How Much Does Pest Control Cost? 

Most homeowners dread the very notion of pests invading their homes. Yet, it happens across the nation year after year. Termites alone damage properties to the tune of around $5 billion annually.
 
Even worse, you can’t count on the same pests everywhere. Ants are a problem in some places. In other parts of the country, you run up against things like ticks or even scorpions. If you do get an infestation like this, you’ll likely need pro pest control help from an expert company such as Aptive in Texas. This is important, as that way you won’t be dealing with ants or scorpions in your backyard during the hot seasons of the year.
 
This may leave you wondering about what you’re looking at for the cost of professional help, and other similar aspects. If you’ve got a current pest infestation or just want a sense of what to expect if you get one, keep reading. We’ll cover some of the common pest infestations, factors that drive cost, and some average costs for pest control.

Common Pest Infestations

As noted above, the kinds of pests you end up dealing with can vary by region. With that caveat in place, some common pests can cause problems almost anywhere. Those pests include:

• Rodents
• Fruit flies
• Cockroaches
• Bedbugs
• Spiders
• Ants
• Fleas

The worst part of an infestation is that once the pests take up residence, it’s very difficult for DIY methods to get them out. It’s simply too difficult to get consumer pest control products to all the places that the pests might hide.

For example, pests often live inside your walls. While some products claim to kill nests, they rarely succeed in actually ridding your home of pests entirely.

Common Reasons for Infestations

Much like with your health, prevention is the best medicine when it comes to pest control. There are a lot of things you can do around your house and lawn to discourage pests from taking up residence.

For example, you want to limit or eliminate standing water. Standing water is often a breeding ground for insects, such as mosquitos. Clogged gutters also make a nice home for pests.

Wood piles and bushes can also attract pests. The piles provide a degree of protection from predators and you.

Open trash containers can encourage rodent activity near your home. So make sure you get outdoor containers you can close.

Leaving food out is a great way to attract insects and rodents into your home. Make sure you seal up and put food away when you’re done. Don’t forget about the crumbs. A quick wipe-down of counters and a quick sweep in the kitchen can go a long way.

Factors That Alter Pricing

Many factors can influence your total pest control costs. Simply living in a big city can make your bill higher because operating costs are higher in large urban areas. So, let’s look at some of the more common factors that affect pricing:

Location

The location of your home can push pricing for an exterminator up or down. For example, let’s say that your home is relatively remote. That can push up the pricing because of the travel time involved for the service technicians to get there.

Infestation Size

The scope of the infestation also plays a role. Let’s say that you’ve noticed an ant problem in your kitchen, but nowhere else. While you might have a colony somewhere in the house, it may prove small.

A limited infestation means less effort, fewer control products, and less time. If you have pests all over your house, it will likely drive the total costs way up.

Products

Like many other industries, pest control recognizes that some people put a premium on protecting the environment. These companies will often offer eco-friendly pest control products. The catch is that these products will almost always cost more than the more traditional chemical control products exterminators use.

The Pests

The type of pests in your home can also influence overall costs. Ants and spiders are often easy for an exterminator to deal with, while pests like bedbugs can prove tenacious. The more difficult pests cost more because it takes more effort to ensure they’re gone.

Property

The big lawn might have looked great when you bought the house, but may come back to bite you with pest control costs. Chemical perimeters are a fairly common strategy in pest control.

If you have a huge lawn, it takes more time and more control products to set up the perimeter. Again, you pay for that time and the products expended.

Do You Need a Professional Pest Control?

Before you worry about professional pest control costs, you should ask yourself if you need a professional intervention. Many pests come and go as a seasonal and manageable problem.

Consumer-grade pest control products can often deal with those ants you see every single spring. The same goes for the uptick in spider activity you see in most homes when the autumn rolls around.

The time to call a pro is when the problem moves beyond an annoyance and into true problem territory. That typically means the pests are in multiple parts of the home or consumer products can’t deal with them, such as bedbugs.

Pest Control Costs

As noted above, many things can make your pest controls costs go up or down. For a very general frame of reference, a single visit by a pest control pro will fall somewhere in the $300 to $600 range.

You should consult with your local pest control companies for their pricing on specific pests or to get an on-site quote from them.

Pest Control Cost and You

The best way you can control the pest control cost you pay is by preventing the initial infestation. Look around your property for things that attract pests, such as standing water, wood piles, and open trash containers. Make sure you always put away the food inside your home to discourage ants, cockroaches, and rodents.

If you do end up with an infestation, you should get quotes from some of your local pest control pros.

Looking for more home maintenance tips and ideas? Check out the posts in our Home & Garden section.