10 best pest control companies in Valley Stream, New York

Pests frequently found in Valley Stream are bed bugs, mice and rats. DIY prevention techniques may help your pest problem, but you may need to hire a pest control company for an existing infestation. Licensed pest specialists in the Valley Stream area have the skills to inspect your home, use appropriate treatments and solve your pest problems.

Pests that infest your property put your home, family and pets at risk. Insects and small animals can cause irreversible damage to your home, contaminate foods and spread disease.

Hiring pest control professionals can substantially reduce the damage from an infestation. A pest professional will identify infestations and treat them with a range of methods, from closing entry points to using traps or chemicals. The right pest solution can take care of your pest infestation for the long haul.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Valley Stream

Look for pest control companies in Valley Stream 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 Valley Stream?

While pests are all over, not all of them invade the same places. Here are some indications of common pests in the Valley Stream area.

• Bees: Signs of a bee infestation include finding dark smears on your walls, seeing more bees than usual and hearing the sound of buzzing or humming inside your walls. An odd odor may also come from your walls. This happens when mold and fungi grow inside due to honey seeping into the walls or bees dying. Bees can also harm your family and pets, given their stings can cause allergic reactions.
• Rats: You may have a rat problem if you see a rat, hear skittering in your walls or ceiling or find droppings about half an inch long. Rats will also nibble into food wrappings and chew through walls and doors to create access points.
• 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 distinct musk. They make nests with scavenged bits and pieces and shredded fibers, and favor tight areas, so you may hear them in your walls and ceilings.
• Bed bugs: Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown, wingless insects about the size of apple seeds. Found in multi-unit apartments and hotels, they can attach to belongings, such as backpacks, used furniture, purses and clothing. They hide in your bed and in small cracks and crevices during the day then become active during the night. When you have an infestation, you may spot the insects or find blood stains on your bed or other furniture.
• 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 droppings resembling clusters of black dots by sinks, shelves, or trash. Finding maggots, which are fly larvae, in your trash also indicates an infestation.
• Termites: Termites consume cellulose fibers in wood. You may have a termite infestation if you see cracked or bubbling paint, termite swarms, mud tubes or droppings. Another sign is if wood sounds hollow when you knock on it.

How can you prevent pests in your Valley Stream home?

Fighting a pest infestation can be challenging, so preventative measures are the most reliable way 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

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

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

Pests mainly seek food, so making food hard to reach will keep them on their way. Keep food a minimum of half a foot off the floor and a bit away from the walls. Always ensure sinks, food storage areas 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 clean.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Trash, leaves, tall grass and standing water offer ample shelter to insects and small animals. Keeping your yard free of debris and well-maintained with cut grass and trimmed foliage is one of the most straightforward ways to prevent an infestation. If you need professional lawn care, check if national lawn care companies such as TruGreen are available in your area.

Seal off pest entrances

Sealing off small entrances will help keep insects and small animals from invading your home. Rats can maneuver through holes as little as half-inch in diameter. Inspect your roof and siding for gaps, and be sure to seal off damaged window frames. Some pest control companies specialize in keeping pests out of your home.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

To ensure you hire a pest control company that's equipped to meet your specific needs, ask these questions.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the use of pest control chemicals. Moreover, the EPA requires restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors to hold certifications in line with the agency's standards and the laws of the affected 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?

What treatment schedule a pest specialist recommends will depend on the treatment type, property location, pest type and infestation severity. Pest control companies generally do not recommend 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 difficult to reach.

Pest control experts often recommend regular treatments, with some carried out only during the warmer months and others occurring 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?

The time needed to get rid of your pest issue will vary based on the type and extent of the infestation, along with the pest's life cycle. After the pest control specialist applies the initial treatment, you may see less pest activity. However, pests might reappear once they hatch, warranting further treatments. Alternatively, you may see more pests following the first treatment, as it can drive pests out of their hiding places. The good news is this should lessen 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 find alternative accommodations during that time.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

A skilled service technician has the knowledge to determine the appropriate amount of product to apply, the drying time required and when it is safe for children and pets to re-enter the treated space. Before administering any treatment, they should instruct you on which items such as plants, animals and food must be removed from the area.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

A number of pest treatment companies offer environmentally conscious methods for treating an infestation. This involves using techniques that don't impact the environment as much as traditional chemical approaches. Examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing areas where pests might get in, trapping rodents and using pesticides derived from natural sources.

What do I do if pests come back?

Most pest control providers offer guarantees and warranties should pests reappear before a specified date. Some companies may provide a single treatment, while others offer ongoing treatments to address recurring pest issues. Discuss the available options with your service 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.