Automatic insect control system owners

We never got that technical with the tests. It was very simple. We asked many of our long time customers if they would be willing to try a some new products. We sent the "all natural" products out to many system owner in many areas of the country. Our thought was that it work in Florida, but not in Texas or it may work in Arizona, but not in Virginia. We wanted to get testing in all temperatures and climates, from humid to dry and from mild heat to very hot.

We had the customers completely flush and clean their reservoirs before adding the test product. Each test subject was sent the test product along with a field test evaluation test. Our main focus was to gather information on the following test topics:
What target insect did the test subject want to control?
Was the product aroma was acceptable?
Did the product create any foam build-up in the reservoir?
Was the knockdown and kill rate of insects less, equal or more than previously used insecticides?
Did the mist from the nozzles leave any residue, stain or other objectable trace of origin?
What pressure was the Auto Mist system ran at during the test?
What was the length of the spray cycles?
How many spray cycles were utilized during a 24 hour period?
At what times where the spray cycles set to activate?

We also required the test subjects to clean the reservoir of their Auto Mist system before adding the test product, make sure the pump, tubing and nozzles where flushed clean and that all nozzles whre spraying and functioning properly.

We sent out 100 samples to 100 different Auto Mist owners. 50 where stable owners, 50 where residential home owners.

Keep in mind that even a true "all natural" product used to control insects is considered an insecticide. EPA catogorizes "all natural" insect control products as 25B Minimum Risk Pesticides.

Here is a link to EPA that shows what "all natural" pesticide product needs to follow:
Minimum Risk Pesticides under FIFRA Section 25(b) | Pesticides | US EPA

Even though products are 25B minimal risk pesticide or all natural products there still can be side effects just like standard pesticides/insecticides. "All natural" products are mostly essential oils. If these oils kill flies/insects then they can somtimes be harmful.

A common question we get asked is, "your insecticides have wording on the label that states - Hazards to Humans and Domestic Pets". This is in the Precautionary Statements of all insecticides. People always see that and get worried. What they must not look at is a container of Clorox Disindecting Wipes, it has the same warning on it but many people use them to wipe down their kitchen surfaces, telephones, bathroom surfaces and child's rooms as the label recommends. My point is that the same Precautionary Statement mandated by EPA is on most regualted products, even in our houses.

Alright.

I'm a student of science. :)

As winter approaches, remember that automatic insect control systems need to be winterized. Even areas that only receive a light frost can benefit from winterizing. Freezing temperatures can destroy pumps, tubing and fittings. Many users of quick-fit style fittings complain that nozzles fall out over winter or tubing releases from fittings over winter. These are clear signs of freezing. The fluid expands in the fittings and pushs out nozzles and/or tubing. Since the fittings are made of metal, their temperature drops fast in cold weather.

There are many popular ways to winterize an automatic insect control system:
1. Running an environmentally safe antifreeze solution through the complete system is a very old method and works well. Do not use a commercial antifreeze that contains Glycol. This can be damaging to system equipment and harmful to the envionrment and toxic if ingested.
2. Making an air chuck that can be used for attahing an air compressor to. Disconnect the tubing from the pump, hook up an air compressor to the tubing and blow the lines and nozzles completely out with air. Most automatic insect control systems use nozzles that have check valves that keep them from dripping. These check valves do not open until between 70-100 PSI. Make sure you apply enough pressure to open the check valves which will release and push the liquid out. Most that use this meathod simply remove the pump from the motor and store it in a warm place for the winter.
3. Make sure that any suction filter and/or float switch that may be in the reservoir liquid is pulled up and tied up out of the liquid.