Pacaltsdorp is one of the oldest settlements in the area and one of the fastest-changing. Old homes, new developments and busy family streets each bring their own pest problems, and we're a few minutes away in George.
For most Pacaltsdorp homes, the pests that cause real trouble are rats and mice, German cockroaches in kitchens, ants coming in after rain, fleas carried in by pets and termites working quietly in older timber. We treat all of them, inside and out, from our base in George. Nobody has to move out or unpack the cupboards for an ordinary treatment, what we use is safe for children and pets after it dries, and the work comes with our 3-month guarantee.
A town with two kinds of houses
Pacaltsdorp started as a mission station in the early 1800s, long before most of George's suburbs existed, and some of its older streets still have houses with thick walls, timber roofs and gardens that have been growing for generations. Around them, newer housing has spread out towards the coast road and the edge of town, with smaller plots and houses close together.
Those two kinds of houses get different pests. Older homes with timber roofs, wooden door frames and established trees are where we find subterranean termites and roof rats. Newer homes built close together share problems with their neighbours: when cockroaches or mice are in one house, they often move through to the next, and treating one house in a row without the others gives short-lived results.
The pests Pacaltsdorp homes deal with
Rats and mice
Rodents are a common problem on George's southern side. Rats come in from open veld, drainage lines and the backs of properties where rubbish or building rubble has piled up. Mice move in from outside when the weather cools. You'll hear them first, then find droppings in the kitchen drawers. Our rodent control treatment uses tamper-resistant bait stations, traps where they're better suited, and a walk around the house to find how they're getting in.
Cockroaches
Small brown German cockroaches breed behind fridges and stoves and spread between homes in groceries and boxes. Big American cockroaches come up from drains. They need different treatments: gel bait placed in the kitchen for the first, drains and entry points for the second. See cockroach control.
Ants
After rain, trails of small brown ants come into kitchens and bathrooms. Spraying the trail makes them split into more nests. Bait that the workers carry home is what clears the colony.
Fleas and ticks
Many Pacaltsdorp families keep dogs, and fleas and brown dog ticks build up in yards, kennels and the house. The pets need a vet's treatment, and the yard and house need treating the same week. Our flea and tick control page explains how.
Termites
If you live in one of the older houses, keep an eye out for mud tubes on walls and hollow-sounding skirtings. Building a new house or an extension? Ask your builder about soil poisoning before the slab is cast. It's much easier than treating later.
How a visit works
We start by looking. Where are the pests coming from, where are they living, and what's feeding them? That takes a few minutes in a small house and longer in a big one, but it's what makes the treatment work. Then we treat with the right method for the pest: gel baits, ant baits, odourless residual sprays, bait stations or a barrier treatment. Before we leave, we tell you what to change at home, like moving the woodpile or fixing the gap under the kitchen door, and what to expect in the next few weeks.
Renting out a room or a flat?
Plenty of Pacaltsdorp homes have a back room, a flat or a cottage that's let out. Pests travel between the main house and the rental, so it's worth treating both at the same time. For landlords with several units, we can set up regular visits.
Small businesses
Spaza shops, takeaways, hair salons and small workshops all have their own pest risks: food, warmth and deliveries arriving every day. A shop selling food needs cockroaches and rodents under control to stay on the right side of the health inspector. Our commercial pest control contracts are sized to the business, including small ones.
If you run a crèche or an aftercare from home, ask about timing: we can treat on a weekend or after hours so the children aren't around while it dries.
Older houses here sometimes still have suspended timber floors, and the space underneath is worth checking for termite tubes and rodent nests.
What it costs
The pest, the size of the property and how long the problem has had to build up all count, as does whether a second visit is called for. A couple of mice in a kitchen is a small job. Rats in a roof or cockroaches spread through a whole house take longer. We quote before we start, and there are no surprises on the day.
We also work in George itself, in Thembalethu and out towards Herolds Bay. Pacaltsdorp residents can call 044 012 5011, or book through the website.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pacaltsdorp part of your George area?
It is. Pacaltsdorp sits on George's southern edge, and we treat homes, rented rooms and small businesses there.
Do I need to clear out the kitchen cupboards first?
No. For a normal cockroach or ant treatment you can leave the cupboards as they are and stay at home. Once the treated areas are dry, the kids and pets can go back in.
The cockroaches seem to come from the house next door. What can we do?
Where houses share walls, German cockroaches travel between them in the cracks and in shopping bags. If you and your neighbour book on the same day, neither house reinfests the other.
We're adding a room onto the house. Should the soil be treated?
Yes, before the slab goes down. Soil poisoning at that stage protects the new room from subterranean termites, and it's far easier than treating once the floor's in.
I rent out a flat behind the house. Should it be treated too?
Treat both together. Mice and cockroaches move freely between a main house and a back flat, so doing only one leaves them somewhere to wait.
Do you look for where the rats are getting in?
Yes. Along with bait stations outside and in the roof, we show you the gaps and openings they're using so you can close them.