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Building Out Pests: Part One of a Three Part Series   

Preventing pest problems begins with designing, maintaining and operating buildings and grounds to reduce food, water and harborage. This month's article features tips on how to effectively pest-proof foundations, architectural elements and roofing for new construction as well as existing school buildings.

From the Ground Up

Neglected or poorly constructed building foundations provide an ideal entry point for pests. Regular visual inspections are critical. Dr. Michael Merchant, professor and extension urban entomologist at Texas AgriLife Extension Service, advises, "You always want to have clearance, or a field of vision, around the foundation of a building." Not only does this allow for easier access for inspections, it also denies pests access to concealed travelways and entry points.  

Vegetation grows! Be sure to have trimming vegetation back from buildings on your preventive maintenance schedule.

Avoid using wood within 18 inches of soil to reduce the potential for termite infestation. Sewell Simmons reports, "The only sure prevention of termite problems is the use of building materials other than materials they thrive on and enjoy consuming." (See "Pest Prevention Construction Guidelines and Practices" in the Journal of School Business Management.) Additionally, all materials that contain cellulose including wood scraps, vegetation, stumps and dead roots should be removed from areas under and around the foundation of all buildings. According to Dr. Chris Geiger, municipal toxics reduction coordinator for the San Francisco Department of the Environment, chemical treatments that are put down under the foundation to deter termites generally only last a few years, so they're not a good long-term prevention method. It's also difficult to treat every inch of dirt. Any gaps permit termites to bypass the treatment. Instead, consider solutions such as a layer of sand or other physical barriers such as metal shields under the slab which keep termites out and provide a moisture barrier.

A variety of materials are available to seal foundation cracks and holes, which are common pest access points. Stainless steel batting can be cut to size and stuffed into gaps to block pests. Concrete, expanding foams and caulks are other options for sealing gaps and cracks left by poor construction practices and deterioration. It's critically important to choose the best material for the job at hand. For great information on selecting the right product, see Bobby Corrigan's "Recommendations for Selecting and Using Caulks and Sealants in Pest Management Operations."

An Ounce of Prevention

Pest-proofing building designs, as well as conducting regular inspections for pest-friendly deterioration, is a sure recipe for avoiding pest management headaches down the road. Dr. Geiger points out, "Pest management and especially pest prevention is one of the big gaping holes in green building certification programs and building design in general. Just a few carefully chosen design tactics can reduce the need for pesticide use significantly over the life of the building."

For example, bird-proofing after the fact can be prohibitively expensive. Consulting a pest management professional with bird expertise before finalizing designs can be well worth the investment. Facades with fancy detail can provide birds with roosts and perches for nest building. If eliminating ledges from the design isn't an option, Dr. Merchant suggests putting the ledges at a steep angle, at least 45 degrees, which will have the same aesthetic value as traditional ledge angles but will deter bird roosting. Ledges should also be shallow rather than deep, and nooks and crannies should be avoided to eliminate sources of shelter for nesting birds. Dr. Merchant points out that "someone's idea of what might be pretty isn't necessarily a good decision from a pest management perspective."

Make sure gaps like these between the siding and roof trim are sealed so bats don't make themselves at home in your school. Photo courtesy of Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Three Texas School Districts Become IPM STAR Certified  

Three school districts in Texas - Klein Independent School District (ISD), Katy ISD and Spring ISD - earned IPM STAR Certification this fall. IPM STAR Certification is a nationally recognized program that evaluates school systems and childcare centers on a rigorous 37-point IPM inspection.

Klein ISD encompasses 45,000 students in 39 schools. Education is a large part of the IPM program at Klein ISD. IPM staff focuses on educating teachers and school personnel about why pest problems occur and what they can do to help. Klein is also committed to reducing their pesticide usage by choosing non-chemical pest management approaches before considering the use of pesticide products. According to Louis Currie, certified applicator for Klein ISD, "if we can solve a problem without chemicals, we'll do it. Sometimes, the only tools we need are a fly swatter and soapy water."

Katy ISD includes 62,000 students and 7,655 staff in 52 schools and nine supporting facilities. Sandy Scott, head custodian for the Katy ISD administrative offices and multi-purpose arena comments, "Due to the continued monitoring and evaluating, the IPM system in place at Katy ISD keeps everyone working in a clean and safe environment." This kind of commitment to IPM is important to the school district because, according to Ms. Scott, "Our district is located in both a rural and a suburban area that has the potential for many types of environmental concerns," such as cockroaches and rodents. Their IPM team also provides mentoring and educational opportunities to other Texas school districts that are interested in implementing IPM.

Spring ISD serves 36,000 students in 36 schools, and has transitioned from a reactive mode of pest management to a more proactive approach through IPM, which relies on sanitation, exclusion and monitoring as the first line of defense. C.G. Cezeaux, IPM coordinator for Spring ISD, reports that his team "looks for a non-chemical solution first because that's what we want for the long term." In accordance with Texas law, Spring ISD places the pesticide products they use into three categories, red, yellow and green, with red including the most toxic products and green the least. Since implementing IPM, they have reduced their use of red category pesticides from 20% of their total pesticide use to zero.

These three districts join Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD and Plano ISD as IPM STAR Certified districts in Texas. IPM STAR Certification is presented by the IPM Institute of North America in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program. The program has been introduced to Texas schools with the support and assistance of the Southwest Technical Resource Center and Texas AgriLife Extension Service.