Pest Control in Fort Pierce

Fort Pierce has many older wood frame homes and houses on raised floors, which termites and rodents find easier to get into than a modern block house.

County: St. Lucie County
Permits: Usually the City of Fort Pierce for addresses inside city limits, and St. Lucie County for unincorporated areas. Confirm for your address.

In the neighborhoods around downtown and along the river, many homes were built from the 1920s through the 1960s, some in wood frame with crawlspaces under the floor. That construction gives termites more wood to eat and rodents more places to hide. Add the lagoon, mangroves and Taylor Creek, and the mix of pests here is different from a newer inland suburb.

Termites and wood frame homes

Drywood termites live inside the wood they eat, so in a frame house they can be in walls, floors and trim, not just the attic. Signs include small piles of pellets, blistered paint on wood, and spring swarms around lights. When an infestation is spread through the structure, tent fumigation is often the treatment, and on narrow older lots that means planning around neighbors, plants and pets. Spot treatments may be enough for small, contained areas. Ask the business to explain why they recommend one or the other.

Subterranean termites come up from the soil. In homes on piers, they can build mud tubes up the supports, which you can sometimes see from the crawlspace.

Crawlspaces and rodents

Raised floor homes often have vents and gaps where rats and other animals get under the house. Droppings, chewed wiring and smells coming through the floor are signs. Exclusion, meaning sealing entry points and repairing vents, matters more than bait. Chewed wiring is also an electrical concern, see electrical work in Fort Pierce. Moisture under the floor brings roaches and can lead to mold, see mold help in Fort Pierce.

Near the water

Homes near the Indian River Lagoon, the mangroves and Taylor Creek get no see ums and mosquitoes, especially at dusk and after high tides and rain. St. Lucie County runs mosquito control for the area. In Hutchinson Island condos, the association usually contracts pest control for common areas, so check what's covered before hiring for your unit.

Licensing

Pest control businesses in Florida are licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Look them up at fdacs.gov. General information is on the pest control page, and the city overview is on the Fort Pierce area page.

Check before you hirePest control in Florida is licensed by FDACS, not the contractor board. Check the business license at fdacs.gov and ask for proof of insurance.

Pest control questions in Fort Pierce

Does my older Fort Pierce house need to be tented for termites?

Not always. Tent fumigation is often recommended when drywood termites are spread through a frame house, because it reaches wood inside walls. Small, contained infestations may respond to spot treatment. Ask the pest control business to show you the evidence and explain why they recommend one method, and get the plan in writing.

How do I keep rats out from under my raised floor house?

Seal entry points. Many older Fort Pierce homes have open or broken crawlspace vents, gaps around pipes and loose skirting. A pest control business can trap the animals already there and then close the openings with sturdy screening. Removing debris under the house and keeping firewood and clutter away from the foundation also helps.

What can I do about no see ums near the lagoon in Fort Pierce?

They breed in wet, salty soil near mangroves and marsh, so homes close to the lagoon and Taylor Creek see more of them. Fine mesh screens, fans on porches and avoiding dusk outdoors help most. St. Lucie County runs mosquito control for the area, and some pest businesses offer yard treatments, but results vary.

Is pest control in my Hutchinson Island condo the association's job?

For common areas and building treatments, usually yes. Many associations contract pest control and schedule unit treatments too. If you have a problem only in your unit, ask management what's covered before hiring someone, and whether outside contractors need building approval to enter.

For the general guide, see Pest control on the Treasure Coast. For more about the town, see Fort Pierce.

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