ways to discourage these pests is with lighting. Replace all fluorescent lights in fixtures or walkway lanterns close to the hotel with sodium vapor lights, which are far less appealing to pests. Strategically place fluorescent lights or mercury vapor lights, which attract insects, at least 100 feet from the facility to draw flies and other annoying pests away from your hotel and areas where they can aggravate guests.

Control vegetation

If decorative trees, bushes and shrubbery surround the exterior of your facility, make sure to monitor them regularly and keep their growth under control. While they're an important part of a hotel's ambience, they also can provide pests with shelter and access to the building. Vegetation should never touch the building. Cut back all foliage and low-hanging branches so they are at least two feet from the facade of the facility and consider installing a gravel strip of quarter-inch pebbles around the exterior of the hotel. This barrier can act as a rocky obstacle to crawling insects and discourage rodents, which do not like being out in the open, from accessing your facility.

When planning your landscaping, work with your pest management and landscaping professionals to choose the vegetation least attractive to pests. For example, opt for the pencil cedar variety of mulch instead of organic, as it retains less moisture and can even act as a repellant to certain types of ants. If possible, avoid flowers, ground-covering plants and any vegetation bearing fruit or nuts, which can draw both crawling and flying insects.

Finally, remember that the plants and trees inside a hotel are just as susceptible to pests as those outside. Consider using artificial plants and trees in the interior to avoid offering a cozy home to pests. Artificial flower arrangements may be a smart choice for table centerpieces in hotel banquet halls, as areas near food are more pest-sensitive. If your hotel has live plants or flowers inside, keep an eye on them to ensure they're not over-watered, which can make them more susceptible to insects.

Say "bye bye" to birdies

Simple maintenance measures can be taken on the hotel roof to control birds, which can annoy guests and cause expensive property damage. Feathers can clog drains and pipes, and droppings corrode metal and defame building exteriors. Review the roof, especially open areas under HVAC units, to ensure birds do not nest in these areas. To prevent bird infestations, talk to your pest management professional about the netting, lining and spike options, all of which can be installed around potential perches and are relatively unnoticeable to guests. If your hotel is undergoing a renovation, consider changing the angle of the roof ledge to 45 degrees or more to prevent birds from roosting.

Keep it clean

Not only will effective sanitation keep your hotel clean (and guests happy), but it will eliminate food, water and harborage for pests. Make sure employees immediately clean up any food and water spills and vacuum the hotel suites regularly to prevent even an accidental crumb from becoming a pest's meal. Taking out trash regularly and keeping storage areas dry are small steps that can go a long way in reducing the chances of an infestation.

As many hotels are known for their fine dining establishments, good sanitation in the kitchen is also imperative. A pest sighting in a restaurant can generate negative word-of-mouth, damaging a hotel's reputation and bottom line. In fact, in a recent poll conducted by Orkin, three out of 10 regular restaurant-goers said they would leave a restaurant and never return if they were to see a cockroach in the building. Work with your pest management professional to ensure that your entire sanitation program - inside and out - supports your IPM efforts.

Keep your resolve

By February, many New Year's resolutions fall by the wayside. To ensure it doesn't happen to you, schedule regular meetings with your pest management professional to review your facility maintenance schedule and consider how it might improve the overall IPM program. This year, make the commitment to deliver quality, service and comfort to your customers and an inhospitable and short stay to pests.

An industry veteran, Frank Meek has been with Orkin since 1986. In 2003, he was named among the future leaders of the pest management industry in Pest Control Technology magazine’s “40 Under 40” ranking. Currently, as the International Technical and Training Director, Mr. Meek provides technical support and training in both sales and service to Orkin's international franchises, helping them grow and develop in their specific markets. As a board-certified entomologist, Mr. Meek teaches Integrated Pest Management principles and can explain how to use all available methodologies to prevent pest infestations in various commercial settings. Mr. Meek can be contacted at 404-888-2898 or fmeek@rollinscorp.com Extended Bio...

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