Ultrasonic pest repellents keep different types of household pests away by creating electromagnetic and ultrasonic waves.
But do those artificial waves create any unwanted side effects?
The sounds created by ultrasonic repellents are undetectable to human ears, but can be extremely annoying to pests. As a result, they’ll do whatever they can to get away from your house and to a “safer” place.
Read my recent post: How Ultrasonic repellent works if you want to learn more.
This incredible pest control technology is getting popular. It is clean and effective. There is a caveat though. Due to the usage of these devices on a wide scale, scientists have raised concerns about the long term effects on humans and pets.
Ultrasonic repellents are used for all kinds of pests. Even though, in some cases classic products like repellents in pellet or spray works like a charm. If don’t want to use pesticides in your home and want to use greener product, you can try ultrasonic devices.
Different studies are conducted by well known journals to figure out any correlation between the human auditory system and long term exposure to ultrasonic waves (More on this later)
The ultrasonic repellent device seems to be very popular but some people have concerns about its side effects. Let’s discuss possible side effects in detail.
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Ultrasonic Repellent Side Effects
These devices push ultrasonic sound and electromagnetic waves at a frequency range of 25 kHz to 65 KHz, which is undetectable to humans, but very annoying to pests (especially mice and rats since they are very sensitive to ultrasonic waves).
A study published by the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America found that 4-5 kHz ultrasonic waves did not lead to significant adverse effects in 50 study participants (25 young and 25 middle-aged persons).
However, when the frequency range was increased (12-14 kHz, 25-25 kHz) and with 2 sound sources emitting at once, it was considered to be disturbing by several participants.
Study researchers raised a concern about the increase of ultrasonic pest repeller devices as well as the longer exposure of high frequency and ultrasound sound in domestic usage.
Therefore, they suggested that careful consideration would be required i.e the usage should be decreased and can only be used when and where required.
Not Good For People Already Sensitive To Sound
As suggested by the author of the above study, better usage guidelines should be required for individuals already sensitive to sound.
If you are already sensitive to sound, long term exposure to ultrasonic waves is not good for you.
In general, ultrasonic pest repellers go through an extreme testing and approval process. You are likely in good hands if you bought a device from a well known brand. However, pay close attention to your product’s label and stated frequency range. Also, stay away from cheap knockoff products that have not been approved by governmental regulatory bodies. A little research can help you and your pets a lot.
Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Might Be Annoying To Pets
Animals have different hearing abilities than humans. They can hear high frequency ultrasonic waves. While ultrasonic sound waves might be good to annoy pests and another unwanted guests present in your home, they might be disturbing to the pets you love.
Therefore, be cautious when using these devices with pets in your house. Be especially conscious of your pet’s response. If your pet is acting differently, it may be best to stop using an ultrasonic pest repellent.
Remember that electronic pest repellents are not the only pest control methods available out there. You can a variety of different products available on the market.
Different Pest Control Options
There are thousands of ultrasonic pest repellents available on the market. As always, look for products with positive reviews and try out the latest technology, if possible.
Ultrasonic repellent technology is emerging and scientists are working hard to make it human safe, and at the same time make it effective against pests that carry dangerous diseases.
We recently published a great in-depth post about the best electronic pest repellers. Check it out, it will help you to make better buying decisions.
Do you have any comments or suggestions? Please comment below and start a discussion, or contact us directly.