[dre@ms]

Originally Posted by carboy

Engineer? What kind?

Anyway, has anyone tried this - http://www.godrejhit.com/antiroachgel/index.php

I don't have a major problem - just few cockroaches here and there.

Engineer, as termed by PCI. He is basically an assessor. Mine is not the regular cockroach. These are called German Cockroaches.
I can find all these in my house.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by dre@ms

Quick update on my insect war in the Kitchen. ...

I must have missed earlier post[s].

The easiest way for cockroaches to enter homes is through drain pipes. Make sure your drains have traps, and that they are filled with water. Even cockroaches cannot pass the water traps.

My infestation this year is mosquitoes. True of every year, but this year we have them in clouds. We have screens on windows and every door, but if they sit on the screens, then they get in when people come and go.

I have got Hawk 25% Permethrin. The bottle says I have to read the enclosed leaflet, but there wasn't one. What strength solution should I use? I have been adding 10mm to 1 litre of water in a household-cleaner spray bottle. It seems to deter the mossies from settling, but they still gather between the net screen and the outer grill gate, the bottom couple of feet of which has a solid steel plate to keep the rats out.

[sandeepmohan]

Does a pedestal fan come under home appliance thread? If Yes, I need help to buy one. Is there a one stop shop where I can see em all? There are a lot of models from various companies and sizes for these fans. Would like to get one that is reliable and quiet.

[jacs]

Guys,

My 300L Kelvinator Direct Cool refrigerator started giving problems after about 7 years of use. Issues were uneven cooling, huge ice formation in freezer etc Compresser and thermostat was replaced about 6 months back. Now since about a week, observed lack of cooling and no ice formation in freezer. Thinking whether to again approach service guys or buy a new one.

Any feedback on Sharp refrigerators? Found them very roomy compared to similiar sized Samsungs and Whirlpools!


Also updating the price of Samsung 28F4100 LED TV - INR 23,700 and LG 32LN4900 - INR 25,300 from my recent purchase.

[gadadhar]

Please let me know if you have any escalation contacts in Haier. I have been struggling with my bottom freezer refrigerator for more than 2 weeks now. It started with Ice compartment failing to cool properly in the summer, after 4 visits from their service staff , replacement of parts, filling of gas and spending around 4K, both the compartments have stopped cooling properly. Now even after repeated calls, no one has turned up for repairs. It is hardly 3 years old and I am on the verge of buying a new one since we cannot survive without one these days. BTW I had the very same complaint last year, but got resolved after replacing the relay (they did same thing this year, but did not resolve the issue). I used to have our own good old BPL earlier that served us for 10 years with no breakdowns

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Does a pedestal fan come under home appliance thread? If Yes, I need help to buy one. Is there a one stop shop where I can see em all? There are a lot of models from various companies and sizes for these fans. Would like to get one that is reliable and quiet.

Rathna fan house in Chennai is a one stop shop for this. They also have a website, google it.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by dre@ms

Quick update on my insect war in the Kitchen.

As many said, Hit was just a temporary solution. Saw the population increase many fold within days. Fed up, called up PCI.

They require a inspection before recommending the best package.

Engineer came last Friday and was astonished to see how our Kitchen was infested. The insects are called German Cockroaches which can increase their population very quickly. A single egg will produce minimum 30 offsprings. After investigation, he suggested,

Gold Package. Where in all the cracks and joints will be sealed with some gel. This gel is odourless since we have a kid at home. This will be done every 4 months for the first year. If the roaches return within this one year, they do the same process for the 2nd year free of cost. Rate: 2900

Sent back the guy since I need to check with my owner.

In the interim, started my own investigation;

1. The grill on windows are not seated properly, this left gaps where the roaches hid

2. Huge to hairline cracks were there in the wall and in the joints

3. Designer frames stuck on the border of doors were also not done properly

4. Modular kitchen itself is not done to perfection. Many gaps seen and the sheet covering the wood is of poor quality. They are peeling off.



Before the PCI guys come, I need to fix these. Applied white cement all over the cracks to first destroy the home of these roaches.

Removed the grills and designer frames.

Cleaned the cupboards and brushed them well.



Result: 90% of the insects are destroyed and they are not returning back. And whenever we see one or two roaming, kill them instantly. Today saw a huge lizard guarding my house from the balcony.



But this is not a permanent solution.



Any experience with PCI? Is the package worth giving a shot? Please suggest.

That's a decent price. I paid 3400 last year for minimal package. This year I directly called the guy and paid him 800 bucks and he does a better job with wider coverage. Exterior of house etc

[dre@ms]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I must have missed earlier post[s].

The easiest way for cockroaches to enter homes is through drain pipes. Make sure your drains have traps, and that they are filled with water. Even cockroaches cannot pass the water traps.

I am not sure of the source/entry for these roaches. But one thing is sure, they are there in all the possible gaps between the cupboards and they have settled.

Originally Posted by diyguy

That's a decent price. I paid 3400 last year for minimal package. This year I directly called the guy and paid him 800 bucks and he does a better job with wider coverage. Exterior of house etc

Are you talking about the PCI guy? If yes, I can settle with him too. And what kind of treatment did they do and was it effective? Your reply will make me take a decision.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by dre@ms

Are you talking about the PCI guy? If yes, I can settle with him too. And what kind of treatment did they do and was it effective? Your reply will make me take a decision.

I went with a Godrej company, forget the name. They were pricey and so I took the minimum pack - they applied a gel on all wooden doors in the kitchen. A small dot. This they applied to all wooden doors, cabinets, throughout the house - anything wooden. Chests of draws, shelves, dressing table, center table, dining table, cots storage draw. They also carry a cylinder with some white poisonous liquid that they dilute with water. This he would spray behind stuff - cot, fridges, drains, bathroom. We had ants and tiny cockroaches. These disappeared. Mine is a ground floor independent house. For outside spraying on outdoor walls and windows as well as opening up the drains and spraying in there, the package was more expensive. So this time when I called the guy and paid him directly he did all of this for 800rs. Could have bargained bit more, but thought this is better than getting stuck to a company.
I have heard PCI is good and suggest you go with them the first year. It was effective for me and the ants and cockroaches disappeared. No lizards either. However they seem to have a different pricing for different pests.
You can go with the minimum and then tip the guy a 100 or two and ask him to do all the rest...
I have 2 kids - 8 and 12 - so I didnt allow him to spray liberally the first time. I was shocked to see him spray with disdain behind the cot etc and fired him as a lot of kid stuff would roll behind all this - lego bricks, cars etc... now I prepare before calling him and ensure nothing is there. Also send my kids away somewhere and ask him to spray away

[null]

Most of the commercial pest control agencies use Fipronil based compound/gel for fight against cockroaches. MaxForce from Bayer is one of the products. It will be sold only in industrial chemicals/Agri chemicals shops. I dont remember the packaging wt, must be like 50gms or 100gms and was 650rs long time back. For last 2 years, there have been no cockroaches - touchwood (from what I notice).

Originally Posted by diyguy

I went with a Godrej company, forget the name. They were pricey and so I took the minimum pack

How much was it for? share the details - package name, what all is covered in the package & price please.

Also, if there is any permanent solution like Fipronil for lizards - large thick ones, not the usual tiny ones unlike before - pl do let me know.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by dre@ms

I am not sure of the source/entry for these roaches. But one thing is sure, they are there in all the possible gaps between the cupboards and they have settled.

I suppose that once you have an established community, it matters less how their ancestors got it. But still, there can be newcomers, so deal with the obvious entry points such as floor drains. Oh, and walking in the doors, of course! Easy to forget the most obvious! And windows. Well-fitted screens keep crawling insects out as well as flying ones.

Good luck in your war.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by null

How much was it for? share the details - package name, what all is covered in the package & price please.

Also, if there is any permanent solution like Fipronil for lizards - large thick ones, not the usual tiny ones unlike before - pl do let me know.

We do not have any lizards, ants or roaches anymore. I think the spray works against all of them. I specifically asked for tiny cockroaches and ants. We've been more or less pest free for the past year and a half. Not sure if this is a good thing because everyone in the house now freaks out when they spot a roach... recently we had some piping work changed for our water line and this disturbed the roach gentry in our small backyard. One poor roach got into our house and my wife started going nuts. Had to spend for one treatment due to this, though we had got one done in Jan (less than 3 months back).

The package for the original contract cost me 3400 and it covered cockroaches and ants.

[Thad E Ginathom]

It's a shame you count lizards as pests. Actually they help you by eating small insects. They are the very unfortunate victims of nothing more than superstition.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It's a shame you count lizards as pests. Actually they help you by eating small insects. They are the very unfortunate victims of nothing more than superstition.

'victims of nothing more than superstition'
And women . You forgot their arch nemesis who send the warriors of the house scurrying after them

[Anupam]

Originally Posted by diyguy

The package for the original contract cost me 3400 and it covered cockroaches and ants.

That sounds expensive, at least here in pune most of the pest control guys use some herbal stuff, which takes complete care of the roaches, this is needed once a year and costs us around Rs350/- for an apartment, no contract needed, and we have been following this stern for years now