The best pest control service professionals help you keep a healthy and comfortable home. Have you ever wondered why – despite keeping an immaculate house – you still have pests running around causing health issues and even property damage? Termites are every homeowner’s worst nightmare, chewing through their furniture and even the foundation of their homes. Mosquitoes, bed bugs, cockroaches, ticks, flies and fleas cause serious health issues and discomfort, at best, and rodents cause their own brand of havoc in a household.

The main reason pests are so difficult to get rid of is that they are very hard to spot, being so tiny, and their nests are hidden in areas very seldom seen by even the most dedicated cleaner. They can lay their eggs literally anywhere, and the eggs cling on to the host, making them very difficult to get rid of.

Pests are also very adaptive, living off mostly anything. Certain pests like termites chew through fabric, furniture – even wood and concrete! The damage that can be caused could end up costing you a fortune to fix, if it is repairable at all.

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to rid your home of these unwelcome guests on your own. The best pest control service professionals are the only way to ensure safe and assured pest extermination – as well as offer preventative measures and long-term protection.

Choosing A Suitable Pest Control Expert

The first question is – how do I choose best pest control service professionals to help me get rid of the pests invading my home? There are a few things to consider:

* Certification and Licensing

 It is important to ask for all the company’s documentation – including pesticide and service certifications in safety, good practise and product knowledge. Check that their licensing is suitable for your living space and particular pest issue, and that everything is up to date. The association overseeing pest control in Malaysia is the PEST Control Association of Malaysia (PCAM). 

* Product Specification and Application

Be sure to ask for a detailed breakdown of products that will be used in the treatment, especially if anyone in your house has allergies or sensitivities. Note whether the company is open about sharing this information and are willing to answer your questions. Don’t be shy to ask for specific product application instructions either, and insist that they walk you through all the treatment options. Also make sure you get instructions on proper after-treatment protocol … an established and well-run company would be readily able to give you all this information.

* Expertise and Experience

The best pest control service professionals are those that have been long-established for many years. They are the most experienced, having dealt with many different pest issues. Not only would they know how to deal with your particular problem, they would also be able to draw from their previous experience and knowledge if they were to come up against a new issue. You will also benefit from their wealth of information on prevention and signs to look out for. 

* Specialization

You might feel more comfortable hiring a company that specialises in the type of infestation you are dealing with. You can be more assured that specialists know the ins and outs of what they are doing, and can follow up with you confidently. Conversely, you may have a pest issue that is not commonly treated by pest control companies, like ticks, lice, bees, spiders and silverfish. You might want to find a company that deals in more uncommon problems. 

* Customer Reviews & Personal Recommendations

In this day and age of peer feedback, customer reviews are a good indication of the company’s track record. Get online and search for reviews of the company, any ratings given and testimonials on specifics like punctuality, after-treatment service and customer’s experiences with post-treatment homes. You can find these on the company’s websites, social media pages and even customer’s reviews on their own blogs and review pages. Also check out popular service review sites for insights into the company.

Obviously, personal recommendations are one of your best indicators. If it worked for your friends or family, chances are that it will work for you. 

What Are the Prices I Might Expect?

The next question to address is the price. Each pest control visit and treatment would be priced differently, dependant on a few factors:

* Your Property 

The size and location of your property plays a large role in determining the price of the treatment. More time and product would be used on a larger property versus a smaller one. Property layout also helps determine the length of time spent on the treatment, and therefore the price.

* Pest Variety

There are so many types of pests and each type requires very specific treatment. Cockroaches would be handled one way, while termites would be treated differently. Rodents require their own method of extermination. Treatment pricing depends on the complexity of the treatment required.

* Infestation Extent

Pest control service professionals should conduct a pre-treatment visit to the location to ascertain the type and extent of infestation. The final pricing would depend on how large or small the problem is as that will help determine the type and quantity of equipment and product used. It might also be the case that another infestation is discovered at the time of the visit, which might complicate things.

* Treatment Type

Upon ascertaining the infestation details and your particular needs, the company will give you treatment options. The treatment price is also dependent on which of these types of treatment you require:

Preventative treatment – regular, scheduled visits with light general treatments keep infestation at bay. 

Corrective treatment – this includes creating treatment zones via drilling, soil injection and using vertical barriers.   

Reactive treatment – treatments applied to clear infestation including baiting, poisoning, and spraying. 

* Visit Frequency

Large infestations might require more than one visit to completely eradicate, so this has to be taken into consideration. Additionally, depending on the type of treatment, follow-up visits might also be necessary to check that the problem has been completely solved. You might also find it prudent to look into packages that offer regular check-ups.

That being said, the average pricing for each type of infestation looks like this:

Ants, cockroaches, and mosquitoes RM150 – RM250

Ants bite and infest food. They build massive colonies in your house and it is very difficult to find their nests. Mosquitoes carry dengue, encephalitis and West Nile virus, among others, and can cause severe allergies. Cockroaches can also trigger allergic reactions and carry diseases like typhoid, polio and dysentry. It is obviously a good idea to get pest control service professionals to deal with these problems if they crop up, and this generally includes pesticide spraying and gel baits. A more extensive visit for ants would include locating and destroying the nest, too, and further service for mosquitoes would include checking around your compound for breeding grounds and clearing them.

Rodents RM200 – RM500

Rats are notorious disease carriers and spread diseases like the hantavirus, rat-bite fever, salmonella and the infamous plague. Rodent eradication would include baiting or poisoning, but treatment is dependent on whether the infestation originated internally or externally.

Bed Bugs RM450 – Rm650

Bed bugs cause extreme itchiness which might lead to secondary infections and lack of sleep. Their bites have also been known to cause serious allergic reactions. Many bed bug treatments involve a programme that systematically introduces pesticides at key stages of the insect’s life cycle.

Termites RM1,100 – RM5,000

While the physical damage to property that termites cause is well known, termites can also cause health issues by spreading irritating particles from their nests. This can trigger allergies or asthma and spread airborne mold. Termite eradication is the most involved, and therefore the most expensive of treatments. It starts off with a termite inspection, followed by monitoring, and systematic baiting and liquid termiticide treatment.