Mr. Meek

Security & Safety

Build Pests Out of Your Hotel: Incorporate Pest Management into Your Next Redesign

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

As travel increases along with the improving economy, hoteliers might consider making design changes to attract more guests. Customers not only look for the most affordable option, but also for a place that can provide all the comforts of home. Remodeling is a common practice for hospitality establishments looking to increase business.

Hotel renovations often focus on guest-pleasing amenities, new design considerations or technologically advanced upgrades. While these will certainly draw more clientele, you want to attract the right customers. Renovations can appeal to another type of guests entirely – pests.

But, there’s good news: Pest management doesn’t have to wait until your hotel is up and running. You can start preventing pests beginning at preliminary stages. With so many details to monitor during a renovation, it’s important to not let pest control slip through the cracks; otherwise, you’ll have pests coming through the cracks at your hotel.

While the ground breaking on your new construction signals a step in the right direction toward customer satisfaction, pests are anything but pleased when construction disturbs their natural habitat and displaces them from their homes. Where will they go? Often into your hotel or building materials in search of shelter, meaning you can literally build pests into a future guest room. If undetected, these infestations can cause expensive structural damage down the road.

To prevent pests from making themselves at home on your construction site, consult with your contractor about establishing an on-site Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. IPM utilizes proactive measures to prevent pests from accessing the attractants they need for survival. Food, water and shelter all entice pests, and many of these items can easily be found while renovating.

Take a proactive approach to pest management during your next hotel renovation to ensure you attract paying customers and not uninvited guests.

The Blueprint

Without a blueprint, your contractor has no way of knowing the necessary steps of the building process. Similarly, investing in pest management prior to ground breaking can determine if pests will be a potential problem. Contact a licensed pest management professional to survey your site and review your construction plans. He might suggest some of the following steps to prevent pests from checking into your hotel in the future:

• Set out monitors to assess pest populations in the area. Once you know what kinds of pest species frequent the site and identify their habits, you can take the appropriate steps to reduce pest activity.
• Sufficiently grade the property to eliminate the formation of puddles around the foundation. Moisture attracts pests like mosquitoes and termites.
• Choose non-cellulose building materials to deter termites, especially in areas of the country where termites are most active. A pest management professional can provide the proper recommendations and guidance.
• Plan to start construction during the driest season, if possible, and cover up all building supplies at the close of each workday to shelter them from the weather. Pests often infest wet building materials, and insects can feed on the fungus that accumulates on wet wood.

Common Pest Sighting: Ant populations increase in wet conditions and can quickly become a nuisance on the construction site with colonies numbering in the millions. Keep moisture out of the construction area and monitor for these pests after heavy rain.

Breaking Ground

Once the building process begins, continue to work with your pest management provider on recommendations for preventing pests around the construction site.

• Keep the area as clean as possible to deter pests attracted by food and odors. Ask workers to appropriately dispose of food wrappers, drink cans, and even cigarette butts, which can attract stored product pests.
• Instead of mercury vapor or fluorescent lights, install sodium vapor lights, which are less attractive to flying pests in outside areas.
• Install baits around the exterior of your property to keep fleeing pests from seeking residence in neighboring buildings.
• Inspect the foundation before anything goes up. Seal any cracks and crevices. Some pests need less than a millimeter to access a building, and mice can squeeze through holes the size of a dime.

Common Pest Sighting: Cockroaches can carry disease-causing bacteria, such as E. Coli and Salmonella, and shed pathogens onto surfaces they travel across. Keep a clean construction site to prevent cockroaches from making an unwanted appearance.

A Lasting Foundation

Once the renovations are complete, continue to implement your IPM program throughout the new areas of the hotel. The preventive work you did can help ensure a clean start once operations resume. Facility maintenance and even landscaping play a role in preventing pests. Work with your pest management professional to incorporate the following measures:

• Install a double set of automatic sliding doors in frequently accessed entryways to provide an extra barrier for pests trying to fly or crawl through entrances.
• Use plastic strip doors in loading dock entrances that are kept open for long periods of time.
• Work with an HVAC professional to create positive airflow in the building – air that flows out the door, rather than in. When doors open, air should push flying insects out and not suck them into your building.
• For further protection, create an air current that flying insects won’t be able to cross with an air curtain. Install fans opposite each other that point down and out the door.
• Ensure all doors and windows are flush against frames and install weather stripping so smaller pests cannot squeeze their way into your building.
• Install a two-foot gravel strip around the building. Rodents do not like to be out in the open so this will provide a no-cover zone. Also, the gravel creates a rough terrain for insects to traverse.
• Keep plants at least two feet away from the building as they can promote excessive moisture and hide pest activity. Branches that touch the side of the building can create a bridge for pests into your hotel.
• Avoid fruit-bearing trees that attract flies, yellow jackets and pest birds. Position flowering plants away from places guests frequent such as doorways, sidewalks, patios and pool areas.

Common Pest Sighting: Birds, such as starlings, sparrows and pigeons can carry viruses that cause harmful diseases. The acidity of their droppings can erode metal structures, causing damage to your building. Talk to your pest management provider about common bird repellants and exclusion techniques.

The Grand Opening

Once renovations are complete, take one final step to ensure the work you did doesn’t fall by the wayside. Bring the hotel manager up to speed on the pest management measures taken throughout the building process. Work together with your pest management professional, who will now be familiar with the property and the possible pest threats for the area. Reputable providers will conduct training sessions for your staff to get everyone on board with pest prevention.

Common Pest Sighting: Rodents can gnaw through walls to get into your hotel and once inside can gnaw on electrical wiring, mistaking it for tree roots and posing a fire hazard. Incorporate steel mesh into sealant so mice and rats cannot gnaw through.

While aesthetics are an important part of hotel renovations, pest management can be a defining factor that affects operations down the road. Guests who experience pest sightings are tough critics, and with so many other hotel options, they don’t need to return to your hotel after a bad experience. Make sure you have the proper plans in place during renovations to keep current customers comfortable, but pests out of the picture. The time and money you invest in your remodel should be well spent on customer satisfaction – not reactive pest control.

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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