
A 30-day field protocol for homeowners done with monthly exterminator bills and Raid that wears off by Tuesday.
Every night you sweep the kitchen counter before turning off the light.
The exterminator sprays the baseboards and the ants come back by Labor Day.
You moved Easter dinner. Easier than explaining the kitchen.
Something is moving behind the drywall. The traps in the attic stay empty.
The Raid worked. For four days. That was the design.
Contact spray kills the one bug you see. The harborage in the wall void breeds 40 more by Friday.
Truth: You don't have a bug problem. You have an entry point problem.
$1,200 a year for a residual that breaks down in 90 days, on purpose.
Truth: Sealed gaps don't expire.
Every infestation is food, water, or shelter you didn't know you were offering.
Truth: Remove the conditions and the pests leave.
The roach you stomp is the slowest one. The 200 in the wall void are getting fatter on crumbs you can't see.
The Fix: Week 3 — colony bait rotation, not contact spray.
Pipe penetrations, weep holes, dryer vent gaps — every one is a doorway most homeowners never check.
The Fix: Week 2 — the Entry Point Elimination Checklist (40+ spots).
Mulch on the foundation, a leaky hose bib, cardboard in the garage. The Survival Triangle is in your yard.
The Fix: Week 1 — perimeter defense before you spend a dollar on bait.
Three frameworks from the book. The same diagrams Dale draws on a napkin when neighbors ask.
One task per day. By Day 30 the perimeter is sealed.
A checklist that ranks every spot in your house by risk.
40+ gaps and pipe penetrations most homeowners never check.
Borax baits, diatomaceous earth, cedar oil — exact ratios.
What to do in March, July, October, December. Ten minutes a week.
Methods Dale's father used before Raid existed. Some sound silly. They work.
You walk the outside with a flashlight and a list. Quick wins.
Every gap under sinks and around pipes gets sealed. Doorways close.
Targeted baits hit the harborage. Colony numbers drop hard.
Ten minutes a week and a seasonal checklist keep the house quiet.
Real homeowners · Real results
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Sealed the dryer vent gap on day 9. Mice gone by week three.
Worth it for chapter 6 alone.
The borax ratio in the appendix actually killed the carpenter ant trail in our garage. Stopped buying Terro after a decade.
First pest book I've read that didnt feel like a sales pitch. The seasonal calendar is taped inside our pantry door.
Finally understood why the Orkin guy keeps coming back every 90 days.
Cancelled the quarterly service last week. First quiet October in years.
| Year One | Without The Protocol | With The Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly exterminator | $283 × 4 = $1,132 | $0 |
| Retail sprays & traps | $15/month = $180 | $48 in materials, once |
| Hours spent on it | Roughly 40 hrs/year | 14 hrs in month one, then minutes |
| Pests still in your walls | Yes | No |
I spent 30 years figuring this out the hard way — on my own house first, then on neighbors' houses for free. The book covers the patterns I've seen most often.
If your situation isn't in there, write me at [email protected]. I read the emails and I'll give you what I know.
It's that simple.
Same Raid run next month. Same exterminator bill in October. Same flashlight check before bed.
Walk the perimeter Saturday. Seal the kitchen Sunday. By Halloween the house is yours again.
The bugs are not going to leave on their own.