10 best pest control companies in Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky

Pests commonly encountered in Lexington-Fayette are snakes, rats and mice. DIY prevention techniques may improve your pest issue, but you may need to bring in a pest control company for an existing infestation. Skilled pest experts in Lexington-Fayette know how to correctly identify pests, use proper chemicals and methods and resolve your pest problem.

Letting a pest issue go unchecked can introduce a variety of risks to you, your family and your pets. Insects and small animals can cause long-term damage to your home, contaminate your food and spread disease.

Bringing in pest management professionals reduces these risks. A technician will find nesting areas, and create an extermination plan, using methods such as blocking holes, capturing pests or applying chemicals. The right pest treatment can take care of your pest infestation for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Lexington-Fayette

Look for pest control companies in Lexington-Fayette 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 Lexington-Fayette?

Different pests invade different areas. If you think you have an infestation, here are some indications of common pests in Lexington-Fayette:

• Mice: Mice that have gotten into your house might dart past you unexpectedly or leave rice grain-sized droppings. Mice characteristically give off a noticeable 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.
• Termites: Termites feed on cellulose fibers found in wood. Signs of an infestation include termite swarms, mud tubes, cracked or bubbling paint, droppings and wood that sounds hollow when you knock on it.
• Mosquitos: Standing water attracts mosquitoes, so living in wet climates or near bodies of water puts your property at a higher risk of infestation. Mosquitoes are nocturnal and signal their presence through a high-pitched buzzing noise. Bites might not be instantly noticeable, but later the spots will become swollen and itchy. Mosquitoes can also spread diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and West Nile.
• Snakes: Snakes are more active during warmer seasons, nesting among wood, rock piles, overgrown grass and debris. Shed snake skins and snake eggs point to infestations. To test if you have a snake infestation, sprinkle flour on the ground where you suspect they're nesting. If you see snake trails in the flour, you know it's time to seek professional pest management help.
• Cockroaches: Cockroaches are active at night and tend to flee when you turn on a light. Still, you may catch a cockroach or two on the run if you have an infestation. Their nests tend to be around basements, kitchens and bathrooms. Cockroaches often leave brown smear marks on walls and floors, and droppings that look like black pepper flakes around your home. Cockroaches can spread disease through contamination and aggravate respiratory problems.
• Fleas: If you notice your pet has black flecks on its skin and it's constantly scratching itself, you may have a flea problem. Although fleas can't live on human skin or hair, if you have an infestation, you'll often find red, itchy marks near your feet and ankles from them jumping up and biting. Fleas also spread disease, such as the bubonic plague.

How can you prevent pests in your Lexington-Fayette home?

While an infestation will probably require professional extermination, the best way to prevent pest infestations is to implement preventative measures.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Left uncontrolled, insects and vermin can significantly harm your home and well-being. Discuss preventive options with a pest control company to stop infestations before they start. Experts may suggest that you set traps, seal access points or apply pesticides in specific areas.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

As pests are commonly looking for food, making food difficult to access will keep them from sticking around. Food should be a minimum of half a foot off the floor and a short distance away from the walls. Make sure to keep counters, food storage areas and sinks clean and disinfected 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 tall grass, leaves, standing water and trash. Keeping your yard clear of debris and your lawn and foliage well-maintained is one of the easiest ways to stop an infestation before it starts. If professional lawn maintenance is needed, check if national lawn care services such as TruGreen are available in your region.

Seal off pest entrances

Sealing off ways will discourage insects and small animals from making their way indoors. Rats, for instance, can fit through openings as tiny as half an inch wide. Be sure to address openings in your roof or siding and fix damaged window frames. Some pest control companies focus specifically on keeping pests out and can help you with this task.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

To find a pest control service with the proper qualifications for your individual needs, ask the following questions during the hiring process.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) governs the use of pest control chemicals. Moreover, the EPA requires restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors to hold certifications according to the agency's standards and the laws of the affected states, territories and tribes.

A Commercial, Non-Commercial or Private Applicator's License is required for pest control professionals providing services in Kentucky. These licenses are issued through the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

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

Pest control experts often recommend regular treatments, with some scheduled exclusively during the warmer seasons and others ongoing throughout the year. To prevent infestations from taking hold, they might also propose preventive treatments every two or three months to stop new infestations from forming.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

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

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You should be able to stay in your home for some stages of the pest control treatment, such as when the professional is sealing up entry points. But if a pesticide is used, it may need several hours to dry, and you'll have to stay in another location while it dries.

Some services take a particularly long time. During termite fumigation, the pest control company needs to erect a tent around your home for three days to release the pesticide. You must stay elsewhere during that time.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

An experienced pest control professional knows how much 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 removed from the area, including plants, animals and food.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Some pest control providers offer green solutions for addressing infestations. This means they use techniques with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing potential pest entry points, trapping 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 one-time treatment or ongoing treatment to tackle a recurring pest problem. Be sure to discuss the 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.