If you have decided to hire an exterminator to help with an ongoing infestation in your home, it is a good idea to get recommendations from friends, especially those in the real estate business, neighbors, and other business owners. If, for any reason this is not possible, this article will give you information you can use to decide if the exterminator your interviewing has the knowledge and credentials to help you. Once you decide on an exterminator or an exterminating company, there are still questions to ask and information to be shared, this article will take you through that as well.
To start with, when hiring an exterminator, you want to make sure that the individual is a professional in the field, with current knowledge of legal, FDA and EPA approved pesticides. He or she should also be insured against any injury that might be incurred while working on your property. Your exterminator should provide you with much information on your particular pest problem and go over several treatment options, including natural, or non-chemical, non-bait, treatments, various chemical treatments, and bait treatments. For some pest problems, one or two of these will not exist. Be sure to ask the exterminator your interviewing about treatment alternatives. Don’t just take one exterminators word for it, do some research, and ask several others in the extermination business their opinions. Choose the exterminator who gives the clearest answers and the most treatment options. Ask him or her for references from previous customers.
Before agreeing to any particular treatments, make sure the exterminator you choose has a guarantee. If you sign a contract for a year of treatments, make sure that the exterminator will come, if necessary, in between scheduled treatments if the problem gets worse or flares up.
Once you have decided to hire an exterminator, ask him or her what you need to do to prepare your house for the extermination process. What treatment option have you chosen? Is it safe for kids, pets, fish? How long after treatment will the area be toxic? Up to how many treatments will it take before your problem is eradicated? Asking these questions can help you prepare yourself and your family for the extermination process. It will also ensure that you are cooperating fully with the exterminator by removing pest food sources that might compete with poisoned baits and prolong the process. You also want to help by removing anything that might obstruct a pesticide spray from reaching the intended area.
The more you can work with your exterminator, the higher the chances are that you and he or she will be successful. After treatment, make sure you have a set of guidelines from your exterminator to follow so you can prevent re-infestation. The best way to be rid of your pest problem is to hire an effective, knowledgeable exterminator, and educate yourself about keeping pests out of your home permanently.
