A Guide To Pest Control Companies

Australia is home to some amazing and unique wildlife, but unfortunately it’s also home to many creepy crawlies we don’t admire quite as much; such as cockroaches, rodents, spiders and armies of ants. Effective pest control is an ongoing process in Australian homes. There is certainly no “set and forget” method and you’re done. It’s all about both ridding the home of pests, and doing what’s possible to help prevent future infestations.

This post will guide you with some handy tips on how to find just the right pest control company to sort out your critter problem.

Jump To:
Should You Hire a Professional Pest Control Company Or DIY?
Key Things To Look for In a Pest Control Company
How To Choose a Company You Can trust
Questions You Should Ask
Research What Pests They Target
Do They Offer Prevention Methods?
The Takeaway

Should You Hire a Professional Pest Control Company Or DIY?

You might be asking yourself whether you even need to bring in professional pest control experts. It’s a common and fair enough question, as there are certainly measures you can take yourself.

Whether you need a pro or can DIY likely depends on the extent of your pest problem. Along with that, some pests are simply much harder to eradicated than others.

For example, it’s far easier to kill off some cockroaches yourself than it is to find and eliminate a serious bed bug infestation.

Generally speaking, effective pest control – prevention and eradication – is a combination of both DIY methods and regular visits from a pest control expert.

Key Things To Look for In a Pest Control Company

Experience is one of the most important things to look for. While you might want to give a start up company a go, you really want to choose one that already has a proven track record. There are cowboy pest controllers out there, and you don’t want one of those, so the only true way to sort the cowboys out from the real deal is through longevity in the business.

The unprofessional cowboys will disappear very quickly, whereas genuine professionals will stay around for years.

You’ll also want some proof that they are a licensed pest control company. This accreditation should be clearly displayed on their website and marketing materials. Not only should the company be licensed, but so too should all their pest control technicians.

If you have a very specific problem, does the company specialise in that problem pest? Not generally deal with a certain pest, but are specialists in eradicating it.

How To Choose a Company You Can Trust

You always want to know you can trust a new company you plan to deal with. You want to know they’ll do a thorough and professional job, and that they won’t try and rip you off on price. You also want them to be easy to deal with, as well as know they’ll show up on time and are generally reliable.

The best way of teaming up with a pest control company you can trust is to get personal recommendations from people who have actually hired the services of the company in question and had a positive experience with them.

Ask around among your peers – friends, family, co-workers – and see if anyone can recommend a local pest control expert.

Failing that, you can turn to the internet for information. Don’t read testimonials on the company’s website as these are easily fabricated (I’m not saying they’re not real, but they might not be). You want independent testimonials and reviews.

Maybe search for information about a company on Glassdoor and other review sites like that. What you want to know is that a real customer has used the company before and that they were happy with the outcome.

Also, if a pest control company has been operating for many years, that’s a pretty good indication that they do good business, or they would have folded a long time ago. Companies that rort their customers or do shoddy work don’t last long; especially not in the internet age.

Questions You Should Ask

When dealing with a pest control company for the very first time, organise a list of questions you want to ask them on the phone before booking them in. Ask whatever is most relevant and important to you.

Questions like the following examples:

• Do they offer a free quote or consultation for new customers?
• Is the company insured in case there is an accident while the pest controller is on site, or there is damage to your home?
• What is their general availability and do you need to book well in advance?
• Are their pest control methods and pesticides safe for you, your children and your pets?
• Are their products environmentally friendly?
• What pests do they specialise in and are there any pests they don’t target?
• How long have they been in business?

Research What Pests They Target

If you have a particular pest problem, maybe something a little unusual or less common, you’ll want to know that the company you hire has the experience and methods to target that particular pest.

Not all pest control experts deal in the prevention and eradication of every pest out there. Most will deal with common pests such as:

• Cockroaches
• Rodents (mice and rats)
• Ants
• Spiders
• Silverfish
• Flies & mosquitoes

But not every company will target termites or bed bugs. If you have a termite or bed bug problem, there’s no point in hiring a professional who doesn’t deal with that particular issue.

Do They Offer Prevention Methods?

Depending on your pest problem, does the company offer any prevention methods rather than just spraying to kill whatever bugs happen to be in your home at the time?

Let’s say you have a mouse problem. Can they offer any advice or devices that help prevent mice from entering your house in the first place, rather than just catching or killing them when they do?

Prevention is always better than simply “treating the symptoms”.

The Takeaway

Everybody needs to take some measures to control pests in the home and it’s usually a combination of some simple DIY techniques combined with the expertise and advice of a pest control professional. You just want to make sure you choose a company that’s reputable, safe and great to deal with.

If you are looking for pest control in the Sunshine Coast, try Top Choice Pest Control .