Like it or not, pests in the home are a fact of life. And the truth is, most people will end up having to call a professional pest control service — no matter whether it’s to get rid of a serious bug problem in the kitchen, rats in the attic, or something more serious like a termite infestation that has spread throughout the entire house.
Frankly, there’s an art to finding the right pest control company.
So, how can you be absolutely positive that you’re hiring one that truly knows how to handle your particular pest problem?
Well, one of the best ways to be sure is by following these four basic tips that savvy homeowners take advantage of before they ever pick up the phone:
Make sure you know what type of service you are getting. If you’re not careful, you may get a pest control company that only includes a “spray and pray method.” Yes, it’s less expensive but, as the name implies, it isn’t always effective. If you’re looking for a more reliable solution, consider a company that offers a regular comprehensive integrated pest management program where they look for and identify conditions around your home that are conducive to pests — and then address them. And if they’re not able to fix any issues themselves, then they should make you aware of what needs done. A typical pest management program may include spider web removal, wasp nest removal, termite monitoring, exterior rodent stations, and an exterior treatment.
Look for a company that includes many pests in their program. Many companies will charge extra for pests like voles, fleas, wasps, carpenter ants, and pantry pests, just to name a few. However, many pest control companies typically include all pests besides termites, mosquitos, and bed bugs at no extra charge.
Look for a company that’s QualityPro Certified. Not all pest control services are created equal. In fact, less than 3% of all US companies are given the QualityPro Certified designation by the Foundation for Professional Pest Management. When you contract with a pro-certified pest control business, you’ll ensure that you’re dealing with a company that holds themselves to the highest standards in the industry.
Get a guarantee. If you’re on a regular pest control program, it’s important to make sure you don’t have to pay for any pest problems that may arise in-between services. Reputable companies will always include a warranty with your service.
By following these simple tips, you’ll never have to worry about being, well … bugged by a pest control company that isn’t up to the job.
Photo Credit: D.A.K. Photography
How long should a typical pest control guarantee be please?
It depends. Any guarantee is better than no guarantee at all. A well-known national pest control company here in the US offers a bug-free 60-day guarantee; other companies offer 30- and 90-day guarantees. A select few offer guarantees for up to three years for some pests. For example, one particular company in my neck of the woods guarantees that, after treatment, your home will be free from:
– bed bugs for three months
– fleas, bees, crickets and wasps for up to six months
– ants, silverfish, cockroaches and mice for up to 1 year
– rats for up to three years
So, like everything else, you need to shop around to get the best deal.
I like the recommendation to look for a company that deals with many kinds of pests. It makes sense that this would be helpful to make sure that whatever pest problem you home has, you only need one company to deal with it. I’ll have to keep this in mind when looking to have the rats removed just to make sure I don’t need to have multiple contacts for pest control.
I agree, if you have to hire a pest control company to come out to your house, then you want to make sure that they have a lot of different pests included in their program. After all, having one kind of pest present in your home can easily invite more in. You want to make sure that the pest control service that you hire offers a wide range of services to ensure that they can take care of any pest problem they encounter when clearing out your home.
My sister was telling me that she actually spotted a rat in her attic, but she wasn’t sure how to call to have it taken care of. I really l9ike that you say to consider a company that offers a solution that will identify conditions around the house. It would be nice to get rid of the initial problem and make sure that they aren’t going to come back later on.
That’s interesting that less than 3% of all US companies are given the QualityPro Certified designation. I’ve heard that a great way to find a good company, too, is to look up the 3-star, non-biased reviews on Google to get a good look at the company. I’ll have to keep this great information in mind so that I can choose the best pest control company to help keep my house clear!
It’s good to know that one should look for a company that includes many pests in their program when it comes to selecting a pest control service. Getting service that includes the extermination of voles, fleas, and wasps without extra cost would be ideal. I have also heard that it is a good idea to talk with past clients about the quality of performed work to ensure that the bugs were removed for good.
Thanks for the great read. You wrote in this article that you should look for a pest control service that has many pests in their program. My husband and I are preparing for spring cleaning, and I wanted to get a pest control service out to our home to do a bit of an inspection, and see if we were safe from all pests. If the company were specialized in many different pests, it could help us prevent a variety of different pest from getting into our home.
My brother recently moved into a new neighborhood. He bought an older home, and he has seen more bugs than he would like. His wife is terrified when she sees them. I didn’t realize that a pest removal service offers flea removal. That’s something my brother could use, for sure.
I can see how it would be really disheartening to agree to a contract only to find that it included fewer services than you expected. I would think that the most important factor would be to ensure that they guarantee removal of whatever pests you are having an issue with.
I thought the article provided some helpful suggestions for finding a pest control company. I like how the article mentions that you should be informed as to what services you’re getting. My mother-in-law suspects she may have a rodent problem, so I think she should take the article’s advice and find a company that can provide inspection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Great article! What you said here is clear and very informative. Thank you for sharing.
It would seem that different pests require different treatments so you would need to know what you are getting into. I have a lot of mice in my crawl space so I’ll have to hire a good pest control company to take care of them.
So what are you waiting for, Oprah? Call!!!
Re: guarantees. I can see how anyone looking into this would want to make sure they find someone that takes care of the problem and provides professional advice on how to keep their home clear.
I didn’t think to look at the amount of pests a company removes. If I have a problem with termites, I’d look specifically for termites. Great advice to look at other options should I need the company again.
The other day, I noticed that my dog had a few bee stings on her body. She has only been in our backyard, so we must have a bit of a bee problem on our property. We’ll be sure to get a pest control company that doesn’t only spray to get rid of pests, like you mentioned. Plus, since bees are so beneficial for our environment, we don’t want to kill them if possible!
Great article. Valuable tips.
Thanks, Jason.
We have discovered rats and cockroaches in our basement. We have done our best to get rid of them on our own but maybe calling in a professional would be the best way to go. These tips will really help us out in the future, thank you for sharing!
Your advice to find a company that offers a regular pest management program where they can check out the conditions of your home is a good idea. If you are able to keep rodents, bugs, and other unwanted creatures away from your house it could prevent any serious infestations. In order to do this, you’d probably want to look into different pest control services and what they specialize in so you can find one that knows how to work with the type of problem common to your area.
Having a spider control company who offers the pest management program would make us a lot happier.
It would be nice to rid voles, fleas, and wasps. I agree it would be a good idea to interview several companies before hiring to find out exactly what kind of pests they handle.
Understanding the services you are getting is definitely important. You don’t want to end up overpaying for something that you may not need. Thanks for sharing.
Since summer is fast approaching, I’m trying to find a reliable pest control company for the bugs. You’d probably lose a lot of money if they only took care of one kind, due to the fact you’d have to hire another company to take care of the rest. I feel like everyone could benefit by at least knowing a good company to get a hold of if a problem arises in order to catch it early before you have an infestation of pests.
Great article, Len! I didn’t realize how important it is to look at what guarantees a pest service offers to ensure you will be taken care of should a problem arise.
Great article! My brother just came back from vacation in New York City and he thinks he got bedbugs from his hotel so he is calling in a pest control company as soon as possible. I know I won’t be staying at his house unless I know he has gotten rid of every last one of those suckers.
“Suckers,” huh? I see what you did there, Marcus!
Sabado, I love your tip about finding out if a professional pest control service includes a warranty with their service. I didn’t know they were available.
I think I might have a rodent problem in my house that I need taken care of. Thanks for the tips!
This article was really helpful. Thanks! We are new homeowners and like others here, we’re experiencing problems with pests in our home. Especially the cockroaches. The other day, I found a dead one in a box of Lucky Charms that I keep in the pantry.
They’re magically delicious! Er … the Lucky Charms — not the roaches.
My neighbor is looking for a pest control company to take care of squirrels in his crawlspace. I’m going to pass this on to him. Thanks for this.
We have bugs in our basement, and I want to get rid of them as soon as possible. I’ll be sure to find someone who includes a lot of pests in their base price, since I’ve never seen some of the bugs we have. One of them looks like an alien from outer space!
Loved this article! What a great quick-reference piece for people like me. Finding someone who will provide a guarantee or warranty would be smart because it shows they are trustworthy. I think it would be good to check with the BBB to see what they think about the company too.
That’s cool that good pest control services won’t make you pay extra for any problems that come between services when you’re on a long-term plan. Lately, I’ve been dealing with mice, so many mice. I can hear them in the walls, and the other day I found three in a sack of rice.
My sister recently bought a new house where the area is infested with woodpeckers. She asked me to help her find a pest control company and I found this article — thank you Len! It was very helpful. Until I read this I never thought there was anything but the “spray and pray” method.
Heh. Boogle Barb. Great name! And you’re welcome!
I’ve been thinking about how it could be helpful for my wife and I to get a pest control service for our home to help us get rid of the increased bug population we’ve noticed. My wife and I both hate seeing spiders in and around our home, and I think that being able to have a pest control service to take care of that would be a huge luxury for us! You talked about looking for a pest control company who includes treatment of a wide variety of home invaders so that you don’t end up getting charged extra! Thanks for the tip, and hopefully we can find ourselves a good pest control service to get rid of our bugs!
Interesting … I guess you haven’t found a pest company since your last comment five months ago?? For the love of God … WHY NOT, MAX!!!
I haven’t been able to find a company with a good warranty of their services. We came back from vacation a few days ago and noticed there are a couple of ant hills in our backyard. They turned out to be fire ants. My neighbor said the ants killed their pet chihuahua while we were gone.
My fiance and I have been dealing with a pest problem and have been looking for a pest control service that we need to get taken care of before our wedding in a few weeks. I’m totally stressed! Knowing that whoever we choose can cover many problems makes it more comforting experience and knowledge wise for us.
Indeed.
Great article! You make a very good point about not all pests being covered. I can definitely see how having termites and bed bugs included in your pest control service would be very important, especially if you live in an area that is prone to these things. It would probably be a good idea to research a company with the BBB or someone similar as well before signing up with them, to see what their past clients have to say about them.
Re: getting a guarantee from a pest control service. It would make sense to find someone who will offer a guarantee because it shows their experience.
Am I glad I found this article! My husband and I have both seen some cockroaches in our house so we decided that we better find a professional business to help us get rid of them. We will definitely be looking for a pest control service that is QualityPro Certified so that we know we are using the best to get rid our bugs. Thanks for the tips!
We have ants in our kitchen so this post was really helpful. Thanks!
My husband and I recently moved into a new home, and summer is coming soon, so we are thinking of hiring a pest control company. I am glad that I found this article because I had no idea that you should get a guarantee and warranty with the service.
Pro tip: It’s not a good idea to stare into the sun, Elsa … even with sun glasses.
My husband and I have seen a lot of bees outside our house, so we are wondering how to find the best pest control service to help get rid of them since we’re allergic. I like your advice to find a QualityPro Certified company so that you can be sure they hold themselves to the highest standards. We will definitely have to start our search for a bee control company by focusing on those that are QualityPro Certified.
Wow, Ashley … you’ve got some real bug problems in your home! I say that because you mentioned you have cockroaches too (in an earlier comment). I guess all of those bugs have got you so frazzled you forgot you already read this article and commented a couple of days ago!
Glad I found this article, Len. My wife and I are looking for a good pest control service that knows how to get rid of lots of different types of rodents, insects, etc.
Good for you! Give my best to your wife.
That’s good to know that many companies include all pests except for termites, mosquito, and bed bugs at no extra expense. I think the trees in my backyard have termites since one fell down recently. Hopefully I can find a good professional to take care of it.
Yeah … hopefully.
I’ve recently noticed a lot of spiders in our home that I want to get rid of, but I also want to make sure that we keep other pests out of our home.
Then you better call an exterminator, Mia.
Speaking of pest charges, I had no idea that many pest control companies will charge an extra pest charge for different pests!
Congratulations, Carly. You just won the award for most uses of the word “pest” in a single sentence.
My home seems to have a spider problem and I want to make sure I can find the right service to get rid of them because my younger daughter has arachnophobia. Thank you for these tips on how to find a pest control company!
Arachnophobia … That sounds like the title to a potential hit movie.
P.S. – You look a little too young to have a daughter.
Good article. I have an infestation in my house that I need to get rid of. I’ll have to call and see if the company I’m thinking of hiring includes the bug I want to get rid of.
I know what you mean, Randy. I’m beginning to think I’ve got an infestation of something I need to get rid of on this article’s comment board. Any ideas what that might be?
Thank you for your tips.
Thanks for this, Len. Good info!
These are all great tips on how to find a good pest control service!
Very informative. This was exactly the kind of info I was looking for.
p.s. – the comments are really entertaining too! I found myself laughing out loud at a few of them. 😂
Glad you enjoyed the article, Sophia.
Nice post. Different types of pests attack homes and businesses. It is costly and time consuming to control these creatures if you dont have the necessary training and expertise. You should know that some of the chemicals used can harm the surrounding environment as well as the local inhabitants.
Getting rid of a rat’s nest is much more effective than getting rid of a few rats — that includes my soon-to-be ex-husband who left me last month for my best friend. 😬
Hey, um … I hope you’re not planning to hire an exterminator to take care of your hubby.
We have a major mosquito problem every spring, but we are going to catch them early this year, so we won’t have to deal with them.
I know you are getting a lot of strange comments, but my home has a cockroach infestation and this article really will go a long way toward helping me find a good provider of pest extermination services in my area. Thanks, Len.
I hadn’t realized before that because some pest control companies handle different types of pests, that we need to check to see which pests they handle before we choose one. Thanks for the tip!
I need to hire a pest control company because I found some termite tunnels near the back of our home while doing yard work this morning.