How Much Does It Cost to Install a Mosquito Misting System?

If you like to spend time outdoors during the warmer months of the year, you may want to consider installing a pest control system to help you deal with insects like mosquitoes. Mosquito misting systems are one of the fastest-growing methods of controlling pests and insects around homes.

Misting systems come in multiple sizes to accommodate different properties and needs. The average homeowner spends between $1,500 and $4,000 on mosquito misting system installation. To install a 30-nozzle drum system in a yard the costs are around $2,500 for the system and professional installation.

Mosquito Misting System Installation Costs

Mosquito Misting System Cost by Type

There are two basic types of mosquito misting systems, and both operate in similar ways. They funnel pesticide and water through tubing to strategically placed nozzles and spray the pesticide around the perimeter of your property. The biggest difference between the two systems is that one is tankless, while the other uses a 55-gallon drum. Both are available as either automatic or remote, and the table below shows price ranges for each type:

Drum-based Misting System

A drum-based mosquito mister is one with a large drum or tank containing the mixture of insecticide and water, ready to be sprayed. The large storage capacity of these models makes them bigger and bulkier overall, but it also means you do not have to worry about refilling them as often. They are the cheapest option, costing between $900 and $1,800 on average.

Tankless Mosquito Misting System

Unlike drum-based models, tankless misting systems do not have a large tank. Instead, they have a small container holding insecticide concentrate, which is then mixed with water and sprayed. The smaller nature of these systems means that they need to be refilled more often, but they are more compact and can be placed almost anywhere without taking up too much space. They range in cost from $1,200 to $3,000.

Remote Mosquito Misting System

Remote mosquito misting systems come with manual remote controls, letting you operate and adjust the settings as desired. They can still spray automatically, based on the settings you apply, but it is up to you to change the schedule and make various adjustments over time. These mosquito misting systems are slightly cheaper than the fully automatic versions, costing between $900 and $2,500 on average.

Automatic Mosquito Misting System

With an automatic mosquito misting system, everything is regulated and scheduled on your behalf. As soon as the system is up and running, it will regularly spray the insecticide on a set schedule, adjusting automatically to the changing conditions. This means you will not have to worry as much about maintenance or adjusting the controls to effectively enjoy the benefits of your mister. They cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000.

Mosquito Misting System Cost by Brand

Whether you want a system you can install yourself or one you can have professionally installed, you have choices in terms of which brand to use. There are a few top brands that offer a lot of choices for homeowners.

Insecticide

The mosquito misting system is designed to run twice a day during warmer weather. Depending on where you live, this could be for a few months a year or all year long. In either case, you need to purchase insecticide for the system, either the concentrate for the tankless system or the mix for the drums.

Typically, the costs work out to $2 to $3 per day depending on the type of system and insecticide. You have a choice of different chemicals to use. The most popular is Pyrethrin, which is derived from the chrysanthemum flower and is considered safe for children and pets. A synthetic version of this chemical is called Permethrin, and it is equally safe and available. Piperonyl Butoxide, which is also in the same chemical family, is another option. This chemical can be an endocrine disruptor that may cause cancer, so it is not widely used.

An all-green option is available for some systems that use a mixture of peppermint oil and other essential oils, but this is not considered as effective as Pyrethrin. All these chemicals can be purchased for $30 to $90 per bottle.

Mosquito Misting Nozzles

Regardless of what type of system you use, it will involve tubing to take the pesticide from the intake or drum to the nozzles, which are what propel the mist over your yard. The standard system includes roughly 30 nozzles, which should be enough to cover the average yard of up to a ¼ of an acre. However, large properties may need as many as 60 nozzles to cover the area adequately. Additional nozzles can be purchased for around $15 per piece, but they may be cheaper purchased in sets.

Labor Costs to Install a Mosquito Misting System

Professional installation of a mosquito misting system varies in cost depending on several factors, such as the size of your property, how difficult it is to run the tubing, the type of system, and the location of the nozzles. Labor costs typically run from $1,000 to$3,000, with most homeowners paying somewhere around $1,250 to $1,500 for a ¼-acre system.

Installation of a mosquito misting system is simple, and many homeowners choose to do the install themselves. Installation involves finding a location for the drum or intake system, providing water to the system, and then running the tubing from the system out to the nozzles. Ideally, the tubing should be around the perimeter of the property and out of the way. It may be tied off to fencing, trees, or parts of your home. Fasteners are used to hold the nozzles and tubing in the correct position. The entire process only takes a few hours from start to finish and is non-invasive.

Organic Mosquito Misting System

An organic mosquito misting system is one that makes use of organic, non-toxic insecticides. The advantage of this misting system is that it does not emit potentially harmful or toxic chemicals that may put your home, pets, or the surrounding environment at risk.

It can even help the local ecosystem thrive because many organic insecticides kill mosquitoes without harming other insects like bees or butterflies. It is a good choice for people who grow their own fruits or veggies because you do not have to worry about toxic chemicals and pesticides getting on your plants.

However, there are a couple of downsides to organic treatments. They are not as potent as chemicals and degrade more quickly in the air, requiring you to respray more often. You may have to spend more time refilling your mister and more money on the organic refills.

You can use organic mosquito treatments in regular misters, and it usually costs between $80 and $200 per half gallon.

Pros and Cons of Mosquito Misting

Like many pest control systems, mosquito misting has its positive and negative attributes. The system is fairly easy to set up and use and costs around $2 to $3 per day to run. The various pesticides used in the system are considered non-toxic, and 100% natural solutions are available as well.

The system is fairly discrete and, in many instances, can be automatically or remotely controlled. Some systems are also easy to set up for DIY homeowners.

The system may not be very reliable, however, since mosquitoes migrate frequently. New insects will continuously visit your yard, so the system must be in constant operation. While pesticides are considered safe, there is always a chance of contaminating nearby water or plant life, and many of the pesticides used may kill aquatic life in nearby water.

In addition, the system may not be entirely effective on its own. So, it is still recommended that homeowners take other steps to protect their properties from mosquitoes, including removing any standing water.

Finally, there is no testing method that goes hand in hand with the systems. This means that the system will continue to spray even if there are no mosquitoes or other pests in the vicinity.

Mosquito Misting System Location

As with many things, location is everything when it comes to a misting system. Ideally, the nozzles should be positioned in discrete areas around the perimeter of your property. They should not be installed near air conditioners, vents, or other air intake areas of the house. They should not be installed more than 10 feet off the ground and should be evenly spaced for the best coverage. Keep them away from ponds and other aquatic features in the yard, such as koi ¹ ponds. The average yard uses 30 nozzles, but you may need more or fewer depending on the shape of your yard and the area you are covering.

Mosquito Misting System Refill

Regardless of whether you buy a tankless or drum-based mosquito misting system, you also need to regularly purchase insecticide refills. This is the key ingredient in your mister, sprayed out to get rid of mosquitoes, and keep your property free of other unwanted pests as well. Refills are usually sold in 64 fl. oz. bottles, which is about the amount to fill up most 55-oz drum-based systems, and each bottle costs around $80 to $150. These are a few of our top refill recommendations.

BEST OVERALL: Riptide Water Based ULV

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Produced by one of the best brands in the business, this water-based ULV solution contains 5% pyrethrins as its key active ingredient. It works well against mosquitoes but is also effective against other pests, such as flying and crawling insects and cockroaches. It can be used both indoors and outdoors.

BEST VALUE: Sector Mosquito Misting System Refill

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ALSO CONSIDER: PYRANHA Bug Armor Mosquito Misting System Solution

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Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet

¹ Koi: A Japanese variety of carp which is bred for decorative use, such as in outdoor or indoor ornamental ponds