10 best pest control companies in Calumet City, Illinois

In Calumet City, spiders, rats and flies are common pests. While you can consider DIY removal and prevention techniques, an active infestation often requires the help of a pest control company. Licensed pest specialists in Calumet City know how to accurately identify pests, use proper chemicals and methods and resolve your pest problem.

Pests that invade your property put your home, family and pets in danger. Insects and small animals can cause long-term damage to your home, contaminate your food and spread disease.

Hiring a professional pest control company can reduce these risks. A technician will identify nesting areas, and create an extermination plan, using methods such as sealing entrances, capturing pests or spraying chemicals. Once the right solution is administered, pests can be kept at bay for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Calumet City

Look for pest control companies in Calumet City with at least 3.5 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews and a good rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB). Use the filters below to help you find the right company for your needs.

What are common pests in Calumet City?

Though pests are found everywhere, they don't equally affect the same regions. If you suspect you have an infestation, here are some signs of common pests in the Calumet City area:

• Rats: If you hear scratching in your walls or ceiling or find droppings about half an inch long, you may have a rat infestation. Rats chew through walls, doors and food bags, forming access points for themselves.
• Spiders: Seeing more spiderwebs and spiders than usual is the most obvious evidence of spider infestations. Additional clues include a significant number of other insects for the spiders to feed on and visible egg sacs. While spiders found in homes are generally not dangerous, brown recluses and black widows deliver venemous bites that require medical attention.
• Ants: Your home could be infested with various ant types. Carpenter ants burrow into wood, while fire ants like greasy food scraps. Both bite, unlike pavement ants, which also frequently infest homes. Ant trails inside your home suggest larger ant nests are nearby.
• Flies: It's common to spot a few flies inside your home during the summer, but an excessive number likely signals an infestation. Flies leave droppings resembling clusters of black dots by drains, shelves, or trash. Finding maggots, which are fly larvae, in your trash also indicates an infestation.
• Bees: more bees inside or around your home, humming within your walls or dark stains on your walls mayindicate a bee infestation. You may also smell an odd odor coming from your walls, which happens as bees die or honey seeps into the walls, causing mold and fungi growth. Bees can harm your family or pets by stinging them and potentially causing allergic reactions.
• Beetles: Different species of beetle breeds can invade homes. Carpet beetles eat the natural fibers in upholstered furniture, carpets and bedding. Biscuit beetles infest rice, grains, spices, beans, seeds and pasta. Beetles don't transmit disease or bite, but some may cause allergic reactions.
• Mice: Mice that have gotten into your house might scurry by briefly or leave rice grain-sized droppings. Mice characteristically give off a distinct musky smell and damage household items by gnawing through them. They build nests from shredded fibers and other found materials. As mice prefer tight spaces, you may hear noises inside your walls or ceiling.

How can you prevent pests in your Calumet City home?

While an infestation will usually require professional help, the best way to avoid infestations is to implement preventative measures.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Bugs and small animals can cause serious issues for your home and health when left unchecked. The best way to stop these infestations before they start is to work with a pest control expert. They may recommend plugging holes, laying traps or spraying pesticides in key areas.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

As pests are usually looking for food, making food difficult to access will keep them from invading your home. Food should be a minimum of half a foot off the floor and a modest distance away from the walls. Make sure to keep food storage areas, sinks and counters clean and sanitized when not in use, and dispose of food scraps and other trash regularly. Maintain the areas around your trash cans and dumpsters.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Insects and small animals can hide in standing water, trash, leaves and tall grass in your yard. One of the easiest methods to avoid an infestation is to keep your yard clear of debris and properly maintained with a neatly trimmed lawn and pruned foliage. If you require professional landscaping services, check if national lawn care providers such as TruGreen are available in your area.

Seal off pest entrances

Closing off access points into your home will help prevent insects and small animals from entering. Rats, for example, can wriggle into holes just a half-inch in diameter. Repair gaps in your roof or siding, and remember to seal broken window frames. Some pest control providers offer specialized pest prevention services to keep critters out.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

Ask the following questions to make sure you hire a pest control provider that can meet your specific needs.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) governs the use of pest control substances under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Furthermore, the EPA mandates that restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors have certification in line with the agency's regulations as well as state, territorial and tribal legislation.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is the governing body that provides licenses to pest control professionals servicing Illinois. Pesticide applicators should have a Commercial Applicator's License to work in the state.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

A pest expert's recommended treatment frequency will be determined by factors such as the infestation severity, treatment type, pest type and property location. Generally, pest control professionals do not recommend only a single treatment, since insects are often at different stages of their life cycle, and may have laid eggs in difficult-to-reach places.

Pest pros typically suggest recurring treatments, some of which may only occur during the warmer months, while others are done throughout the year. They may also suggest bimonthly or quarterly preventative treatments to stop an infestation before it starts.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

How long it takes for your pest problem to disappear will vary depending on the infestation type and extent, as well as the insect's life cycle. When the pest control professional applies the first treatment, you may perceive a decline in activity, but pests could resurface after hatching, requiring supplementary treatments. On the other hand, you might see increased activity after the first treatment, as it can force pests out of hiding. Fortunately, this should decrease within a few days' time.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You should be able to stay in your home during certain portions of the pest control process, such as when holes and cracks are being sealed. However, if your service technician applies a pesticide, it might take a few hours to dry completely, and you'll need to stay out of your home during this period.

Some pest control services can be particularly lengthy. During termite fumigation, the pest control professional must set up a tent around your home for three days to apply the pesticide. Throughout this timeframe, you'll have to stay at a hotel or with friends or family.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

An experienced pest control professional can gauge the right amount of a product to use, the time needed for it to dry and when children and pets can safely return to the treated location. Before beginning any treatment, your service provider should inform you about what should be taken out of the area, including food, plants and animals.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Certain pest control services provide green solutions for addressing an infestation. These companies employ methods that have a smaller environmental impact compared to conventional methods. Examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing areas where pests might get in, trapping rodents and using naturally sourced pesticides.

What do I do if pests come back?

Many pest control services have guarantees and warranties in place to protect you if pests return before a predetermined date. These companies may offer a single service or continuous treatments to tackle a recurring pest problem. Be sure to discuss the available options with your provider.

Our methodology for selecting pest control companies

The Homefront Local team employs a proprietary scoring algorithm that evaluates companies based on key factors you value, such as average customer review ratings and trustworthiness indicators. Our method for determining trust involves a comparative analysis of the number of reviews a company receives compared to its local competitors. This leads to companies that have earned more trust from your local community being awarded a higher score. We review national pest control companies against our full pest control methodology. We score pest control companies based on service options, safety and certifications, service guarantees and customer service.