When people move to the desert from other parts of the country, they’re not familiar with desert critters.

And some don’t really want to get familiar with them.

Sandy Hellems, owner of Fountain Hills-based Premier Pest Management, is there to help keep people’s homes safe from unwanted pests.

From rattlesnakes to scorpions, Premier offers more options than just chemical applications.

“We’re very willing to share information with people,” Hellems said. “The solution isn’t always to grab a can and start spraying.

“There should be careful consideration on the treatment approach and how to do it responsibly.”

Premier provides home sealing services as well as screening around people’s backyards to keep rattlesnakes out.

For rattlesnake prevention, they attach hardware cloth screen to the base of wrought iron fences and screen drain blocks and gate bottoms. This approach prevents rattlesnakes from getting to rear yards.

Other pests in the yard that can do damage are pack rats.

Sometimes yard debris provides a habitat for them. Simple cleanup around the yard helps get rid of the rodents.

For Hellems most of the solutions lie in just helping people understand the animals of the desert and how they live.

While scorpions and rattlesnakes don’t do much damage to the home, one insect that does is the termite.

Though there are numerous products to fight against termites, where Hellems says Premier Pest Management stands out is once again their service.

The conditions that support termites in the Arizona desert are perfect: very low water tables and no frost give subterranean termites lots of space to forage. In addition, the termite’s favorite food is dead roots and the scrubby desert provides a plentiful food source. Many homes are built right on top of scraped away bushes and trees with roots still in the soil.

Because of these conditions, it suggests that every home should have termite protection. Hellems said termite treatment doesn’t have to be awful.

“Safer, innovative products like Termidor and Premise have replaced old fashioned, toxic, smelly chemicals,” she said. “These products can affect the whole colony, not just the termites foraging around your home.”

She said the products provide a more effective treatment, which means fewer re-treats and fewer inconveniences.

Hellems said chemicals alone don’t make for great termite service. Proper application is necessary to make sure the right amount of material is used. And when the chemical application is complete the real work has just begun.

‘What separates termite companies, in our opinion, is their finish work and customer service,” Hellems said. “A customer’s home should be treated respectfully from making sure our boots are clean to putting everything back where it belongs.

“I cringe when I see a gray lumpy patch on the foundation of a beautiful home. It says to me the termite company doesn’t care. At Premier, we take extra pride in color matching and texture finishing each drill hole, so it looks good as new.”

Premier provides written and guaranteed proposals for both their pest control services.

Eric Huber is operations manager for Premier Pest Control. With more than 15 years experience, Huber spends the majority of his time in the field working with customers.

Premier Pest Control, Inc., is a Fountain Hills-based business located at 13229 N. Verde River Drive, Suite 101. Call (480) 816-9388 for information or to schedule an appointment.