What types of pests do you battle during the warm weather months? Ants? Cockroaches? Fleas? Termites? Mice? Rats? There are probably more pests roaming around the United States than you realize. According to the National Pest Management Association, there are more than 900,000 kinds of insects. Add that to the total population of four-legged rodents, and you can begin to realize why pest control is such a big business. In your fight to get rid of unwanted pests, you may buy an electric, electronic pest repeller. There are many brands and models on the market today. Read this product review about the Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller – Model EM101 and find out if this device can make your life easier!
Price and Availability
The Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller – Model EM101- is available at many retailers and online stores, including Carol Wright Gifts, Ace Hardware, Amazon.com and Yahoo! Shopping. From what I’ve seen, these repellers come in a three-pack costing anywhere from $5.00 plus shipping and handling, to $14.99.
Product Description
The Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller – Model EM101- is a small device that measures about 3-1/4X2-1/2 inches. It has a hard plastic case with a louvered section in the front upper middle, and a red light indicator below that. On the back is a plug that fits into any 120 volt AC outlet. It’s listed with the Underwriters Laboratories.
How It’s Supposed to Work
Once you plug an Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller into an electrical outlet, it emits ultrasonic signals. These waves are above the 27,000 Hz frequency, so they cannot be heard by humans because they are too high. Generally, cats and dogs aren’t bothered by them either. However, these high ultrasonic waves are heard by pests and rodents such as mice, rats, spiders, ants, fleas, et cetera. The ultrasonic signals are supposed to drive these pests away from the source of the annoyance, the pest repeller.
The Advantages of Using This Device
The Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller – Model EM101- doesn’t require batteries to operate, only a 120 volt AC outlet. There are no dangerous chemicals to deal with, no poisons or traps to set around your home. These advantages make this pest repeller probably one of the safest control device you can find.
Warning
Persons who have heart pacemakers or who use other medical devices that may be adversely effected by ultrasonic waves shouldn’t use this type of pest repellers unless they are allowed to by their healthcare professionals.
Does It Work?
In a word, “No.” Products like the Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller – Model EM101 simply don’t work to repel pets. Why? There are two basic reasons. First, assuming that pests are truly bothered by the ultrasonic signals, these waves are blocked by floors, walls, furniture and the such. This means, all a mouse, for example, has to do, is position itself between a blocking object to get away from the sound. Suddenly, it’s not bothered anymore. As a result, it will go about its business building nests, chewing, eating, defecating and urinating in your home.
The second reason products like the Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller – Model EM101 don’t work, is, because pests can easily become used to the signals. After they realize these signals aren’t going to harm them, that they are nothing but an annoyance, they’ll resume their activity.
Conclusion
If you have pest problems in your home, don’t waste your money on ultrasonic pest repellers. If they truly worked, the more than 10,000 (according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses: 2004) exterminating and pest control services in the United States would be out of business. The companies that make pest control products like Raid and D-Con would also have to find a new business to get into.
Not only that, but in the year 2001, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned many companies who manufacturer and sell ultrasonic pest control devices. The FTC told them they need to support their effectiveness claims with scientific proof. What brought this action on? Staffers found online advertisements for these products which may be “false and deceptive advertising” since they made definitive claims that their pest repellers do indeed “eliminate rodents or repel insects.”
And finally, if you still have doubts about the Emerson Ultrasonic Pest Repeller – Model EM101 in particular: before you buy this product, read the owner’s manual inside the package. It states, “In some cases, over time, certain rodents may become used to ultrasonic sound and return to their nesting or feeding habits, even in the presence of an ultrasonic product.”
