10 best pest control companies in Elmont, New York

In Elmont, bed bugs, mice and rats are the most frequent cause of problems. While you can try DIY removal and prevention techniques, an active infestation often requires the attention of a pest control expert. Experienced pest control professionals in Elmont know how to correctly identify pests, use proper chemicals and methods and resolve your pest problem.

Pest infestations pose risks to your home and loved ones. Insects and small animals can cause long-term damage to your home, contaminate your food and spread disease.

Hiring pest control professionals can significantly reduce the damage from an infestation. A pest professional will find infestations and treat them in a variety of ways, from closing entry points to using traps or pesticides. With the right solution in place, your pest problem can be solved for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Elmont

Look for pest control companies in Elmont 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 Elmont?

Different pests invade different regions. Check for the following signs of common Elmont pests to determine whether you have an infestation:

• Wasps: If you see more wasps than usual, and they start to make their way into your home regularly, you may have a nest nearby. Nests can be above or below ground, which you may not realize until you step on one. Wasps show more aggression than bees and will swarm. Avoid attempting wasp nest removal by yourself, as this can be very risky.
• Bed bugs: Bed bugs are reddish-brown, wingless, flat insects about the size of apple seeds. Often seen in hotels, hospitals and apartment complexes, they hitch a ride on purses, secondhand furniture, backpacks and clothing. They hide in the daytime in beds or cracks and crevices. Then they come out at night. You may have an infestation if you find the bugs themselves or blood smears on mattresses or other furniture.
• Mice: If mice have infiltrated your home, you might catch a quick view of one or find droppings around the size of a grain of rice. Mice often gnaw on furniture and have a noticeable musky odor. They construct nests with foraged materials and shredded fibers, and favor tight areas, so you may hear them in your walls and ceilings.
• 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: An uptick in bees inside or around your home, buzzing within your walls or dark stains on your walls maypoint to a bee infestation. You may also smell a strange odor coming from your walls, which happens as bees die or honey seeps into the walls, causing mold and fungi growth. Bees can easily harm your family or pets by stinging them and potentially provoking allergic reactions.
• Rats: Signs of a rat problem include seeing a rat, finding droppings about half an inch long or hearing scurrying in your walls or ceiling. Rats can chew through doors, walls and food packaging to create access points for themselves.

How can you prevent pests in your Elmont home?

While an infestation will usually require professional extermination, the best way to avoid pest infestations is to take preventative steps.

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

Because pests usually seek out food sources, limiting their food access will discourage them from invading your home. Place food at least half a foot above floor level and slightly away from walls. Be sure to keep food storage areas, counters and sinks clean and disinfected when not in use. Dispose of food scraps and other garbage regularly, and keep the areas around trash cans and dumpsters neat.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Tall grass, standing water, trash and leaves create ideal habitats for insects and small animals. Maintaining a debris-free yard and regularly cutting your grass and trimming foliage are among the simplest ways to prevent an infestation from taking hold. Should you need expert lawn care assistance, check whether national lawn care companies such as TruGreen operate in your location.

Seal off pest entrances

Sealing off small entryways will help keep insects and small animals from infiltrating your home. Rats can maneuver through holes as tiny as half-inch in diameter. Inspect your roof and siding for holes, and be sure to seal off damaged window frames. Some pest control companies specialize in pest exclusion.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

When selecting a pest control service, ask the following questions to verify they have the expertise to handle your unique situation.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates pest control chemical use through the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. In addition, restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors must be certified following EPA requirements and the laws of relevant states, territories and tribes.

Pest control professionals servicing New York are required to have a Commercial Pesticide Applicator or Technician License in order to legally practice. These licenses are issued by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

The treatment plan a pest professional suggests will vary based on the location of the property, the severity of the infestation, the specific treatment method and the particular pest type. In most cases, pest control companies advise against relying on a single treatment to eliminate household pests, as there will likely be insects at different stages of their life cycles that may have laid eggs in hard-to-spot locations.

Pest professionals generally advise continuous treatments, with some taking place only in the warmer months and others occurring year-round. Preventative measures may also be recommended to stop infestations before they begin.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

How long it will take for your pest issue to go away depends on the infestation type and severity and the insect's life cycle. When the pest control professional applies the first treatment, you may see a decrease in activity, but pests can return after they hatch, requiring further treatments. You may also find increased activity after the first treatment, as it can force pests out of hiding places. Luckily, this should decrease within a few days.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You can stay in your home during certain portions of the pest control process, such as when entry points are sealed. However, if your service technician applies a pesticide, it might take several hours to dry, and you'll need to leave the house during this period.

Certain pest control treatments can take a while. For termite fumigation, the pest control company places a tent over your entire home for three days to apply the pesticide. You'll have to vacate your home during this process.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

A service professional will know how much of a particular product to use, how long it takes to dry and when children and pets can safely return to the area that's been treated. Before applying any treatment, they should educate you on what you must remove from the affected space, such as animals, plants and food.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Certain pest control providers offer green solutions for treating an infestation. This involves using techniques that don't impact the environment as much as conventional chemical approaches. Examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing potential pest entry points, using humane traps for rodents and using less harmful ingredients.

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 ongoing treatment 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.