10 best pest control companies in Summerville, South Carolina

In Summerville, you can come across pests such as bees, flies and snakes. DIY prevention techniques may help your pest problem, but you may need to use a pest control company for an existing infestation. Experienced pest experts in the Summerville area have the knowledge to inspect your home and treat your pest problem.

Pests that invade your property put your home and family at risk. Insects and small animals can contaminate your food, cause significant damage to your home’s structure and spread disease.

Bringing in exterminators lowers these risks. A pest professional will spot infestations and treat them in a variety of ways, from sealing cracks and holes to using traps or chemicals. Once the right solution is administered, pests can be kept at bay for the long haul.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Summerville

Look for pest control companies in Summerville 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 Summerville?

While pests are all over, not all of them infest the same regions. Check for these indications of common Summerville pests to determine whether you have an infestation:

• Termites: Termites consume cellulose fibers in wood. You may have a termite infestation if you notice termite swarms, cracked or bubbling paint, droppings or mud tubes. Another sign is if wood sounds hollow when you knock on it.
• Bees: more 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 an unpleasant odor coming from your walls, which happens as bees die or honey builds up inside, leading to mold and fungi growth. Bees can easily harm your family or pets by stinging them and potentially causing allergic reactions.
• Flies: Everyone sees the occasional fly buzzing around their home during the summer months, but if you see more than usual, 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 the presence of maggots, which are fly larvae, in waste.
• Rats: Signs of rats include seeing a rat, finding droppings about half an inch long or hearing skittering in your walls or ceiling. Rats can nibble through food packaging, doors and walls to create more entry points for themselves.
• Spiders: Seeing more spiderwebs and spiders than usual is the strongest indicator 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 harmless, brown recluses and black widows deliver painful, venemous bites that require medical attention.

How can you prevent pests in your Summerville home?

Getting rid of pests isn’t easy, but a good defense is always the best offense. While an infestation probably requires professional help, there are steps you can take on your own to prevent pest infestations.

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 company. They may recommend plugging holes, laying traps or spraying pesticides in key areas.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

Since pests are often in search of sustenance, restricting their access to food sources will deter them from settling in. Store food at least six inches above the ground and slightly away from walls. Ensure sinks, counters and food storage areas are clean and disinfected when not being used. Quickly dispose of food waste and other garbage, and keep the spaces near trash cans and dumpsters tidy.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Trash, leaves, standing water and tall grass offer ample shelter to insects and small animals. Keeping your yard clean and well-maintained with mowed grass and trimmed foliage is one of the easiest ways to prevent an infestation. If you need professional lawn care, find out if national lawn care companies such as TruGreen cover your area.

Seal off pest entrances

Closing off ways will stop insects and small animals from making their way indoors. Rats, for instance, can fit through openings as small as half an inch wide. Be sure to address cracks in your roof or siding and repair 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 company with the proper qualifications for your individual needs, ask the following questions during the hiring process.

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 in accordance with EPA requirements and the laws of relevant states, territories and tribes.

Pest control professionals must have earned a Commercial, Non-commercial, Business, Private or Dealer Certification in order to apply or sell pesticides in South Carolina. Licenses are issued through the South Carolina Department of Pesticide Regulation.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

A pest control expert will create a treatment schedule based on the severity of the infestation, type of treatment, location of your property and type of pest. Pest control technicians typically discourage a single-treatment approach, as insects are frequently at different stages of their life cycles and may have laid eggs in hard-to-find spots.

Pest specialists often suggest recurring treatments, some of which may be only done in the warmer months, while others last 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?

The time it will take for your pest issue to go away depends on the nature and severity of the infestation as well as the pest's life cycle. After your home's initial treatment, you might see a decline in activity, but pests may reemerge after hatching, requiring further treatments. Conversely, you could see a surge in activity following the first treatment, as it can drive pests from their hiding spots. Fortunately, this should lessen within a matter of 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 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 leave the house during this period.

Certain pest control treatments can take a while. For termite fumigation, the pest control company sets up a tent over your entire home for three days to apply the pesticide. You'll have to find another place to stay 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 food, animals and plants.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

A number of pest treatment companies provide green solutions for addressing an infestation. This means they use methods with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Some examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing up gaps for pests, setting catch-and-release traps for rodents, and using pesticides derived from natural sources.

What do I do if pests come back?

Many pest control services have guarantees and warranties in place if pests return before a certain date. Companies may offer a one-time treatment or ongoing treatments to resolve a stubborn pest problem. Ask your service provider what options 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.