Choosing Termite Control Companies: A Guide

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Every year, termites cause billions of dollars worth of damage to residential structures. If you suspect you have termites in your home, it’s important to research termite control companies and get rid of any infestation.

However, when you’re researching companies, you might be wondering which the best one to choose is.

Here’s everything you should consider when looking for effective termite control.

Ask Friends and Family

The first thing you should do is ask friends and family if they’ve ever had to deal with a termite infestation. They might have used a company in the past that they can recommend and assure you does good work — or they might have a suggestion of who to avoid!

Asking for the names of termite control services will give you a good starting point. You can then research from there.

Read Reviews

97% of consumers use the online space to find new products and services. One of the major advantages of this is that it’s easy for them to leave a review afterward — and there should be a plethora for you to read through. 

Reading reviews will give you a great overview of pest control services and how good they are. They should have a good overall rating, but it’s also a good idea to dive further into the reviews.

Read the five-star reviews and see if they seem well deserved. Read the one-star reviews, see what went wrong, and how the company responded.

It’ll all add up to paint a big picture of the company!

Check Out the Website

While web design is an industry pretty far away from pest control, looking at the website can give you a good picture of the company. It should be clean, legible, and have all of the information that you need readily accessible (such as services and contact information).

It may also have information about consultations. Some companies will offer free, no-obligation consultations so you can make an informed decision about whether or not you’d like to proceed.

Check License and Insurance

Before proceeding with any pest control service, make sure they’re licensed and insured.

This is vital for two reasons.

The first is that it means they’re qualified to do what they do and have proven experience. The second is that insurance will cover you if anything goes wrong.

Hopefully, nothing will, but if something is damaged in your house, you’re definitely going to want to use it!

Ask Them Questions

It’s absolutely vital to ask any company questions. If you’re going to use their services, you want to be sure they’re the right company for you and that you trust them enough to invite them into your home.

Examples of some questions are:

  • How much experience do you have?
  • How do you background check your employees?
  • How often have you worked against termites, specifically?
  • What’s the best way to reach you?

The last one is vital because if you need to get in touch with them, you want to do so quickly. Some companies prefer you call to get in touch with them right away, and others are often busy and prefer you send them a message.

Neither is the wrong way to do things, but it does depend on personal style and you’ll want to be aware of it when moving ahead.

Ask About Their Schedule

If you have a termite infestation, you’ll want termite control there as soon as possible. Therefore, you should make sure they have quick availability.

It’s not just that though. You might need them specifically to come on a day when you can get the pets out of the house, or when the kids have school. You might only have one day off work.

If you have specific scheduling needs, make sure they can accommodate them before committing to a company.

Ask For the Quote

The quote is one of the most important parts of deciding on a company. You can even get quotes from a few different companies and make a decision from there.

Despite the importance of the quote, it’s vital not to automatically go with the cheapest option. The cheapest company may be that way because they don’t have much experience, or have had a series of bad reviews and are desperate for business.

While it’s important to make sure it’s within your budget, consider all of the factors together before you commit to a company. The quote is just part of it.

Ask How to Prepare the House

The last thing you should do is ask if there’s anything you need to do before the company would arrive to get rid of the termites. 

A good example of this is getting pets out of the house. During pest control services, pets and humans both often need to leave the house. This is fine if it’s just a case of taking Fido to doggy daycare, but can prove a little more challenging with cats!

It’s always good to plan ahead.

Choose Between Termite Control Companies Carefully

As with any service, not all termite control companies are created equal. Some have more experience than others, better or worse reviews, and higher or lower pricing.

You should consider all of these factors together when making a decision. At the end of the day, though, go with your instinct. If a company makes you feel more comfortable and gives you more faith in them than the others, it’s likely the right one for you. 

For a free, no-obligation quote in Cottleville, MO from a trusted company, check us out today.

Winter Pest Control Guide: St Louis

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Did you know that full-service pest control can range from about $300-$550? This is not to mention the cost of damage to your home. 

While summer may be prime pest season, pests don’t become completely inactive in the winter. When it starts to get snowy, cold, and wet outside, they’re more likely to seek shelter and warmth in your home.

Having pests in your St. Louis home during the holidays isn’t only annoying but also increases the chances of you and your loved ones suffering from health complications like allergies. Therefore, as you prepare for the winter season, it’s vital to get pest control St. Louis and protect your home from winter pests.

Below is a winter pest control guide to help you out. 

Common Winter Pests in St. Louis

During winter, pests can invade your home in search of food and shelter. Here are common winter pests you should look out for in St. Louis.

Rodents

As winter approaches, rodents can take advantage of the shelter, food, and water supply your home provides them. From rats to mice, these rodents have front incisors that grow continuously.

To stop their front incisors from overgrowing, rodents will chew on almost anything they come into your house. Whether it’s your clothes, furniture, drywall, or wires, they can cause extensive damage to your home.

Apart from leaving their elongated and conical-shaped droppings everywhere, they also have a terrible skunk that affects the quality of your indoor air.

You’ll most likely find rodents in indoor nesting behind large appliances spots like basements, crawlspaces, underneath your furniture, behind wall voids, and large appliances. They can also invade your garage and nest inside equipment such as lawnmowers.

Termites

Described as social insects, termites live in large numbers and can invade your home as a colony. Most colonies will build a nest near your home and find their way inside while looking for food. They often move inside unnoticed through pieces of wood or spaces in your foundation.

As they move around your property, the termites feed on structural wood, causing extensive and costly damages. Before these damages occur, you need qualified termite services in St. Louis to get rid of these pesky pests. You can get in touch with them in case you notice any mud tubes in your home.

Cockroaches

Although they may vary in size and color, cockroaches have similar flat, oval-shaped bodies, with two antennae. Depending on the species, roaches may or may not have wings. They often live in large groups – making it hard to control and eliminate them once they move into your home.

When inside your property, cockroaches will contaminate your food, dishes, food prep areas, and other surfaces with bacteria that they carry on their body and legs. What’s more, their excrement and shed skins can also trigger allergies and asthmas attacks in your household. You may find roaches in any dark corners of your home.

Overwintering Insects

Guided by the changes in daylight in late summer, insects like cluster flies and stink bugs know when winter is approaching and will try to get in your home. They usually arrive in large numbers, flocking your windows and walls and looking for ways to enter.

Other overwintering insects will find structural gaps and openings that permit access to your home. Most of these insects are a nuisance so you’ll want to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Spiders

During summer, your yard is often filled with insect activity. As spiders prefer feeding on insects and other spiders, they often prefer your outdoors. Unfortunately, their food becomes scarce when the insects move inside your home to overwinter.

While some spiders like the brown recluse can be dangerous to be around, others are just annoying to have around. This is why you need to contact a professional pest inspection in St. Louis. You’ll most likely find inside spiders hidden in dark, less-traveled areas like your basement, closets, attics, under furniture, and more.

Winter Pest Control Guide in St. Louis

Winter pests are a nuisance that can end up ruining your holidays. But before they do that, there are ways you can prevent their entry into your home. Here are some pest control tips you should incorporate to stop the winter pests invasion.

Thorough Cleaning Your Home

Most pests are attracted to filth. If you keep a filthy home, they will find your home a comfortable place to stay. To keep them away from your home, you should clean them regularly.

Apart from focusing on the surfaces, you should also clean items like your bedding, clothes, and more.

When deep cleaning, you should pay extra attention to the kitchen, laundry room, attic, bathroom, and other hidden areas of your house. You should also frequently remove the trash.

Seal Up and Block Off Your Home

Gaps or holes in the structure of your home provide entry points for pests to escape the colder weather. You can block off your home by filling in the holes, crevices, cracks around the perimeter areas of your property.

Another effective rodent control method involves checking your doors and windows for any gaps and sealing them. You should also place mesh covers over drains and vents leading to your house and a tight-fitting cap on your chimneys.

Keep Moisture Areas Dry

Bugs like cockroaches love moist areas. That’s why you’ll often find them under kitchen sinks and in bathrooms. To keep them away from your home, you should ensure to keep your kitchen and bathroom dry.

You should also fix any leaking pipes or plumbing issues that can lead to condensation build-up.

Use Pressure-Treated Wood

As a termite control tip, using termite-resistant wood for construction can help deter termites from chowing down on your structure. This can save you from costly damages.

Hire Professional Pest Control St. Louis Exterminators

Got a pest infestation? Searching for “pest control near me”?

Look no further than Amco Ranger Termite and Pest Solutions. Our pest control St. Louis is eco-friendly without sacrificing strength and effectiveness. We’ll drive the pests out of your home, leaving it pest-free during the holidays.

Feel free to contact us today for quality services.