Restaurant pest infestation is a commercial nightmare. Not only will your business have to pay for inspection and removal but you could lose a lot of business in the days it takes to restore order. You might even take an irrevocable hit to your reputation.
Both you and your staff need to know the signs your restaurant has a pest problem before your customers or the food inspectors do!. If they are spotted, get professional help immediately.
It is correct that a thermal camera will find termites, but only if there is a full colony hiding in your walls.
A thermal detector only detects differences in temperature, and thus will need a large group of termites with the minimum mass being the size of a basketball to detect them with a thermal camera.
A large group of termites will often show other signs that they are hiding in a wall by putting flight holes into a wall where they will fly from.
They will also mud up or barricade any holes or breaches in a wall and these signs are very obvious even to the general public who know nothing about termites.
Even the cleanest, most hygienic eateries can fall victim to rodents, ants or cockroaches. Be sure to train your staff to notice these signs:
First: Why Are Mice and Rats in Your Restaurant?
Sometimes things just happen and you are the unlucky restaurant that gets hit with a rat problem. But usually, there is a good reason for an infestation. Pests like rats and mice are attracted to food, and they will sniff it out if you don’t store things right. If your kitchen doesn’t store food properly and leaves it hanging around overnight, you are asking for trouble. Make sure to follow code closely.
The Signs of Commercial Pest Infestation
Contaminated or Disturbed Food
Normally, when you leave for the night, everything stays right in its place—except when you have mice or rats. If your sacks of grain or rice have unexplained tears or even bite marks, that should raise major red flags. Also, if food is mysteriously strewn about like you had a food fight before closing up, you should contact an exterminator immediately.
Droppings
Larger animals like rats will leave traces of their presence all around. Droppings are easy to spot and so are urine trails. These are the quintessential signs that something is up to mischief inside. Instruct staff to keep their eyes peeled for signs of animal droppings. Of course, if you’ve got smaller pests, then you won’t be able to notice anything with the naked eye. You’ll need an exterminator.
Nests
Mice, rats and even birds can and will make nests in your home if you let them. If you’ve got a hunch that you have an intruder, be sure to check the entire place. Check under furniture, in dark corners, under the fridge, in the walls and around windows. Everywhere. When it’s quiet, you might even hear scurrying around. Try to make a raucous and scare the animals if you can. Tip: Wait until the restaurant is closed for the evening before searching!
Structural Damage
Are you noticing unexplained damage to your building such as bite marks or holes gnawed into the walls? If so, contact pest control immediately. Check the walls, tables, chairs and wires around your place. Don’t forget to check the deck, too.
A pest problem isn’t the end of the world, and it’s possible to have the whole problem fixed without any of your customers knowing (or telling their friends). If you handle your pest problems right away, you can easily stay in business. If you spot any of these signs that your restaurant has a pest problem, contact a professional immediately. One with knowledge of the restaurant industry can easily devise a plan for removing the animals while making sure nobody knows about it.
Contact Jims Pest Control today to get your business checked now!
Call us now is on 13 15 46 and we’ll work with you to control your pest problem
