Preventive treatment in Shaib Amir Wa Shaib Ali, Makkah

Targeted, not broadcast

Product goes into cracks and runways, never sprayed across open surfaces.
Told before we start

What we will use, where it goes, and what to cover or move before we arrive.
A follow-up visit

We return after the first treatment, because what survives it does not show on the day.
Homes and businesses

Apartments and villas, and kitchens and stores that need a record of each visit.

Why they keep coming back in Shaib Amir Wa Shaib Ali

Steep slopes and violent flash floods during heavy rain drive insects and rodents from high on the mountain down into homes with unusual speed, especially in the spring season. The method is set out in full on the full Preventive treatment page.

The first reason

Steep slopes and flash floods push insects and rodents downhill from the mountain

Shaib Amir and Shaib Ali sit on a very steep grade. In heavy rain, floods come from the peaks of Jabal Khandamah and Jabal Qaiqaan loaded with insects and rodents that live on the mountain. Homes on the slope stand directly in the flood path, and insects and rodents enter at speed.

The second reason

Old stone buildings and cracks make insect entry easy

Houses are very old coral stone with many cracks. Cracks run from roof to base, open highways for insects and rodents. Water and moisture from floods and rain push insects directly through the cracks into the home.

The third reason

Monitoring points are placed on the slope itself to detect incoming waves

Pressure in Shaib Amir and Shaib Ali comes from above, from the mountain directly. Monitoring points are placed on the slope itself, between houses, near old flood paths. Reading the points tells us of waves before they reach homes.

Shaib Amir Wa Shaib Ali on the map

Shaib Amir Wa Shaib Ali sits about 0.5 km from Al Qararah Wa Al Naqa and about 1 km from Harat Al Bab Wa Al Shamiyah.

Open in Google Maps

Before treatment

What a preventive visit reads

Two old ravines north east of the Grand Mosque behind Souq Al Layl, with old stone houses on a very steep slope facing Jabal Khandamah. Ancient flood paths descend from Jabal Qaiqaan and Jabal Khandamah towards the mosque.

The base of an exterior wall where the building meets the ground

The base of the outside wall

The outside wall base in Shaib Amir and Shaib Ali needs a strong residual band on the slope, especially near flood paths, because water and insects come directly from above.

An exterior door threshold and the gap beneath it

Gaps and openings

Gaps and cracks in old stone buildings are very numerous, and water and insects enter through them directly from floods and slope runoff.

An outdoor air conditioning unit with a condensate pipe on the wall

Air conditioning condensate

Air conditioning condensate from old homes produces additional moisture on the slope, potentially attracting moisture-loving insects and mould.

Floor drains

Floor drains may be clogged or set low, holding flood water and moisture, creating an environment for insects and mould.

A drip irrigation line in damp soil beside planting

Irrigation against the wall

Irrigation against walls does not normally exist on these dry slopes, but pooled flood water at the base may create dampness.

A closed monitoring station at the foot of a wall

The monitoring points

Monitoring points are placed on the slope itself near flood paths, large cracks and openings, to detect waves coming from the mountain.

How we work

1
The baseline survey

We walk the outside boundary and then the inside: gaps under doors, pipe runs, vents, condensate lines, drains, the bin area and the store, and we fix the monitoring points before anything is applied.
2
Close the routes

Mesh on the vents, the gap under the door dealt with, the sleeve around a pipe run closed, and water put back into the drain nobody uses. Exclusion saves a spray that would otherwise repeat forever.
3
The band and the placed product

A residual band at the base of the wall outside and around door and window openings, with placed product inside joints and closed voids where it is warranted, and no open spray across living surfaces.
4
The scheduled visit: read, renew, record

We read the points to see which side is under pressure, renew the band where sun or irrigation has taken it, aim the visit at what the coming season opens up, and write down what was found and what was used.

What the preventive programme includes

A survey, then a check every visit

Entry points, moisture sources and storage, recorded before anything is applied and revisited each time.
Monitoring points that get read

At the wall and floor junction, under sinks and in the store, checked on every visit rather than only the last one.
A renewed exterior band

At the wall base and around the openings, put back wherever sun or irrigation took it between visits.
Drains, water lines and waste

The water seal in the drains, the condensate line and the ground around the bins, which are the standing water and food sources.
Between the visits

What to keep dry, what to keep closed, and what is worth a call before the next date. Ventilation we tell you before the visit.
A scheduled visit and a record of each

An agreed date, what the points held, what was treated, and what changed since last time.

What is different about Al Ghazza Sub-Municipality

Al Ghazza sub municipality wraps around the north and west of the Grand Mosque, from Al Shamiyah, Al Qararah and Shaib Amir round to Jarwal and Al Taysir. Large tracts were cleared for the northern expansion and the Rua Al Haram scheme, leaving excavated ground and open construction sites beside ageing blocks that now serve as dense seasonal lodgings in Jarwal and Al Taysir. Old flood paths still fall from Jabal Qaiqaan and Jabal Khandamah towards the mosque, and markets and eateries crowd Al Masjid Al Haram Road and Umm Al Qura Road.

Questions about this district

Do flash floods push insects from the mountain straight into homes?

Yes. In heavy rain, violent floods come from the mountain loaded with insects and rodents. Homes on the slope sit directly in the flood path, so entry is fast and forceful.

How often do homes in Shaib Amir need preventive visits?

Homes need weekly visits throughout the year. In spring and autumn when heavy rain arrives we may increase to twice weekly. In dry summer and winter we may ease to twice a month.

Can cracks in old stone buildings be sealed?

Cracks are very numerous and may compromise structural integrity. We recommend sealing only the largest cracks. Small cracks get intensive monitoring point coverage.

Do ancient flood paths affect the pressure on homes?

Greatly. Old flood paths descend from the mountain directly, and insects and rodents travel them at speed. We place monitoring points on these paths.

Are monitoring points on slopes different from those in ordinary homes?

Yes. On slopes, points are placed near flood paths, large cracks and openings. Points monitor waves coming from above before they reach homes.

Does preventive treatment completely stop insect entry from floods?

We cannot completely prevent entry because floods are violent. But the programme cuts entry substantially. We focus on residual bands at door and window openings, and monitoring points on the slope itself.

How much does preventive treatment in Shaib Amir Wa Shaib Ali cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Shaib Amir Wa Shaib Ali.