Effective Building & Construction Group chief executive officer, Sandy Farah, said homes should be professionally fumigated once every six months, and that regular DIY maintenance sprays could ensure the home remained pest-free year round.

"If you spray too far outside of this period, then it may be more difficult to eliminate a pest population on the property," she said.

Mrs Farah said fleas and bird lice were very active between November and March.

"Birds lay nests on top of roofs or gutters and once the bird lice gets into the roof they can start to infect the property and spread quite quickly," she said.

"And because of the extreme wet weather this summer season, the frequency of insects and pests, including bees, wasps and the hard-to-kill German cockroach, has also increased.

"When spraying wasps nests it is important to remove the nest in its entirety or the wasps will return."

Mrs Farah said that because removing nests in hard to reach places, and the potential dangers that existed with wasp and pest removal, it was better to call in the professionals.

The pest control division of the Effective Building & Construction Group offer free verbal quotes and upon call out, inspect the property and offer maintenance and treatment advice.

The pest control division of Effective Building use a non-toxic chemical formulation that is safe for the family and household pets — but strong enough to eliminate pests.

Details: Effective Building & Construction Group, 8677 9904, visit: effectivepestcontrol.com.au.

DI Y Pest Control tips:

¦ Prepare all safety equipment and use them correctly. Protect your eyes and wear gloves and a safety mask to cover your face and nose.

¦ Ensure chemical used is mixed correctly; too much could be unsafe for your family and the environment; too little will just wasted time and effort.

¦ Don't spray in windy conditions

¦ Most importantly, give yourself a good scrub once finished and do not touch your face, especially around the eyes during and after application.

Sandy's "need to know" guide:

¦ One in five homes are affected by termites; this costs Aussies more than $100 billion a year in repairs and property damage. Termites are almost impossible to identify with the naked eye, so have an expert inspect the property annually.

¦ As a result of heavy rain, the chemical residue of an outdoor fumigation will be diluted and the efficacy period may be slightly reduced.

¦ High moisture beneath the house will attract more pests to your home.