Pest infestation has been an ongoing problem for Americans for centuries. However, it has only gained the importance it has recently, primarily owing to the increasing awareness about health hazards they bring in.
Notably, pests not only bring along a lot of diseases but also wreaks havoc on personal property. For example, rats are known to cause heavy damage to office documents. And subsequently, cause millions of dollars worth of losses to businesses each year.
As a matter of fact, people don’t really know what they must do when faced with an infestation. Or more importantly, how often they must get the treatment if they are to hire a pest control service.
In this article, we will discuss some of these questions and a lot more. So stay around and get to know how you can deal with an infestation if ever faced with one.
When do you need Pest Control Services?
Obviously, the very first thing to confirm before you hire a pest control service is to know if you really need it. Most of the time, placing booby traps and a can of bug spray is sufficient.
However, when the size of the infestation grows beyond control, it is best to leave the task to the professionals.
Here’s how you can know if you must hire a professional service.
1. Look for Signs of Infestation
There are several signs that pests and rodents can give away indicating their presence. For instance, wasps shed their wings that can be easily found around corners in your office.
Likewise, gnawed paper bits and mice droppings are an indicator that you might have a rodent infestation.
In some cases, you can also distinguish the stench of pest or rodent droppings and urine.
If you find any of these signs, it is better that you prepare yourself to hire a professional.
2. The Initial Investigation
Even if you find signs of infestation, it is not necessary that you must hire a professional. A rather more precise indicator is the size of the infestation.
However, it is also noteworthy that for some creatures investigating the infestation is not possible. For example, if you see mice or rats in your office, dead or alive, it is possible that there could be a whole colony of them.
The purpose of investigating the infestation size is to ensure that it is well beyond your capacity.
3. Cost of Getting the Service
Another factor to consider before hiring a pest control service is the budget. Usually, the cost of a pest control treatment depends on the type of infestation. For example, if you read more here about the different pest treatments, you’ll find that except termites, carpenter ants, and bed bugs, most of the treatments are pretty economical. Well, however, these costs can still vary with the mode and extent of the treatment.
Besides, the size of the service area can also affect the cost of the treatment. Typically, you’ll notice that most of the service providers increase the cost of basic treatment by $25 for every 1000 sq. ft. of the service area.
However, it is also noteworthy that most of the service providers guarantee their treatments. In other words, if you happen to see reinfestation within the guaranteed period, you can expect free service.
How Frequently you should get the Services?
Once you know that you need a professional to control the infestation, you might be wondering how long the treatment lasts.
In other words, you must want to know how often you should be needing their services.
Usually, for common pests like cockroaches and ants, it is recommended that you get a thorough checkup every size month. Similarly, for rats and mice you can expect a checkup in six months, and a treatment every year.
To put it simply, the frequency of pest control treatment usually depends on the type of infestation and the treatment. Some may require quarterly checkups, while some may only require occasional treatments.
Finding the Right Service Provider for your Business
By now, you have a pretty good reason why you should hire a pest control service. But, still, you need to find the most suitable service provider in your region. As with any business, every service provider has different packages and costs.
Perhaps, like shopping for any other commodity or service, you must first explore your options.
1. Exploring the options
The best place to start your search is the internet. Of course, the internet today has the farthest reach. You can easily find any business, whether local or international, on the internet these days.
Moreover, seeking references from friends and relatives can also help with the same.
2. Comparing Packages
Most of the service providers have a dedicated website. And on their website, they usually mention their basic packages. Besides, their basic packages, the costs of getting a pest treatment can always be customized.
It is still, better to compare the packages of different service providers before you hire them. After all, you wouldn’t want to be spending more on a treatment that you could have got cheaper.
3. Evaluating after-sale Services
Apart from everything else, a more precise indicator of any professional’s competence is evaluating their after-sale services. This should perhaps help you figure out how happy the customers are with their services.
You can either ask the service providers for their client details or you can again check their reviews online. Both ways, you’ll be able to know which service provider has a better customer satisfaction rate.
The Gist
When getting a pest control service for your office, you cannot dispense with their expertise. Nor can you afford the services to be over-the-top expensive.
Gathering the right information, and from the right source, can, however, guarantee that you receive the best services. And as it is rightly said, quality has no price tag. It means, though you would have a budget for the treatment if you need to get it done properly, you should be a little flexible with your budget.
Besides, for the treatment to be effective and last longer it is essential that you begin the right way.
It’s helpful to know that it all depends on the kind of pest I am dealing with to know the frequency of hiring pest control services. It’s kind of difficult to bring light snacks and coffee in my office to due to how fast ants react to them. I think getting rid of them would be a nice goal to have this year.