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Controlling pests has always been one of the priorities of individual homeowners for years. Over the years there have been huge improvements in the technology that fly killers have and these have proved to help diminish the presence of insects in homes. Not only do fly killers aid in keeping your house a more pleasant place to be in, but they also make your space more sanitary.
Getting rid of mosquitoes, flies, and other insects using fly killers can significantly lower the occurrence of diseases in households. They are also an efficient method of keeping pests out of your home.
First off, they’re relatively convenient compared to using insect sprays and other insect repellant products. You only have to install them once, turn them on, and you’ll see insects flying in their direction getting trapped.
Unlike insect sprays where you’ll have to empty a room before you can use them. Some people are also allergic to certain scents and smells sprays have - something that electric fly killers don’t have.
Businesses have also been increasingly using fly killers to keep their establishments free from pests. Especially those that need to keep a high level of sanitation in their areas. Examples of these places are restaurants, hotels, and medical and childcare facilities.
Because of all the benefits that fly killers provide at such a reasonable price, more and more people have also been searching online stores to find the best one for their needs.
What Type of Fly Killer Should You Get?
If you’re planning to get it for your home or office, too, you’re on the right track to keeping your home healthy and more comfortable. You probably have scoured your local shops and other online stores and found that there are tons of choices when it comes to fly killers.
To simplify things, let’s group your choices down to two major options: electric grid and glue board fly killers. Wherever you go, these two are the most common types of fly killers you’ll find, and for good reason - they’re simple and effective.
To get it out of the way, both types typically use UV lamps to attract insects and trap them. These UV lamps use electricity to work, therefore, both glue board and electric grid fly killers need electricity to function. You can easily spot most fly killers because of the signature bluish glow of their UV lamps.
The major difference between these two is the method of killing or trapping flies and other harmful insects. In this article, we’ll break down the pros and cons of getting either of these two so you can properly select the one that suits your needs best.
Electric Grid Fly Killers
As the name suggests, electric grid fly killers use electricity to kill insects that come near it. Once insects fly into its casing where the UV lamps are located, they’re greeted with a metal grid that has enough power to electrocute them and kill them almost instantly.
Ever seen fly killer lamps that have a sparking sound from time to time? They’re most likely electric grid ones and the sound coming from them are insects getting trapped. Some insect parts may explode lightly and are then safely caught by a tray. For this reason, electric grids are perfect to be used outside establishments. The sound wouldn’t interrupt anyone inside your home or, in the case of restaurants, they wouldn’t be heard by visitors.
In terms of maintenance, electric grids are pretty simple and straightforward. All you need to do is replace the UV lamp at least once a year to keep them functioning at its peak. After all, these lamps are the main component of a fly killer that attracts insects.
You should also wash the tray where insects fall after getting trapped. If you live somewhere warm, you might have to do this every day. Places with higher temperatures tend to have more insects in their area which is why you need to clean your fly killers regularly.
You may have noticed that most of the maintenance needed to keep your electric grid fly killer won’t cost you much. All except replacing the UV lamps would require little to no cost at all. Because of this, electric grid fly killers are generally more cost-efficient compared to glue board fly killers.
Glue Board Fly Killers
Glue board fly killers mainly differ from electric grid types in the way they trap insects. These fly killers have sticky pads in their interior where flies, mosquitoes, and other pests will stick to once they fly towards the UV lamp.
Because of this, glue boards barely have any sound when being used, unlike their electric grid counterparts. Since they don’t “zap” insects, there isn’t any electric noise coming out from them. Some models also don’t have collecting trays inside since all the insects stick to the glue board. As you may notice, most glue board fly killers have a somewhat discreet design.
The reason for this is to hide the glue boards where insects would stick to. This way, visitors and other people who might see the fly killer won’t be bothered by the insects inside the fly killer. You’ll also notice that most glue boards have dark colors which help hide the insects trapped in the fly killer.
In other terms, glue board fly killers are a bit more subtle and are safer to use inside buildings and facilities where sanitation is a primary concern. You’ll find them mostly inside hospitals, clinics, and even restaurants. However, there are also models that are designed to be installed outside. These glue board fly killers come with IP ratings and have some level of waterproofing and dust proofing.
When it comes to maintenance, you need to be mindful of your glue board. They can fill up pretty quickly especially if you install them somewhere where flies and other insects come in high numbers. Generally, glue boards need to be replaced around once every month to keep them clean. Through proper maintenance, you can ensure that your fly killer will always perform at its best.
Tips On Installing A Fly Killer
You’ve already purchased your fly killer? Awesome! You are now one step closer to keeping your home, office, or place of business free from pesky insects. They’re easy to install and more often than not, manufacturers provide the necessary components for securely attaching a fly killer to the wall or on a ceiling. That’s if you don’t decide to put them on top of tables as a free-standing electric fly killer.
You’ll probably only need a few screws and a screwdriver to install your newly purchased fly killer. However, there are certain rules you need to follow regarding the positioning and location of your fly killer.
The following tips we’ll discuss here are going to improve the effectiveness of your electric fly killer.
Tip #1: Keep your fly killer away from bright lights
Electric fly killers whatever the type is, work by attracting insects using their UV lamps. The light these lamps emit is highly effective especially when they’re shining in the dark. However, its effectiveness significantly decreases when it’s installed near a bright source of light.
You might notice that your electric fly killer may not be as effective during the day as they are at night. The light from the sun can overpower the UV lamp’s light and will therefore lessen its performance in attracting insects.
With this in mind, you can opt to install them on corners or spots where light from your indoor fluorescent lamps can’t hit your fly killer.
Tip #2: Place your fly killer near areas where insects fly along
This is a bit obvious, but sometimes needs to be said: you can catch insects easier if you put a trap where they typically fly along. Examples of these places are windows, doors, and other entryways in your home.
Tip #3: Make your fly killer an “easy target” for insects
Making insects easily see the light of your fly killer’s UV lamp is one thing, but, if you put them somewhere a bit out of reach to flies, mosquitoes, and other insects, they won’t be trapped. This means that you need to assess the height at which the insects in your home or office are flying.
You can then install your fly killer around that height. Generally, insects fly about 2 to 3 metres from the ground. You should also be mindful not to install your fly killer too high so that it would be easier to do maintenance on them. You shouldn’t have to use huge ladders every week just to clean out your fly killer’s collecting tray.
Tip #4: Install glue board fly killers in areas where sanitation is a priority
As mentioned earlier, glue board fly killers are a much “cleaner” option for a fly killer. Because they don’t use electricity to kill insects, there’s no chance that some insect parts would fly off within their perimeters, unlike electric grid fly killers.
A specific example of this would be food preparation areas of kitchens and restaurants. We suggest you only put glue boards in these areas to maintain a high level of cleanliness and sanitation. Despite the higher maintenance cost, it will be worth it to have a fly killer that also assists you in keeping your food clean.