Unwelcome guest are never fun – especially if they are pests in your home. No matter if you live in the city, in the country or somewhere in between – we all get pests of some sort in our homes.
Ants, bugs, flies, fleas, rats….. EWWWW!!!
So the first thing you will want to do call a pest control company. Who do you call… ok not Ghostbusters. My recommendation is:
1. Find a trustworthy pest control company. Ask your family, friends and neighbors. If that doesn’t work, search online: Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc. When you ask around make sure you find someone who had the same needs as you. For example, do go with a pest control company for ants if someone used them to get rid of skunks. I mean they may be good, but try to find someone who recommends a company for the same service you are looking for. While you are taking the time to check out reviews, you may want to also check to make sure there are no complaints. BBB
is a good place to look. Sometimes asking the company for references can be helpful. We all know the pitfalls with that, typically the company is smart enough not to give you a bad reference. But, it doesn’t hurt getting them as well.
2. Get a quote. Many websites offer free estimates or quotes. Get a few so you can compare their services and prices for what you need. Pest control companies often a low introductory rate or some sort of discount for first time service. The next time you use them may be full price. You can ask about a yearly contract. You usually get a better deal if you work out some sort of yearly maintenance contract.
3. Make sure they are licensed and insured. Not only do you want to find a company that is recommended and that has a proven track record, you want to make sure they on the up and up. Ask to see and review their license and insurance. If they hesitate or give you a hard time, move on to the next company. Not work fussing back and forth about it. The prices are usually lower from someone that is not licensed and insured. However, should something go wrong you will probably never be able to track them down and if you did, they probably couldn’t pay for the damage or injury that they caused.
4. Kid and pet friendly options. Everyone has gone green these days. If you have pets and children make sure that you ask about kid and pet treatments to be certain that they will not affect the health of either one. Also, ask them about the time it will take to get rid of the pests you are getting rid of. Natural, environmentally, kid and pet safe treatments take longer and often require multiple treatments. Be sure your expectations are set appropriately.
If you read through the above points and keep them in mind when making your decision, you should avoid missed expectations and should be able to make the right choice the first time!