As it cools down outside, a lot of us will wage war inside with an annual invasion of pests. If you find yourself in this situation, think twice before hiring someone to evict your pests — usually you can take care of the problem yourself. If you end up hiring a pest control company, shop around — there are big differences in quality, and you don’t have to pay more for good service.

 

 

 

You can prevent or control most household pest problems by cutting off access to foods, keeping your home as clean as possible, reducing or eliminating excess moisture and sealing cracks and other entry points.

If you have a problem you can’t handle on your own, many pest control company services will happily step in. For help with your critter control, our analysis will provide you with information on the quality of service and prices offered by exterminators.

 

 

 

Ratings from Customers

Imagine Care’s ratings on Google Business show how area consumers we surveyed rated the company on several aspects of service. As you can see, this pest control company has received very high ratings. On the other hand, some of the companies were rated “superior” by only a small percentage of their surveyed customers. For more information on customer survey and other research methods, search on Google.

The most common type of complaint you’ll notice from pest control service customers is that companies fail to show up for appointments. But you will also see bad reviews about sloppily applied treatments that don’t do the trick, alarming termite inspections that lead to unnecessary work, inept termite inspections that fail to detect infestations, and salespeople who push expensive annual contracts.

 

 

 

How They Approach the Problem

Different outfits have different strategies for treating, or preventing, pest problems—for example, baits versus sprays or long-term contracts versus one-time treatments. Some companies are flexible, but others offer one approach only. Discuss options with each service you consider, and choose the pest control company that makes sense for you.

 

 

 

Guarantees

Of course, any pest control company that offers guarantees on either termite work or household pest treatment is likely to get your money before its obligations end. In these situations, the main line of protection is a written contract or receipt specifying the length and breadth of your guarantee. You should have no problem obtaining a written commitment.

It’s important to compare companies’ guarantees. For work with roaches and other household pests, many firms offer guarantees ranging from 30 days to 90 days, depending on what you agree to pay. For termite work, some companies offer a single one-year guarantee, but most let you pay to extend it; most companies charge a yearly premium for a year’s extension of coverage and a yearly inspection.

 

 

 

Qualifications of Staff

You naturally want the pest control company you choose to send you professionals who are well-trained in pest control. All companies must have at least one employee who has taken classes and passed a Pest Control Board of Kenya test to qualify as a certified pest control applicator. But a company may employ only one certified applicator and send out un-certified employees to do the work. To obtain some assurance that the operator you get has at least minimum qualifications, tell companies that you insist on having them show you their pest control licence—and request a well trained applicator each time they send someone to your home.

 

 

 

Getting a Good Price

Since so many companies provide good service, cost can be a key consideration.

For household pest work, you can often get price quotes over the phone or via email, and companies that will not quote by phone will almost always come to your house to give free estimates.

For termites, too, most companies give free estimates, although all companies charge a fee for the formal paperwork required for inspections for real estate transactions.

 

 

 

 

Some steps to take for specific pest problems:

• Ants: If you can locate the ants’ nest, spray it with insecticide. If the nest is outside, follow the ants’ movements to and from food sources. If the nest is inside walls or otherwise inaccessible, cut off the paths ants follow by caulking cracks and crevices.

 

 

• Carpenter ants: Because they are drawn to damp wood, you will need to prevent water from accumulating in your house. Clean gutters and downspouts, and cut tree limbs and shrubs that overhang the house.

 

 

• Cockroaches: Keeping your home clean and dry is the first step. Caulk to seal cracks and other entry points. You can try sticky traps or “bait stations.” Sticky traps probably will not solve an infestation, but bait stations can solve a small one. Understand it may take a week because they dispense slow-acting poison. Boric acid is another effective roach killer. Blow it into cracks and crevices where people will not come into contact with it.

 

 

• Mice and rats: Close off openings more than ¼ inch through foundation cracks, around door and window frames and elsewhere. After closing entry points, you may be able to bring a small infestation under control with traps. Peanut butter is effective bait. Place traps perpendicular to walls, with trigger ends toward the walls so rodents will run over them. Large infestations will require poison baits, which are usually anticoagulants. Be careful to place them out of reach of pets and children, and do not forget where they are.

 

 

 

Two pests that can be particularly problematic are bedbugs and termites.

Bedbugs are notoriously difficult to control. Sanitation will not prevent bedbugs or get rid of them. You will likely need to hire a diligent, experienced exterminator. You are probably best off contracting with a company to perform a rigorous treatment and follow up.

 

 

Most pests are unpleasant, but termites can wreck your house. If you hire a termite exterminator, be wary of operators that push bait systems. Because the bait stakes used to monitor termite activity are designed to attract termites, sticking several in the ground around the perimeter of your home likely will attract termites. These companies will require an expensive long-term contract to monitor the bait stations, and once the baits have done their job, the companies may use the evidence of infestation to sell you a warranty against future infestations.

 

 

If you think you have termites or bedbugs, it is especially important to get multiple proposals. Some companies recommend treatment when there is neither an active infestation nor serious threat of one. For termites, ask whether they recommend treating only part of your home or its entire perimeter — you will save big if a company can wipe out your infestation without a house wide treatment.

 

 

For any kind of critter, get any guarantee in writing and check what it offers: Will the company pay for additional pest damages or just re-treatment? How often will it come out to inspect at no extra charge? And what do you have to do to keep the guarantee in effect?

 

 

 

 

Now that you know how to get a good pest control company in Kenya, you can get right back to snuggling and streaming your favorite shows. If you are ready to call in a swat team, Imagine Care’s ratings on Google Business for pest control services for quality and price can help you realize that we will do the job right for a fair price. Call us on +254737898884, +254759292158, +254789231328, +254742448334, or drop an email to .