Although Integrated Pest Management (IPM) involves environmentally friendly practices for controlling pests after a home is occupied, builders can educate their buyers about this strategy.

IPM focuses on knowing the pest in order to prevent pests from getting out of control. IPM is safer because non-chemical methods are the first line of defense. If chemicals must be used, always choose less hazardous products. Be sure to read warning labels before using any chemical products. The following steps can be used to eliminate pests safely:

Step One: Find out what kind of pests you have and where they are coming from. Each pest has different habits so it's important to "know your enemy!" For rodents and roaches, sticky traps can tell you what and where they are.

Step Two: All pests look for food, water, and shelter. If you understand what they want, you can take it away. This is the most important step in IPM and prevention!

• Keep living areas clean and uncluttered.
• Put food in tightly sealed containers.
• Keep trash in a closed container.
• Fix plumbing or water leaks.
• Seal entry points such as gaps in walls, pipes, pavement, and other surfaces using caulking, steel wool, or other pest-proof materials.

Step Three: Use traps and baits first, along with less-toxic dusts such as boric acid.

• Put the bait close to the pest's hiding place.
• Do not spray any pesticides. This will keep the pests away from the bait.
• Choose and use chemicals very carefully!
• Read the label - it has valuable information on proper use.

Step Four: Continue monitoring with appropriate methods to track progress or the need for further steps such as bait rotation, treatment of adjacent units, etc. Ongoing monitoring is one of the most important steps in effective pest management.