Are you aware that residential pest control accounts for 68% of the pest control industry in the US? In addition to being unwelcome guests in your home, pests are destructive, irritating, and disease carriers that put your family at risk.
Cockroaches rank high among the most common pests in the US. These insects are highly adaptable can survive extreme conditions. Their bodies are flat, which allows them to hide virtually anywhere. Cockroaches can feed on a wide range of things, which reduces the chances of lacking food.
However, what makes roaches a hard pest to get rid of is their ability to reproduce. In a single year, a female cockroach and her offspring can produce up to 30,000 offspring. As such, if you do not take action immediately, what seems like a small cockroach infestation can get out of hand in a short period. Though there measures you can take to get rid of cockroaches, it is advisable to hire an exterminator. With a professional, you can be sure your pest issues will be resolved.
In this article, you will learn some of the essential things to consider when hiring an exterminator.
How to Choose an Exterminator
Though there are over 27,000 pest control businesses in the US, they’re not equally capable of eradicating resilient pests such as cockroaches. As such, you should consider the following when hiring an exterminator:
Credentials
Claiming you’re the best exterminator (as all companies do), and being the best are two different things. Don’t buy into such claims blindly. To verify that a company is reliable, confirm their registration status and licenses. Also, their employees must have the necessary certifications.
Any company that’s duly registered and has qualified employees will be willing to present such documents upon request.
Experience
As with many other professions, there are invaluable things that exterminators pick up while on the job. As you vet potential companies, it is crucial to consider the duration they have been in the industry as well as the number of clients they have served successfully.
References
Having a few years of service under the belt is a great bonus for an exterminator. However, you should make sure that those are years of quality service. Ask the exterminator to provide you with a list of some of their previous clients.
To gain an even better picture of what type of service to expect, check for their reviews online. Visit their website and social media pages to check for customer complaints and such. You should make sure to check the company’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating to see the sentiments from previous clients.
Type of Pesticide Used
There different methods of eradicating pests, which range from traps to pesticides. Some pesticides are known to have harmful effects on pets, humans, plants, and wildlife, which then disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.
Therefore it is important to be cautious of the effects that the pesticide used will have. Before hiring an exterminator, inquire about the type of pesticides they use. All trustworthy exterminators have no qualms about providing copies of the labels of the pesticides they use. Another important factor to consider is the rate at which each pesticide will be used.
Guarantee
Getting rid of a cockroach infestation can take some time and may require a few extermination attempts. Therefore, it is vital that you hire an extermination company that offers a service guarantee.
A service guarantee offers the same protection as a warranty. In case treatment from the first appointment does not yield the desired results, the exterminator will provide a repeat service free of charge.
Number of Treatments
The number of treatments required to eradicate a cockroach infestation fully depends on the severity of the infestation. This also affects the cost of the service. Ask the exterminator to provide you with such details to allow for sufficient planning.
How to Prevent Cockroach Infestations
Once you have successfully cleared your home of roaches, it is important to take necessary pest prevention steps to prevent future infestations. Here are some of the precautions you can take:
- Ensure that you clean your house regularly and make sure you discard food properly
- Seal cracks, holes, and any spaces on walls, tiles, doors, and windows that can be used as entry points
- Have all leaks fixed as moisture can attract roaches
Are Exterminators Worth It?
When it comes to pest control, there are many methods that you can use without the help of a professional. However, considering the health risk posed by cockroaches and their exceptional resilience and ability to reproduce, hiring an cockroach exterminator may save you a lot of time, money, and safeguard the health of your health.
Click HERE for other common pests found in North Texas.
