It doesn't matter what time of year it is there is always risk that some unwanted pests might make its way inside your home. Spiders and ants seem to be the most common pests in the early part of spring and into summer and then as we hit the end of summer wasps, yellow jackets and hornets start to really annoy people. Lets also not forget about mice and how they over taking homes that are unprepared as winter and cooler temperatures of fall set in.

When pest issues like the ones mentioned above happen to most people they usually find themselves getting on the internet and searching for 'pest control near me' to try and find the pest control company nearest then that can come and solve their issue. Before you call and hire the first pest control professional you talk to try and keep in mind that pest control is like any industry. You have a few really great companies, some pretty good companies and a handful of bad apples. The best way to determine who is going to probably be the best is to look at online reviews. We've found that some pretty terrible companies try to really hide their bad reviews by buying or creating fake reviews so that they have so many that you can't see their bad ones. Here are a few tips on how to really know who the great companies are and how not to get tricked into just hiring the cheapest or best salesman.

1. The number of reviews a company has is a big indicator of what type of service you'll get. Even if a company has a lot of reviews always check to see what people that were unhappy with their service had to say. Seeing how a company handles customer complaints is a good way to protect yourself if soemthing goes wrong.
2. Check multiple review sites. Start with Google but defintiyl check Yelp. Companies will always have less on Yelp but we've found that lots of big companies that have 1000 5 star reviews on Google may have a lot of bad reviews on Yelp. Its harder to cheat or filter bad reviews on Yelp so checking their too is a good way to see if a company gets consistently good reviews on both platforms.
3. Check to see If companies have verified reviews on their website. You want to see Google, Yelp, or Home adviser badges by those reviews.
4. Do they have their prices listed on their website? If you have to call or email to get a quote that can sometimes be a red flag that a company will try to upsell or over sell you on service or products you may not need.
5. Always look for a free inspection if you have mice bed bugs or other severe infestations. Any company that will quote you over the phone for a pretty severe pest issue is either over bidding you or may not be able to handle your issue professionally.
6. Find local pest control companies. Local pest control operators have probably been around longer and know the pest issues on your area best.

If you have any other questions about how to find the best pest control company in your area or just want to compare prices feel free to give us a ring anytime and we can give you some more tips or advice.

Crosstown Pest Control also provides what we consider to be a top notch service with great customer service we'd be more than happy to swing by and give a free inspection if you ever have any pest issues, just give our office a call at (208)401-6122