How to Choose a Pest Control Company: Questions to Ask

You have a pest problem you do not want to handle yourself, and now you need to pick someone to come into your home and apply pesticides. That choice deserves the same care you would give a contractor or a doctor. Pesticides used the wrong way can harm your health and your property, and a weak contract can cost you for years. This guide gives you a process to follow, the red flags to watch for and checklists of questions to ask at each stage.

Print this checklist. Use your browser’s print function (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) to print this page or save it as a PDF. Take a copy to each inspection and write each company’s answers next to the questions.

Step 1: Slow down

Very few household pest problems are emergencies. Even termites damage wood slowly, so taking an extra few days or weeks to decide rarely adds meaningful damage. A company that tells you otherwise is selling, not advising. Use the time to compare at least two or three companies.

Step 2: Find candidates

• Ask people you trust. Friends, neighbors and coworkers who recently hired a pest control company are a good starting point.
• Do not rely on advertising to judge reputation.
• Check complaint records. Contact the Better Business Bureau, your state pesticide regulatory agency (often the department of agriculture) and your state attorney general’s office to see whether complaints or violations are on file.
• Look for staying power. Ask how long the company has operated at its current address.

Step 3: Verify license and insurance

Every state licenses the people and businesses that apply pesticides for hire. The agency is usually the state department of agriculture, though in some states it is a separate pesticide board or environmental agency. Many of these agencies offer an online license lookup, and all of them will answer the phone.

Confirm three things:

1. The company holds a current license for structural or household pest control in your state.
2. The technician who will treat your home is licensed or certified, or works under the direct supervision of someone who is. Licenses come in categories, so make sure it covers the type of work you need.
3. The company carries insurance that covers you, your property and its own employees. Ask for proof.

Red flags

Be cautious of any company that:

• Pressures you to sign right away, often by claiming your home is unsafe or about to collapse.
• Offers a discount if you agree to treatment today.
• Shows up at your door unannounced, especially with a story about insects found at a neighbor’s house.
• Claims to use a “secret formula.” Every legal pesticide must be registered, and its label lists the active ingredients.
• Quotes a price per gallon of product. Some jobs use large volumes of diluted product, so the final bill can be far higher than it sounds.
• Offers leftover material from another job at a reduced price.
• Says it is endorsed by the government. Government agencies do not endorse pest control companies or products.
• Bundles pest control with unrelated work, like roof repair or tree trimming.
• Has no working business phone number.
• Pushes a long multi-year contract, especially one you must pay for up front, without showing you the total cost.

Door-to-door sellers often target older or isolated residents. Ask for identification and check credentials before you let anyone inspect.

Questions to ask before the inspection

Ask these by phone or email. They help you decide who is worth inviting over.

About the company

• How long have you been in business at your current address?
• What is your state license number? Will the person treating my home be a licensed or certified applicator?
• Do you carry liability insurance and workers’ compensation? Can you send proof?
• How much experience do you have with my type of pest?
• Can you give me references from recent customers with a similar problem?
• How do you train new technicians and keep staff current on products and safety?

About the approach

• Do you use integrated pest management (IPM)?
• Is there an entomologist or other specialist on staff or on call?
• Is there a charge for the inspection or estimate?

Questions to ask after the inspection

Ask these when the inspector explains what they found. Good companies welcome them.

About the problem

• What pest is it, and how did you identify it?
• How large is the infestation, and where is it?
• What conditions in my home are causing it, like moisture, gaps or food sources?
• What can I do myself to fix those conditions?

About the treatment

• What treatment do you recommend, and why that one?
• Which products will you use? Please give me the product names, active ingredients and EPA registration numbers.
• What form will they take: bait, gel, dust, spray or something else? Where exactly will you apply them?
• Do you offer lower-toxicity options? What are the trade-offs?
• What will you do to avoid unnecessary exposure for my family, pets and any aquarium?
• Will the technician wear protective equipment when the label calls for it?
• How many visits will this take, and how will we know it worked?

About the paperwork

• Will you put the estimate in writing, itemized?
• Is a long-term contract required? If so, what is the total cost over the full term?
• What does your guarantee cover, for how long, and is it in writing?
• What do I need to do to prepare, and how long must people and pets stay out?

If an inspector cannot or will not answer these, consider that an answer in itself.

Read the written proposal carefully

Compare proposals side by side before you sign. Each one should state:

• The pest being treated and the areas of the home covered.
• The treatment method and products, by name.
• The number of visits and the schedule.
• The total price, plus any inspection, renewal or follow-up fees.
• What the guarantee covers and what it excludes.
• The contract length, how it renews and how you can cancel.

Our guide to what affects the cost of pest control explains how to compare quotes that are built differently.

Service agreements and guarantees

Routine spraying is not automatically a good deal. Regular pesticide applications on a fixed schedule make sense only when an infestation keeps returning and other methods have failed. A better service agreement includes periodic inspections, with treatment only when pests are present.

Read termite guarantees closely. Ask whether the guarantee covers only retreatment or also repairs to damage that happens after treatment. Ask whether an annual renewal or inspection fee applies. Certain conditions, like wells, drain systems or an inaccessible crawlspace, can limit or void a warranty. Our page on termite treatment options covers this in more depth.

A guarantee is only as good as the company behind it, which is one more reason to check its record before you sign.

What to expect on treatment day

• Do the prep work you were asked to do, such as clearing floors, emptying kitchen cabinets or removing clutter.
• Remove pets. Take aquariums out of the area, or cover them with heavy plastic and turn off the air pump.
• Keep children and pets out of treated areas until sprays have dried, or for as long as the label requires.
• Follow the non-chemical advice the technician gives you. Fixing a leak or sealing a gap often matters as much as the treatment.
• Keep records: the company’s contact details, the names of the people who did the work, and the dates and times of each inspection and treatment.

Your right to see labels and safety data sheets

You are entitled to know what is being applied in your home. Ask for:

• The product label for each pesticide, which shows the active ingredient, signal word and directions.
• The EPA registration number of each product.
• The safety data sheet (SDS), which describes hazards and first aid.

Write these down and keep them with your records. If you have questions about a product’s risks, the National Pesticide Information Center answers calls at 800-858-7378. Our guide to using pesticides safely explains how to read a label.

If something goes wrong

Contact the company first if pests come back, or if you think a product was misapplied. If the problem is not resolved, report it to your state pesticide regulatory agency. Report problems promptly.

Pest control company questions

Is the cheapest estimate the best one? Not necessarily. Cost should not be the only deciding factor. Compare what each company will actually do, which products it will use, how many visits are included and what the guarantee covers.

Do I need a pest control company at all? Often not. Many ant, pantry pest and occasional invader problems are DIY jobs. Termites, established bed bug infestations and some large rodent problems usually justify professional help. Our pest prevention plan covers what you can handle yourself.

What if a company wants me to sign a contract today? Say no and ask for the proposal in writing. A reputable company will still be there next week.