IPM Education
IPM: What Integrated Pest Management Actually Means
Published 2/1/2026 · 5 min read
"IPM" gets thrown around a lot. Here's what it actually looks like on a real service visit.
The five pillars
1) Inspection — always first. 2) Sanitation — remove the food, water, and shelter. 3) Exclusion — mechanical barriers to entry. 4) Monitoring — devices that tell us what's happening between visits. 5) Targeted treatment — only where and when needed, in the least-impact formulation.
What IPM is not
Not "no pesticides" — sometimes chemical control is the right tool. Just always the last one, applied precisely.
Why it works long-term
IPM addresses causes, not symptoms. Homes on IPM programs have less recurring activity year over year, at lower total product cost.