Pests in or around one’s home may be more than just an inconvenience, they have the potential to threaten one’s health. It may be difficult to draw the line, but when exactly is the right time to stop trying to take control and leave it up to the professionals? Hopefully this guide will help navigate the decision.

Creepy Crawlies

Spiders are everywhere. This cannot be avoided and is a horrifying fact to those that suffer from arachnophobia. For the most part, they either stay outside or if they are inside they stay hidden. If a brown recluse is spotted and home remedies have not cured the infestation, it is time to make the call to a pest control company. Not only are they unwanted visitors, their bites can cause serious infections that can take months to heal, but death is rare.

Cockroaches are a common pest problem but are not easy to get under control. These guys can eat almost anything and live up to a year, while going up to a month without any food. Two of the most common roaches are the German and American cockroaches. American cockroaches are larger, growing to about one or two inches, and living mostly outside. Seeing one usually isn’t a huge deal but spotting two can mean that there is an infestation. German cockroaches on the other hand are not only much smaller, but if even just one is spotted then there is more than likely already an infestation. These ones reproduce much faster than the American cockroaches, and the female and her offspring have the capability to produce over 30,000 young in a year. If two of these German cockroaches are spotted, call a pest control company- immediately!

Four Legged Intruders

Unlike the previously mentioned bugs, mice and rats are large and may tend to make noise that is noticeable. Not only that, but they have the potential to totally destroy food in the kitchen and pantry.  There are some steps that may be taken to keep them away or catch them. This includes setting mouse traps (humane traps are available in most stores) and/or getting a bit more high tech and using a low frequency electronic device made for keeping them away.

These pests may get into a house through a number of ways such as a hole leading from the outside into an attic, a compromised screen door, or any other entry way. It is important to figure out how the pests are getting into the house, so that time and money is not wasted calling an exterminator only to have them come out additional times because the mice or rats (or squirrels even!) keep getting into the house and raiding the pantry or kitchen. It would be wise to have a pest control expert locate the problem area as well as identify any nest that may be hiding away in the house somewhere. Not only can mice and rats eat the food in storage, it is possible for them to spread germs on counter tops and anywhere else that they may walk.

Recommendations

There are many products at any given home improvement store that are made especially for preventing, trapping, and exterminating insects and rodents. If the issue has become out of control, it is definitely time to call a pest control company and let them get a handle on it. They will more than likely have the specific tools necessary to do a quick and thorough job, while ensuring that the pest will not return. It will be important for the party affected to ask about steps that should be taken to prevent the return of the pest, as well as any immediate steps they may take if the pest returns.

It is also important to keep in mind that a dwelling that has shared walls such as an apartment or duplex can have pest problems that are not unique to just one unit. If a neighbor has a confirmed infestation, it is highly likely that your home is at risk if not already infested as well. This holds true for pests of all kinds, as the plumbing, ducts, and many other components are all shared through buildings. Just keep in mind that if a neighbor as a problem, you may too.

 

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10 Comments

  1. Jeff Curtis 2:13 PM 24 May 2016

    Thanks for this helpful post on when to call a pest control company. I really hate having bugs in my house, but I also don’t like paying a lot of money to have them taken care of. I am willing to pay a pest control company if I need one, but I don’t know exactly how to tell when to hire them. I like what you said about how if you see a brown recluse it might be time to call a pest control company. I will be sure to keep the pests under control. Thanks for the help!

    • 2:26 PM 24 May 2016

      Happy we were able to be of assistance. Please, do check out our database of contractors whenever you’re ready to choose a pest control company.

  2. Kadon Hodson 7:05 AM 30 September 2016

    This is great information for everyone to have, thank you for sharing. I agree completely about the Brown Recluse being a good sign to call in a professional, especially if they are seen in the normal living area of the house. If they have ventured this far, you may have a bigger problem than you know.

    • 4:44 PM 4 October 2016

      Thank you.

      We are happy the information was useful.

  3. Scott Adams 1:53 PM 3 July 2017

    Wow, I hadn’t thought about how rats and mice could leave germs everywhere. I have noticed the sound of mice at night, and I wasn’t sure if I should call pest control or not. I can see how I don’t want my family getting sick from mice. I’ll have to call someone today.

  4. Heidi Bookenstock 10:20 AM 30 May 2018

    My daughter is very afraid of spiders and has been telling m she’s been seeing more and more crawling around the house. In the beginning I figure it fine and a normal amount of spiders, but lately there’s been a lot of spiders in the house. I’ll be sure to check next time I see one to see if it looks like a brown recluse, in which case I’ll call pest control.

  5. Josue Andrade 7:33 AM 19 June 2018

    It’s good to know when DIYing bug killing isn’t enough for a full-on infestation. I’m glad to know that the pest control service I used totally saved saved me the nightmare of having cockroaches scuttle around on my body while I sleep. Bleh.

  6. Lillian Schaeffer 7:46 AM 18 September 2018

    Thanks for letting me know that you should have a professional pest control company help you if the issue can’t be controlled by you. I’ve been having some problems with ants in the kitchen, and they’ve started invading the bathroom as well. I’ve tried a few things myself, but nothing seems to be working. It sounds like a good idea to have a professional come and help me because then the problem will be completely taken care of.

  7. Derek Dewitt 7:42 AM 10 January 2019

    My wife and I keep finding mice in the basement of our new home so we are considering hiring a pest control company. I like your point about how pest control companies can ensure the pests don’t return. This would be ideal for us because they keep returning even when we use traps.

  8. Lillian Schaeffer 10:04 AM 29 April 2019

    Thanks for letting me know mice tend to make noticeable noises. I’ve been noticing some strange sounds in the walls, including a faint scrabbling sound. Maybe it would be best to find a good pest control company to check for a rodent problem.

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