How to Pick a Good Pest Control Company

• Don’t make a decision based solely on viewing their website. Call the company!

Call and ask questions. Express concerns you may have. If the representative at the other end of the line is professional, courteous and helpful, this is very important to know because it means that the company genuinely cares about its customers.

• Make sure the technician you use is licensed to provide the type of service you need and the license is current.  Make sure the company is legally bonded and insured.

There are pest control operators out there who are not licensed to provide certain types of treatment. Also, there are pest control operators who are properly licensed, but who do not carry the liability insurance required by the state to be operating. Utilizing a pest control operator who is not insured leaves YOU responsible for any accidents or harm caused to you, your family members, pets, property and even to the pest control company’s own employees. Ask if the technician who would be doing the job is properly licensed to do the job and has a current license. Also make sure the company is bonded and has liability insurance.

• Make sure the estimate you are given is reasonable and fair.

Get estimates from a couple different companies in order to get an idea of a fair price. However, make sure the pricing estimates you obtain from different companies actually are comparing the same type of treatment. Many times the price comparisons are not based on similar types of treatment.

While many pest companies may not give pricing over the phone, it does not mean they are a business to be avoided. They may rather have someone come to your home or business to make their own assessment of the problem and provide a more accurate price. While we also prefer to have our technician provide on-site assessment and pricing, our company does provide rough estimates over the phone if someone asks. We recognize that people may want to get an idea of our pricing or just have a general idea of what a particular service may cost, especially if they have never consulted with a pest control company before.

 

Bedbugs

Bedbugs come from public place such as hotels, hospitals, movie theaters, senior living homes, public transit systems, schools and even department stores. Many times when people get bedbugs, we find that they have traveled and stayed in a hotel. Other times, people have had guests stay with them who likely brought them on their baggage. Bedbugs are hitch hikers and they hitch a ride to their destination. They often stow away in baggage, handbags and clothing. Once they become hungry, they get on the next host and go home with them.

They get their name from mattresses, box springs and folded areas of beds where they often live, lay their eggs and feed. But you can find them almost anywhere in your home such as behind baseboards, upholstery, picture frames, furniture, and even tiny crevices in walls, ceilings and flooring.

Bedbugs were almost wiped out in the United States in the 1940s with the widespread use of DDT, but were never completely eradicated. They have always been around. Since the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, bedbugs began to make a resurgence into American hotels and households with the increase of travel, migrations from South America, and open borders with the Southeast Asian governments.

Bedbugs do not discriminate. Everyone is at risk of getting them. It does not matter if you are tidy or messy, rich or poor. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will experience a bedbug infestation in their lifetime.