The Top 5 Pest Control Providers
BEST OVERALL COMPANY
Orkin
Orkin, an Atlanta-based pest control company, is one of the biggest names in pest control, and has been in business for over 100 years.
What We Like:
Orkin is a reliable name throughout 46 states and 400 different locations.
It has one of the broadest pest control portfolios within the industry.
Orkin’s technician training is above anything else in the industry.
Our Rating
BEST FOR TERMITES
Terminix
Terminix is one of the most well-known, widest-reaching companies in the industry. With more than 90 years of experience, Terminix has carved a specific niche toward eradicating and preventing termites, and they’ve continued to maintain a solid reputation.
What We Like:
More than 90 years of experience with a specialization toward termites.
Cost-saving features such as guarantees and free consultations.
Locations available in almost every state, with more than 10,000 employees available to service your home and provide customer support.
BEST WILDLIFE REMOVAL
Trutech Wildlife Services
Sometimes you aren’t worried about insects, but rather about larger pests. In such cases you need a reliable animal control and removal company. With a national reach, and with technicians known throughout the industry to be some of the most knowledgeable, our reviewers have selected TruTech as the Best Wildlife Removal company.
What We Like:
TruTech’s technicians are available for immediate assistance in the event a living or dead animal is discovered inside a home.
TruTech’s website offers extensive information on each state’s nuisance wildlife, informing customers on the best way to safely deal with a wildlife problem until the technician arrives.
The company also has a bilingual support line and provides humane removal options in compliance with the wildlife management ethical code of behavior.
BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE
Ehrlich
A commitment to friendly, professional service sets Ehrlich apart from the pack, and our reviewers selected it as the company providing the Best Customer Service. Based mainly in the Eastern U.S., but boasting 80 years of experience in pest control, Ehrlich’s technicians work closely with homeowners to provide an integrated approach to household pests.
What We Like:
Erhlich’s technicians consistently receive high praise for their professionalism, punctuality and persistence. Online reviews call out Ehrlich’s technicians for being friendly and courteous and dedicated to helping homeowners solve their pest problems.
Ehrlich’s commitment to service also extends beyond the individual technician. If a customer has a rare unsatisfactory experience, the company is responsive and quick to step in and rectify the problem.
A commitment to integrated pest management, combined with quality technicians, allows Ehrlich to head off pest problems before they start.
BEST NEWCOMER
Aptive Environmental
Although Aptive has only been in business since 2015, it has already garnered a great reputation among customers and a commitment to growth throughout the entire U.S. The company is considered a top choice for customers who would like a variety of eco-friendly pest control options.
What We Like:
Aptive is already an award-winning pest control company after only a few years in business.
A commitment to high environmental standards through the products its technicians use.
Wide service area offering in states across half of the United States.
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How to Choose the Right Company for You
If you’re in the market for a pest control company, we hope our recommendations above will help you choose. But here’s some other things you should consider doing as you select a provider:
- Go beyond the internet: neighbors and friends make great referrals.
- When you’ve narrowed down your choices you can even ask the companies themselves for references for their local offices.
- At this stage, too, you might want to look up the prospective providers’ listings with the Better Business Bureau.
- Finally, look at the company website. If they’ve got an up-to-date, professional-looking website, it doesn’t guarantee that they’ll be better than the competition, but it is a good sign.
In addition, there are certain bottom-line requirements that you should expect from any pest control company:
- The business should be licensed, bonded, and insured.
- In addition, every state requires pest control technicians to be certified and undergo annual training to keep their licenses active, so this information is usually prominent on the site.
- Integrated pest management (IPM) methods are not required, but most reputable companies use these practices to make their treatments more effective and eco-friendly.
Calling the Company
Once you’ve checked on all these items, it’s time to talk. But even your first call to a company’s 1-800 number can speak volumes. Any technician or customer service representative you speak with should be conversant enough in pest control to answer your questions. At the same time, a straightforward “I’m not sure, but I’ll find out for you” is better than a meaningless answer.
Remember, too: a bargain isn’t a bargain if the problem isn’t solved. Once you have a quote, you may be tempted to go with a company offering a one-time service for a low price. But if you’re still dealing with the problem after the bill’s paid, you haven’t saved anything. Starting over with a more expensive service option costs much more money than if you had made that choice in the first place.
Meeting the Technician
Some companies charge for their initial inspection. Some don’t. Either way, that first visit should end with an identification–and written diagnosis–of your pest problem. It’s also a chance for you to learn a little more about the company. So here are some things to keep in mind when the technician arrives at your door:
- Make sure the company vehicle, equipment, chemicals, and technician’s uniform have a clean, professional appearance.
- You can also ask to see their identification, license, and certification.
- The pest control technician should question you to discuss exactly what the problem is, determine what pests you’ve seen or heard, and where.
- At that point, he or she should inspect your home or building, identify any pests, and set a treatment plan.
A Note About Pesticides
As a customer, you have a right to be aware of the chemicals being used in your home, and there are some industry-standard best practices you should be aware of:
- The professional should be willing to discuss their known adverse effects, and any non-chemical alternatives.
- The technicians should also provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and, if you request it, a specimen label for each chemical they use.
- Be sure you know the active ingredients of pesticides and their potential side-effects on people or pets living in the home.
- Ask your technician where they plan to apply treatments. Applying them around the perimeter of the property, for example, may defeat the purpose if that means spraying on water-repelling materials like concrete.
Remember: if you’re particularly concerned about pesticides, some companies specialize in eco-friendly treatment, and other company offer specialized eco-friendly services. Be sure to ask about these during your initial conversations and research.
What About a Service Contract?
Committing to ongoing service is a big step, and you’ll want to ask some questions before signing your contract.
- How often is treatment necessary in your case? Your contract may include quarterly or monthly service to follow up on a recent infestation, then a less frequent schedule once the main problem is addressed.
- What’s the treatment plan? Get specifics on the length of service, the price, and what combination of treatment and prevention the company will provide.
- What’s your guarantee? Make sure you understand how the company will take care of problems if they arise, and how to invoke the guarantee, if necessary. Look for responsibilities on your end, as well as arbitration clauses, possible exclusions, and cancellation penalties.
Once you’ve committed to your contract, keep in touch. Let the company know of any changes in pest populations between visits. Check to be sure that they are doing the monitoring stated in your contract.
The Best of the Rest
Not all leading pest control companies cracked our Top 5 list, but several more are worth a look, especially some regional companies that we think deserve an honorable mention.
Arrow Exterminators
A family-owned business dedicated to delivering quality service, Arrow Exterminators has earned high rankings and a solid reputation despite not having a national reach.
What We Like:
Arrow’s focus on the southeast allows it to offer extermination and prevention for location-specific pests.
Arrow also offers lawn care and moisture control services that prevent infestations of roaches, spiders, mosquitoes and other insects before they start.
Arrow also offers an innovative program called STEPS that incorporates sustainability practices and free evaluations for homeowners.
Arrow’s free initial evaluation helps reduce customer costs and ensures that pest issues will be treated in the most effective and environmentally friendly way.
Clark Pest Control
Clark stands out even among its nationally-recognized competitors, with customers routinely praising the company’s technicians for their professionalism and persistence, and expressing remarkably high satisfaction with the company’s services and treatments. Had it had a wider service area, it would have been in contention for Best Regional pest control company.
What We Like:
Clark’s limited service area allows it to focus on the pests of most concern to homeowners in California and Nevada.
The company has one of the best records among online reviews of the companies surveyed.
Clark uses eco-friendly substances and integrated pest management systems to lower the environmental impact of its pest control treatments.
Cook’s Pest Control
While Cook’s reach is limited to the southeast, this family-owned company is noted for its effectiveness at treating pests particular to the region. In addition, their rigorous service training has brought the company’s technicians praise for their professionalism.
What We Like:
Cook’s is a family-owned company with 90 years of experience.
Cook’s limited service area allows the company to focus on pests that are of particular concern in the southeast.
Company technicians go through one of the most rigorous training programs in the industry.
Critter Control
Critter Control has a national reach and a reputation throughout the industry as a leader in the field of wildlife management and removal. The company’s founder, Kevin Clark, is in fact one of the authors of the guidelines for certification for wildlife removal technicians.
What We Like:
An industry leader in providing humane wildlife management services.
Critter Control also offers a broad range of additional services, including attic clean-up and restoration and property damage repair.
The company offers services for almost all potential wildlife problems, from bats to alligators.
HomeTeam Pest Defense
Hometeam provides industry-standard service at a great price, leaving its customers satisfied overall with the company’s pest control services. Hometeam is also recognized across the industry for its its proprietary Taexx system, which builds pest control into newly constructed homes. Outside of Florida, however, the company offers sparse coverage—and only in the southeast and southwest.
What We Like:
The company is most known for working with homebuilders to install and maintain the innovative Taexx pest control system.
HomeTeam provides a 100% service guarantee.
The company also offers a free initial inspection.
Massey Services
Massey Services may be the newest of the big names in the pest control industry, but the company ranks well for everything, and has a reputation for providing economical pest control solutions. The company is largely concentrated in Florida, however, with a few locations elsewhere.
What We Like:
Reviewers frequently praised Massey’s technicians for their friendliness and professional service.
Unlike many pest removal companies, Massey doesn’t push for or require annual service contracts.
Massey offers many services beyond pest control, including lawn care and wildlife removal.
Northwest Exterminating
Another contender for Best Regional pest control company, the Atlanta-based Northwest Exterminating has garnered some impressive online praise of its customer service and pricing compared to its national competitors. It only suffers in our ratings due to its narrow service area and a service menu that is relatively limited in scope.
What We Like:
A family owned and operated company with deep experience in its southeast home base.
Online reviewers give Northwest a consistent record of customer satisfaction.
Customers are frequently impressed by the competitiveness of Northwest’s pricing.
Waltham Pest Services
Based in the greater Boston area, Waltham is New England’s largest independent pest control operation. Customers are overall very happy with the work done by its technicians, and the company is noted for routinely beating the prices of its national competitors.
What We Like:
The company’s roots in the Boston area make it highly experienced in the pests encountered in New England.
The company has a reputation for providing integrated pest control on a par with national companies.
In online reviews, Waltham’s customers frequently comment on the company’s competitive pricing.
Western Exterminator
In its service area of the southwest and Pacific coast, Western Exterminator solves a wide variety of residential and commercial pest problems, treats for rodents and crawling and flying insects, and provides free inspections for all pest control matters. In addition, Western doesn’t insist an annual contract to provide service, and customers routinely express appreciation for the effectiveness of Western’s treatments.
What We Like:
Western Exterminator’s focus on the southwest and the Pacific coast gives it expertise in local pests, but the company also treats for a wide range of potential problems.
Online reviewers consistently praised Western Exterminator for their effective treatments.
Western doesn’t require an annual contract for service.
Western Pest Services
Although Anderson’s service area is limited to three states in the U.S., it has more than 100 years of experience in the type of pests that are prevalent in the area during any given season. The company is considered a top choice for its breadth of services and level of customer satisfaction.
What We Like:
Anderson has been in business since 1913, with more than a century of experience.
Although its service area is limited, this allows the company to perfect its treatment methods for their particular area of concern.
Anderson has received multiple certifications and awards for its environmentally friendly options.
Anderson Pest Solutions
Don’t let the name fool you: Western Pest Services is actually based in the mid-Atlantic region, with locations ranging from Delaware to New Hampshire. Despite a relatively small service area, Western has received glowing remarks from customers for their service and their technicians. What’s more it offers a very comprehensive catalog of services for a regional pest control company.
What We Like:
Western’s focus on the northeast gives it expertise in fighting regional pests.
The company has received the QualityPro recognition for service excellence.
Online reviewers praised Western’s technicians for their thoroughness and persistence.
Hydrex Pest Control
Hydrex provides a wide variety of industry services at a great price to its customers in California. Although its reach is limited to one state, it has developed targeted treatment options for the most common and challenging pests in the area.
What We Like:
Hydrex has more than 70 years of experience in the pest control industry, serving California through well-developed treatments and strategies.
Franchised locations are available in more than 20 different locations throughout the state.
Hydrex uses state-of-the-art and eco-friendly technologies specifically designed for pesky bed bug and termite problems.
MasterGuard Pest Control
MasterGuard is a great choice for customers in Michigan and Wisconsin. Previous customers have rated MasterGuard for superb prices and customer support, and the company is dedicated to safe treatments for homeowners.
What We Like:
Free initial inspections and satisfaction guarantees.
EPA-approved products that don’t pose any risk to humans, pets or the environment.
Standardized technician training and required continued education.
Presto-X
Presto-X is a solid option for customers in the Central U.S. As a member of the Rentokil-Steritech family, the company has access to a wide variety of treatment options that are both state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly.
What We Like:
Nearly 90 years of experience in the pest control industry.
In addition to above-average services, Presto-X also offers lawn care and vegetation management.
Free inspections and guaranteed retreatments to help reduce customer costs.
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