I know this is a strange thing to blog about or even review, but what the hell – here goes. I’m bored. If the title of this post doesn’t interest you, you’ll probably be bored very quickly too. Otherwise if you’ve got one of these, or thinking about getting one, please feel free to read on.
I live in a barn conversion. It’s a long story that I’ll not bore you with, but basically the conversion wasn’t designed or built particularly well. There’s a whole host of problems with it. One of the biggest oversights was not including easy access to the roof space. There’s also quite a few tiny gaps to the outside world where the roof meets the outside walls etc.
Over the years mice have liked living in my nice warm loft. I don’t particularly mind them being there, which is fortunate as I have no access to them to set traps and remove them. Equally, they can’t get into the main house (very easily) to set traps to remove me. If I was being a bit of a twat, I’d say that we have a reasonably harmonious symbiotic relationship. Otherwise, if I didn’t want to sound like a total knob, I’d say that I can live fairly happily alongside my furry friends.
If you know me, you’ll probably know that I’m a bit of a wuss when it comes to spiders. I hate them. Really hate them. So perhaps this isn’t the best place for me to live. I get some HUGE ones here – at least big enough to put a saddle on. They find their way in via the gaps that I mentioned earlier, eat a load of pies, grow some fur and promptly terrorise me when I least expect it. I had one crawl over my head the other week whilst I was in bed. I wasn’t impressed and frankly nearly shat myself.
Depending on quite how well you know me, you may also know that I sometimes have real problems getting to sleep. So lately I’ve been lying awake at night thinking that a big horse sized spider is going to attach itself onto my face ‘Alien’ stylee, accompanied by a background noise of scampering mice and loud chewing noises. It’s all frankly not been helping me doze off.
Anyway, when I was channel hopping the other day I flicked past a tv shopping channel. They were selling electronic “Pest Repellers”. Perhaps I’ve been living in the dark ages, but I’ve never heard of them before and to be honest, they sound like a total scam. But I quite liked the idea of ridding myself of two headaches. So off I toddled to ebay and bought two “Vermatik 4 in 1 Pest Repellers” (much cheaper than the ones on telly!). Anyway a week ago, they arrived.
The ones I got are supposed to:
- Have some kind of ultrasonic noise that insects/rodents don’t like.
- Put some weird electromagnetic wave through the mains wiring loop in the house.
- Have some ionic thing which purifies the air.
- Have a sexy nightlight.
The plan was, buy the things on ebay, then flog them on ebay again if they don’t work. Couldn’t lose. It was a plan with no drawbacks. So what’s happened after a week of it being plugged in?
Well the blue night light is frankly pathetic. It lights up about a square centimetre of space. The thing also clicks quite loudly sometimes and I swear I can hear a high pitch noise occasionally (hopefully it’s not tinnitus!).
Unless I’d read the leaflet about the air purifier part I’d never have known to be honest – that’s frankly a waste of time – there ain’t nothing that can cleanse the air of the scent of my socks.
I know, what about the pest repeller part? Well, the first couple of nights, there actually seemed to be a lot more, quite loud mice scampering. Since then it does seem to have lessened and I’ve not heard any mice at all for a good 48 hours. There was however an enormous, Val Kilmer sized spider in my bath the other morning. I honestly thought he was going to ask me to loofah his back whilst it played with my rubber duck and toy boat. But other than that and the odd money spider, I’ve not seen any spiders either in the last week.
Anyway, I know it’s early days and I’m still VERY skeptical about this whole electronic pest repeller thing, but the early signs for me are quite promising. Perhaps the mice have just gone on their summer hols for a week or two and perhaps the spiders are currently formulating some kind of ingenious plan to rubber duck me to death.
The manual does say wait 2-4 weeks for results (which is probably quite conveniently so that your statutory rights have well and truly lapsed by then!), so I’ll leave them running a while longer.
But are my hopes of a spider and mouse free night up unnecessarily? Has anyone else had any luck with these things or is the above pure coincidence and it’s really just an empty little box with lil’ flashy lights on?
Oh, and you can betcha ass that two seconds after I post this they’ll be spiders and mice galore in my flat.
[edit] Just remembered… this particular device stupidly hangs down quite a long way below the plug socket (see pic), so if you’ve got a lot of very low plug holes like me, you might be limited where you can actually plug this bad boy in! [/edit]
[edit 2] Yup, as predicted, I’ve just found a Laurence Fishburne sized spider in the hall! [/edit 2]
I have the 6-in-1 version and the UMI-1 is the full works, the UMI-2 is for people who have pets and don’t want it to affect them (I assume this is a weaker signal but just an assumption). So anyone without pets use UMI-1 and if you have dogs/cats use UMI-2. I’m pretty sure the 6-in-1 cannot be used if there are pet hamsters/rats/gerbils/fish in the area.
So in response to what Sean said to William the guide is referring to pets not pests, its saying if you use it when you have a pet mouse it will damage the pet.
And the blue light as C said is just decoration they put it as an extra feature so they could charge more lol.
My chalet is closing tomorrow night and I am taking the repeller with me as the electric will be turned off anyway and my roommate has warned me about spiders in the place I am staying for the winter. Fingers crossed but I’m expecting every spider that moved out because of the repeller to move back in and bring the whole family to outnumber me.
Just bought a 6in1, can anyone tell me if a chair or something is blocking it, say plugged in behind, would it not be as effective? I’m terrified of BIG spiders, since a MASSIVE one was sat on my partners head in our bed one night!! i hope these work or at least reduce the big ones?
Hi,I recently purchased the 5 in 1 as my parents house has been overrun with mice for quite a while, and whilst they were away they asked me to house sit. Prior to their departure my mum had purchased four of these 5 in 1 Vermatik packs, which she chose to withold from me prior to me moving in. I kept hearing this clicking noise an in one phone conversation I queried the blue night plugs and this loud clicking noise that kept occuring. I was then informed that they’d had an influx of furry friends, which I hate with a passion. My mother then asked me to see whether I’d noticed any around the house, I said no, as I hadn’t intentionally been looking for any. Anyway, soon after that conversation I found three, lying helplessly around the house (dead of course). Upon which I packed up my stuff and went back home, and asked my partner to go round there and remove them. So I’m presuming that they obviously work. The downside is that I recently heard something running around and chewing cardboard in my cupboard under the stairs, if I had somewhere to move to I would. But unfortunately that is not the case, so I purchased a twin pack on Friday, and they were here by Saturday, I promptly plugged them in hoping that would get rid of the critter, but there appears to be a lot more movement and chewing coming from under my stairs, and I’m not impressed. I was informed that this thing works through wall, I hope someone can advise as to whether these units work if they’re plugged behind four seater sofas. I have faith as I saw them work in my parents house, but they were able to take a vacation whilst the plugs did their work. I consequently, am unable to get away.
Hi JJ,
Firstly, do not fret, the extra noise is probably due to any unwelcome visitors are probably greatly inconvenienced and are considering moving out. The downside to these pest killers is that they can take up to 6 weeks to take full effect so hold tight and they should clear up soon. As for the sofas, I’m pretty sure they work through most things, walls, furniture, doors but there does seem to be a consensus that the area covered by them is not quite as stated, mine works a radius of about 7metres can’t remember what the box states.
As for the mice at your parents being dead, I have not heard of this before, I thought that the noises were just too much to cope with and the pestsmoved out, also the clicking noise I do not hear that may be because I have the 6-in-1 so I’m sure someone else will advise on that shortly. I wish you luck!!!
Also to anyone that is curious, my chalet has now been locked up and had electric and water turned off for 3 weeks now which means no pest controller has been active, this weekend coming the site opens for us to check that all is well so I am going in armed with as many Red Raid cans as I can get my hands on. If its packed with spiders I’ll know its because of the pest controller being off – fingers crossed its not too bad will report back soon xx
Hi, I bought one of these a little while ago, My problem was mainly insects flying in through open windows when they got the chance. also spiders comming in from goodness knows where. I installed the Vermatik 4 in 1 Pest Repeller after seeing it on NTL shopping channel (bought from ebay).
I have also started a review on the Vermatik 4 in 1 Pest Repeller on my site http://www.reviewed-now.com on page:
http://www.reviewed-now.com/vermatik-4-in-1-pest-repeller-review-1-8.html
My picture of the Vermatik 4 in 1 Pest Repeller is not as good as yours but I’d be happy for you to leave you review of the unit.
Would love to hear about anyone else success or failure stories with this device.
Hi. Great to see this website; because we were trying to figure out if these things work. This fall we’ve had a Sunbeam electronic pest control plugged in first floor dining room. The mice, in previous years when it started getting cold outside, would come in close to where pipes from our water well enters the basement … then somehow hop up one floor to the dining room. So, after stopping up as many holes as possible, we tried plugging in the pest control in the dining room. this year there are a lot less mice… haven’t seen any…. but i was still pretty sceptical.
Now for what might be the proof in the pudding: my son has been really wanting a pet mouse. I was against it!!!! Of course! We’ve been trying to get rid of mice and keep them out. However, I’m a softie… and for his birthday in Nov, got the mouse… with hubbie agreeing to clean and care for the mouse. Meanwhile, my daughter (finally) got her room cleaned up and found her electronic pest repeller. (We bought it for the beetles that are a pain in this area of the country… and I don’t think the electronic pest repeller really works for them.) She, being completely annoyed by a recent cold weather resurgence of beetles, promptly plugged it into the outlet of her bedroom… right next door to my son’s room (with pet mouse.) A few days after mouse is brought home, the mouse died!!! Seems to coordinate with daughter plugging in the electronic pest controller. However, we also had the rugs cleaned (chemicals to clean the spots; and, cold as the cleaners had to leave a door open for tubes from truck to machine.) Further, hubbie cleaned mouse cage with soap (an apparent no-no … why the wild mice don’t die from all the substances in the house, but the pet mice do, is a big question.) We weren’t really sure why the mouse died.
So, we get another and unplug the pest repeller in bedroom.
Again, mouse dies. My son is not so happy now…. he thinks the mouse is fainting.
We are now really puzzled.
Hubbie brought home another mouse this week-end. Today, the mouse was really doing badly… Until husband moved him away from the bedroom into a further bedroom.
Turns out that the pest controller was still plugged into dining room wall, which is the room directly below son’s bedroom.
Now we’ve unplugged all electronic pest controls (to my dismay) … and will again try mouse in son’s bedroom.
If the mouse finally thrives, we will have our answer about the electonic pest control.
BA
Have you got it on the right setting? I have had one of these for 6 months and have never heard or seen a mouse since. Still get the occaisonal spider, but that’s normal when you live in the country!
I got 4 of these plugged in! ..since end of Oct now & i was thinking “not seen any big spiders” (i normally see them in the kitchen popping in & out from the washing machine etc.) Then this morning while in bed my son was downstairs watching telly & i heard him shouting “mum BIG spider down here, it’s just run past my foot”, so i quickly ran downstairs armed with the hoover, its only a small front room but moved the furniture and could’nt find it! mmm, i’m not happy knowing it’s lurking about with 4 of these plugged in, maybe i should give it more time? tho i have seen a reduction in them at least :) one BIG spider less is better i suppose, we’ll see..
Hi, I have had problems with mice for the last year or so and I had purchased the 6 in 1 from Bid TV. Firstly 1 of my plugins has stopped working and I am wondering if I could return it and where do I send it and secondly I live in a upstairs downstairs apartment will I need 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs? I do have a different device (pest stop plug in) upstairs and a 6 in 1 downstairs, but upstairs I still have a problem as they still about hunting me down am so scared of them. Thanks.
tried these electronic devices in the end gave up and just took the panels off the side of the kitchen units at the bottom so the cat can fit in there where the mice were escaping to.
happy to report that the cat works on anything it sees spiders, mice flying insects anything that moves,even the dog looks nervous when she is on the prowl
i purchased one of the 4 in 1 devices, and have been using it along with traps, and my traps have been empty for at least a week, might be coincidental, might not be, but i’m chuffed either way!
Just bought a 6:1 from ebay for my daughter. She has recently moved into a new house share and has twice woken up with what seems to be a spider bite on her hand. Red ring, two tiny puncture marks that then combine to make one HUGE blister – all painful and arm numbing. I am really hoping this device works – ‘spose it could be a vampire but a spider seems more likely – its this or rentokil I guess
Can someone who has a copy of the instructions for the 5 in 1 rats, mice, insect repeller, (ACP51), please email them to me, or provide a link to a scanned copy. The instructions for the 4 in 1 are no use. Thanks.
Hello from Danny N Ireland do you have the instructions for the older model of the 4 IN 1 PEST REPELLER. I dont know what the two switches on the right hand side are exactly for. My sister bought it a long time ago and has now given it to me and somewhere down the line the instructions have got lost. Thank you.
From
Danny
Hi Danny, I posted the instructions above, but you can find them here and here. Hope it helps.
Hopefully someone will post the instructions for the 5-in-1 and the 6-in-1 too.
hi so far so good the pest control i have got has seemed to do the job, we have the one with only the umi 1 and umi 2 settings on the side and with the light on the other, have had them in a year now and for the past couple of months it has started doing a beeping noise if any one knows why that is happening that would be great thank you.
oh yeh could you please send me a reply via email thank you. x
We’ve had massive mouse activity recently, We have been aware of mice for a few months now, but its just been the odd noise here and there. One day I was cleaning the rabbits room after hearing lots of mouse noise (rabbits where in garden), I moved a cupboard and there was a Tom & Jerry hole in the skirting board! They had been stashing food in the cupboard. We got 2 of the 4 in 1 Vermatiks as well as stuffing likely entry points with peppermint drenched cotton wool and duct tape. Since the repellers have been on, the mouse have been even more active and very bold. It’s been 2 days since we got the repellers and they dont seem too fazed by them.
Wondered if your mouse problem has been sorted. We have just moved into a house in the country and there are mice in it !!
Hi Jeremy,
That actually sounds quite normal, the mice are hearing sounds and its driving them wild, will take a few weeks to drive them all out (6 weeks is the advised ammount but varies). Hope you get better luck post back in a week or two for an update xx
Please, somebody must have a copy of the instructions for the 5-in-1 that could scan and email me. I have complained to Vermatic that the product arrived with no instructions, but so far have been ignored…
Hallelujah! After a whole month of not having the instructions for my 5 in 1, I now have a new 6 in 1 and the instructions work for both. Thank you and well done hsdOnline.co.uk!
Can anyone comment on how effective these 4-1,5-1,6-1 are in respect of flies. Luckily we are not afflicted by any other pests, but flies drive me mad.
Hi Wellbeing,
In my experience they are not amazing on flies as I always seem to have a few around when doors are open but maybe I’d have more with out the 6-in-1, not gonna chance it. Watched a program abt bugs last week and depending on what type of flies you have can tell you why they are there dunno if you’ve already gone down that route or not. The way I deal with the flies I do get is sticky roll, come in a tube and unravel when you pin onto ceiling they do a great job.
Good luck
x
Thank you, I will let you know how I get on!
Hi, came across this blog when googling the pest control devices for spiders. We have just moved to a house about 2 mins aways from the woods so have encountered more spiders in the last 4 days than I did in the whole of the previous year!!! Was thinking about getting a couple of the plug ins, but am now a bit worried as we have inherited a pond full of carp, so don’t want to hurt them. Does anyone know if these things affect the fish?
Thanks, Sharon
Hi Sharon
Just to say briefly that our son gave us the Vermatik 2 in 1 (probably an old version) and we have been using it for about 2 + 1/2 years and (touch wood) it seems to be helping greatly with spiders. We still find a few but no where near the quantity we had before. We think it also got rid of our mice that had left their trade marks in our airing cupboard. We moved the Vermatik closer to the airing cupboard and that seemed to do the trick. Hope you have success if you invest in one.
Regards, Vera
Hello, I’m looking at getting a electromagnetic pest repelling device which I think is different to what you have been talking about, They do something via the wiring in the house. Could anyone tell me if they have any experience of them as I have read mixed reviews! I really need something that is going to get rid of the vile beasts, (spiders) I have only seen 2 in my house but that is more than enough! To make matters worse the first one was sat on my bed, i was so scared I couldn’t go home for 3 days! I was half expecting to go back and find it sat on the sofa watching corrie with a pot of pringles!
I’ve been told conkers and lemon make really good repelents if anyone wants to try that! They wont cross anything that has lemon on it which sounds great but how will they get out once I make it so unpeasant for them??!! I just dont know what to do!
Hi Lucy, the Vermatiks I originally blogged about had a function that put an electromagnetic signal through the mains wiring loop, so a lot of the stuff on this page will apply. You will find many conflicting opinions above though as to whether they work or not.
Personally, the jury is still out for me, even after more than two years of owning them (although I’ve not used them for the last 2 months).