7 Critical Questions You Should Ask Before You Choose a Pest Control Company

You’ve invested a very big chunk of your life’s savings in a beautiful home. Then you saved and
saved and did it up so it suits your tastes and made it as close to your dream home as your finances
would permit.
Ideal.
Bliss.
Happily ever after?
Not Quite.
If you’ve come this far, you also realize that after you have done up your house, you face a big
responsibility to MAINTAIN it. This involves fixing what’s broken and ensuring that preventive
measures are taken to see that things don’t break and that they continue to work efficiently.
I’m sure you have maintenance contracts to cover your fridge, television, water purifier, Air
conditioners and so on…
What about your house – The furniture in it?
An insurance policy will ensure that you can claim some amount in the event of a calamity, but does
that ensure you a house free from pests?
Have you ever experienced the embarrassment of having a cockroach run into plain view in front of
your guests? Do you want to experience it?
Have you ever suffered mice in the house eating away your fruit and grain, contaminating everything
they touch?
What about Bed bugs disturbing your sleep or termites eating away at the biggest investment of your
life, slowly turning it to dust?
If someone forced their way into your house, poisoned your food, wounded your children and pets,
and ruined your furniture beyond repair, would you just sit by and think that you should do something
about it, but put it off for later?
Absolutely not.
You would pick up whatever you had in your hand and do everything possible to save your home and
property from this plunder.

Pests do the same thing in your home. They force their way in. They contaminate your food. They bite
your children and pests and very often transmit dangerous diseases. They slowly eat your furniture
and turn all the wood in your house to dust.
How come you procrastinate when it comes to hiring a pest control company?
Now you may think that you could handle the pest control of your house by yourself. You may well be
able to, but you do not have the expertise to match that of people who deal with pest infestations on a
daily basis.
• You will have to go through a process of trial and error in choosing the right pesticides to target
specific pests.
• Then you have to ensure that the pesticides are stored in a manner where they do not lose
effectiveness and do not fall into your children’s hands.
• Next you have to figure out where to spray, apply or place your pesticide so it will be most effective.
• Now you must balance the right dosage to maximize effectiveness while minimizing toxicity to your
family.
• You have to ensure that you maintain a fixed schedule so you are ahead of that particular pest’s
breeding cycle and do not risk re-infestation.
You have to learn and do all this while also maintaining your home (there are other areas that need
attention) and your job.
That’s a tall order for anybody, but it’s not impossible.
However, if you are like me and like to keep your mind and time free for other pursuits rather than
being tied up with just the house, you’ll find it much easier to hire a pest control company and enter
into a contract with them to keep your house pest free.
Pest Control Companies typically service many clients and have a varied client profile (restaurants,
offices, residences). They therefore have much more expertise in dealing with pests.
They know how to identify species and determine the pesticides that would be most effective in
treating those specific species of pests.
They know typical locations in your house for specific pest habitations (mice nests, termite colonies,
cockroach dwellings etc.). So they know where to use their pesticides to maximize their effect.
They know what chemicals to use, how much to use and how and where to store them.
They know at what frequency treatments are required to eliminate chances of re-infestation.

I would choose a pest control company for my house any day. I don’t have the time or know-how
required to keep my home pest free. I’d rather use the time on my hands to do more interesting
things.
So how do you find the right fit? How do you identify a pest control company that will give you full
value for your money?
When looking for a pest control company to treat your home, lookout for the following features in your
contract:
• What pests does the treatment cover?
There is generally one package that covers ants and roaches, a totally different treatment for termites
and another one for mice / rodents another one for bedbugs… you get the picture. Make sure that
treatment you are signing up for covers your problem.
• The number of treatments offered in the contract period.
It’s generally 4 treatments in one year for normal household pests like ants and cockroaches.
Treatments for rodents, termites, bed bugs may vary.
• Does the company offer free treatments between two scheduled treatments in case there is a
recurrence of the problem?
Many companies offer a facility where you can have your home treated for free if your problem recurs
before the next scheduled treatment is due.
• Are the chemicals used safe for children and pets?
Some companies require that children and pets should not be allowed into the treated area for a
stipulated time after the treatment. Some companies claim their treatments do not require this kind of
evacuation.
• What do they require you to do to maximize the effect of the chemicals?
It is important you ask this question. Some companies require that you do not swab the house for 24
or 48 hours after it has been sprayed so the pesticides have time to work before they are wiped. You
may even have to avoid washing certain areas especially if a gel has been applied. Ask your service
provider these questions so you get the most out of the treatment.
• What do their customers say?
Ask for references and Check with a couple of customers whose property they have serviced to
ensure that the treatment is effective and that the treatment schedule is adhered to.
• What guarantee do they offer?
Especially for termite treatment, ask what period they guarantee that you will not have a re-infestation.
No re-infestation guarantees after termite treatment can range from

1 to 3 years. However, most experts will hazard a guarantee only after they have inspected your
property and taken all factors like surrounding area, amount of wood, humidity etc. into consideration.
• Price
Though this is a big factor to consider, it isn’t the only one. For example, a company that charges you
2000 but does not offer any guarantees is not as good as a company that charges you 2250 and
gives you a 1 Year guarantee. If you have small children or pets, their safety is paramount. You will
insist on a treatment that is not detrimental to their health, no matter what the cost.
Depending on your situation at any given time, the importance of these factors will vary. If you have
only adults in your home and no pets, the fact that a particular treatment is child and pet friendly may
not affect your decision much. If you have a current infestation, the service provider’s expertise in that
particular area will be very important to you.
When you ask the questions listed in this article, you receive a lot of important information. Armed
with this information, you are in a much better position to ensure that your pest control company gives
you the most value for your money – satisfactorily ridding you of your problem and preventing it from
occurring again.
Then you can sit back and relax. Enjoy the pleasures of your pest-free, clean home.