10 best pest control companies in Somerville, Massachusetts

Common pests such as rats, mice and flies can easily get into living spaces in Somerville. While you can try DIY removal and prevention methods, an active infestation often requires a pest control expert's help. These certified pest specialists in Somerville can diagnose the problem and resolve it safely and effectively.

A pest infestation can lead to damage to your property and pose health risks to you and your family, including your pets. Insects and small animals can cause permanent damage to your home, contaminate foods and spread disease.

Hiring a professional pest control company can reduce these risks. A pest professional will spot infestations and treat them with a range of methods, from sealing cracks and holes to using traps or chemicals. Once the right solution is applied, pests can be controlled for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Somerville

Look for pest control companies in Somerville 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 Somerville?

While pests are everywhere, not all of them invade the same locations. Check for these signs of common Somerville pests to determine whether you have an infestation:

• Flies: It's common to spot a few flies inside your home in the summer, but an excessive number likely signals an infestation. Flies leave feces resembling clusters of black dots by sinks, shelves, or trash. Finding maggots, which are fly larvae, in your trash also indicates an infestation.
• Bees: An increase in bee activity inside or around your home, humming within your walls or dark stains on your walls maypoint to a bee infestation. You may also smell an unpleasant 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 provoking allergic reactions.
• Rats: Signs of rats include seeing a rat, finding droppings about half an inch long or hearing scratching in your walls or ceiling. Rats also create entryways for themselves by chewing through walls, doors and food packaging.
• Ants: Your home could be invaded by various ant types. Carpenter ants burrow into wood, while fire ants like greasy food scraps. Both bite, unlike pavement ants, which also often infest homes. Ant trails inside your home indicate larger colonies are nearby.
• Fleas: If your pet is continually itching, 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 spread various diseases, including bubonic plague.

How can you prevent pests in your Somerville home?

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

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Left uncontrolled, bugs and small animals 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

Pests primarily seek food, so making food hard to reach will keep them on their way. Keep food a minimum of six inches off the floor and a bit away from the walls. Always ensure food storage areas, sinks and counters stay clean and sanitized between uses. Get rid of food scraps and other trash regularly, and keep your trash cans and dumpster areas neat.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Insects and small animals can hide in leaves, standing water, trash and tall grass. Keeping your yard clear of debris and your lawn and foliage well-maintained is one of the simplest ways to stop an infestation before it starts. If professional lawn maintenance is needed, find out if national lawn care services such as TruGreen cover your region.

Seal off pest entrances

Sealing off small openings will stop 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 repair 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 ensure you hire a pest control professional that can handle your specific needs.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the application 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 compliant with the agency's regulations as well as state, territorial and tribal legislation.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources issues commercial applicator licenses and certifications to those providing pest control services in Massachusetts. Professionals must have a Commercial Applicator License or Certification in order to practice.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

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

Pest specialists often suggest recurring treatments, some of which may be limited to the warmer months, while others occur across all seasons. As a proactive measure, they might also recommend preventive treatments every two or three months to stop infestations from starting.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

How long it will take for your pest problem to go away 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 notice a decrease in activity, but pests can return after they hatch, requiring additional treatments. You may also notice 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 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 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 release the pesticide. Throughout this timeframe, you'll have to find other accommodations.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

A professional will understand the proper amount of a product to apply, the duration necessary for it to dry, and when it is safe for children and pets to come back to the treated area. Your pest control provider should let you know what items you must remove from the space such as plants, animals and food before beginning the treatment.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Some pest management companies provide green solutions for addressing an infestation. This means they use techniques with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Eco-friendly pest control methods may include sealing off areas where pests can gain access, capturing rodents or applying pesticides made from natural sources.

What do I do if pests come back?

Most pest control companies provide guarantees and warranties in the event that pests reappear before a specific date. To resolve a returning pest issue, specialists may offer a single treatment or continued treatments. Consult with your service provider to learn about the treatments they offer.

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.