People call a pest control company on the worst day: the ants are on the counter, the termite swarmers are on the windowsill or something is in the attic at night. At that moment they are offered a plan, a bond and a price over the phone, and told it has to be decided now.
Most of what the person on the phone says can be understood in advance, and the questions that matter are short.
What we will not do
Pesticide use and dosing. Product labels carry the force of law and vary by product and state. We never give application instructions. We tell you to follow the label and to consult a licensed applicator.
Health and exposure questions. We do not advise on bites, allergies, poisoning or any health concern. Please contact a physician or poison control for those.
Contract and warranty disputes. We explain common terms such as bonds and exclusions. We do not interpret your particular agreement or advise on a claim.
Who we write for
Homeowners, renters and small landlords in the United States who are choosing a pest control company, comparing plans, reading a contract or trying to stop a problem from coming back, and who would like to understand the work rather than simply approve it.
Everything here lives in one category, Pest Control: choosing between one-time and recurring plans, understanding termite inspections and bonds, preventing ants and other household pests, reading contracts and guarantees, and knowing when a store-bought product is enough.
How we work
- We explain the pest before the product. Knowing why ants return after a spray, or how termites reach a house, tells you what the visit has to achieve. A plan name does not.
- We give ranges and name the variables. Costs depend on house size, pest, region and frequency. We never quote one number we cannot defend.
- We say when you do not need the plan. A single-pest, one-time visit or a sealed entry point is sometimes all that is required, and we say so.
- We name the weak point in the pitch. Every plan has a clause, a limit or an exclusion that decides whether it pays. Each article says where to look.
- We keep safety on the label. We never give mixing, dosing or application instructions. The product label is the legal and safe source for those.
About the editor
Colleen Marsh — Editor. Colleen spent ten years with a family-owned pest control company in North Carolina, first booking inspections and then running the sales desk, where she explained contracts, bonds and treatment schedules to anxious homeowners. That desk is why this site starts from the question the customer actually asks. She writes Bug Barrier Guide for the person who has just found something moving in the kitchen.
Corrections
Products, rules and pest behavior change, and we sometimes get things wrong. If you spot an error, tell us through the contact form and, if you can, include a source. Fixes are made on the page itself with a dated note, as described in our Editorial Policy.
How we make money
Nobody pays to be featured here. Income comes from advertising that outside networks place automatically and from some affiliate links, which may earn us a commission when you buy, at no cost to you. Neither shapes what we write: a good deal of our advice is to seal, dry out and wait before paying for treatment, which is the least profitable advice a pest control site can give. Our Editorial Policy and Disclaimer spell it out.
Get in touch
Questions, disagreements and topic suggestions are welcome through our Contact page. We cannot identify a pest from a description or price a treatment, but we can usually tell you which two questions to ask the company before you agree to a plan.