10 best pest control companies in West Windsor, New Jersey

Pests such as ticks, flies and mice can often infest houses in West Windsor. You can take action yourself to prevent potential pest problems, but you may need to contact a pest control company if you are dealing with an infestation. These experienced pest control professionals in West Windsor can identify the problem and resolve it safely and effectively.

Pest infestations pose risks to your home, family and pets. Insects and small animals can contaminate your food, cause long-term damage to your home and spread disease.

Hiring a professional pest control company can reduce these risks. A technician will identify nesting areas, and create an extermination plan, using methods such as sealing entrances, capturing pests or applying pesticides. 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 West Windsor

Look for pest control companies in West Windsor 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 West Windsor?

While pests are everywhere, not all of them invade the same regions. If you suspect you have an infestation, here are some indications of common pests in West Windsor:

• Ticks: While ticks usually stay close to the ground outside, they can hitch a ride on your pets, shoes and clothes and enter your home. Female ticks will then lay eggs in carpet fibers, on curtains or in upholstery once inside your home. They may also nest in the lining or pockets of clothing, along baseboards and in corners.
• 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 drains, shelves, or trash. Finding maggots, which are fly larvae, in your trash also indicates an infestation.
• Bed bugs: Bed bugs have flat bodies, no wings and are reddish-brown, looking similar to apple seeds in size and shape. Apartment complexes and hotels are usually where you come in contact with them. They get into your home by attaching to clothing, purses, secondhand furniture and backpacks. They are inactive during the day, hiding in beds and small cracks. They come out at night to feed. Spotting bed bugs themselves or blood stains on your mattress or bedding means you may have an infestation.
• Bees: Signs of a bee infestation include seeing more bees than usual, finding dark smears on your walls 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, as their stings can provoke allergic reactions.
• Mice: If mice have infiltrated your home, you might see one out of the corner of your eye or find droppings around the size of a grain of rice. Mice often damage furniture and have a noticeable 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.
• Rats: You may have a rat infestation 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 bite into walls and doors to create entryways.
• Beetles: Numerous beetle species might invade your home and cause damage to your home and belongings. Carpet beetles can ruin bedding, carpets and furniture, and biscuit beetles infest dried goods, such as grains, beans, pasta, rice, seeds and spices. Though they aren't usually dangerous, some beetles can cause allergic reactions.

How can you prevent pests in your West Windsor home?

A full-blown infestation probably needs professional intervention. However, there are precautions you can take before pests become a problem to prevent them from getting a foothold in your home.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Left uncontrolled, insects and vermin can significantly affect 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 cracks 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 clean.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Insects and small animals can hide in trash, tall grass, leaves and standing water. 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 cover your region.

Seal off pest entrances

Closing off access points into your home will help prevent insects and small animals from entering. Rats, for example, can wriggle into holes just a half-inch in diameter. Repair gaps in your roof or siding, and remember to seal broken window frames. Some pest control providers offer specialized pest prevention services to keep critters out.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

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

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.

New Jersy pest control professionals should be licensed through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Compliance & Enforcement, having completed 40 hours of training in order to earn a Commercial or Private Applicator License.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

The treatment plan a pest professional recommends will vary based on the specific treatment method, the particular pest type, the location of the property and the severity of the infestation. In most cases, pest control companies advise against relying on a one-time 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-spot areas.

Pest specialists often suggest recurring treatments, some of which may be limited to the warmer months, while others happen 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 be resolved 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 further treatments. You may also notice increased activity after the first treatment, as it can force pests out of hiding places. Luckily, this should subside within a few days.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You can stay in your home for certain portions of the pest control treatment, such as sealing holes and cracks. Should your service provider use a pesticide, you'll most likely need to leave your home while you wait for the pesticide to dry. This can typically take a few hours.

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?

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 clear from the space such as food, plants and animals before beginning the treatment.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

A number of pest specialists offer green solutions for managing infestations. This means they use products with a lower environmental impact than traditional methods. Some examples of eco-friendly pest control include sealing entry points 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 to protect you if pests return before a predetermined date. These companies may offer a single service or ongoing treatment to tackle a recurring pest problem. Be sure to discuss the available 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.