10 best pest control companies in Santee, California

Pests commonly encountered in Santee are flies, snakes and bees. You can try DIY solutions to avoid potential pest problems, but you may need to reach out to a pest control company if you are dealing with an infestation. Licensed pest exterminators in Santee know how to accurately identify pests, apply suitable treatments and resolve your pest problem.

Letting a pest issue go unchecked can introduce a variety of risks to you, your family members and your pets. Insects and small animals can contaminate your food, cause significant damage to your home’s structure and spread disease.

Bringing in expert pest controllers decreases these dangers. A pest professional will spot infestations and treat them in a variety of ways, from plugging holes to using traps or chemicals. 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 Santee

Look for pest control companies in Santee 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 Santee?

Though pests are found everywhere, they don't equally affect the same regions. The following pests are common in Santee, and these are some signs of an infestation:

• Snakes: Snakes are more active during the warmer months and make homes in wood, debris, rock piles and overgrown grass. Signs of a snake infestation include the appearance of snake skins and snake eggs. You can test for a snake infestation by laying down some flour where you think a snake lives. If you see trail marks in the flour, call a pest control professional right away.
• Ants: Numerous ant species might infest your property. Carpenter ants target wood while fire ants go after oily or greasy food residue. Both of these two varieties bite, while pavement ants don't. Pavement ants also often make their way indoors. Finding a trail of ants in your home means a a larger infestion is nearby.
• Flies: Everyone sees the occasional fly buzzing around their home during the summer months, but if you see an unusually high number, there’s a good chance you have an infestation. Flies leave feces that look like clusters of black dots and often appear near kitchen sinks, high shelves and around trash. Another sign of an infestation is seeing maggots, which are fly larvae, in waste.
• Mice: If you have mice in your house, you may see one darting through a room or find droppings about the size of a grain of rice. Mice tend to gnaw on furniture and emit a musky odor. They make their nests from shredded fibers and other found materials. Mice like to nest in tight spaces, so you may hear them in your walls or ceilings.
• Fleas: If your pet is constantly scratching, and has black specks on its skin, you might have a flea infestation. Although fleas do not inhabit human skin or hair, they jump up to bite, especially around the ankles. Fleas can carry various diseases, including bubonic plague.

How can you prevent pests in your Santee home?

Fighting a pest infestation can be a headache, so preventative measures are the best method to prevent future problems. Though infestations often require expert intervention, you can take action to keep pests out before they make their way into your home.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Insects 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 company. 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 infesting 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 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

Tall grass, standing water, leaves and trash create ideal habitats for insects and small animals. Maintaining a debris-free yard and regularly mowing your lawn 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 service your location.

Seal off pest entrances

Closing off small openings will discourage insects and small animals from making their way indoors. Rats, for instance, can fit through openings as little as a half-inch wide. Be sure to address gaps in your roof or siding and fix damaged window frames. Some pest control companies focus specifically on pest prevention and can help you with this task.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

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

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the use of pest control chemicals under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Additionally, the EPA requires restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors to have certification following the agency and state, territorial and tribal laws.

A Qualified Applicator License or Applicator Certificate issued by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation is required for pest control technicians to practice in California.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

The treatment schedule a pest specialist suggests will depend on the treatment type, pest type, infestation severity and property location. Pest control services generally do not advocate for getting a single treatment to rid a home of pests, as insects are often at different points in their life cycle, and can lay eggs in areas that are hard to access.

Pest professionals generally advise ongoing treatments, with some taking place only in the warmer months and others happening 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 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 decrease in activity, but pests can return after they hatch, requiring more treatments. You may also see increased activity after the first treatment, as it can drive pests from hiding places. Luckily, this should decrease within a few days.

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 entry points are sealed. However, if your service technician applies a pesticide, it might take a few hours to dry completely, and you'll need to leave the house during this period.

Certain treatments can be especially time-consuming like termite fumigation. The pest control provider erects a tent around your home, which is left in place for three days to release the pesticide. During this period, you'll need to stay elsewhere.

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 taken out of the area, including plants, animals and food.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Some pest management companies provide eco-friendly methods for addressing infestations. This means they use methods with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Examples include sealing entry points where pests can enter, setting humane traps for rodents or using pesticides made from natural sources.

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 stubborn pest problem. Be sure to discuss the service packages 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.