If you have noticed ants, rats, roaches and other vermin making their way about your property, this could be the first signs of a pest invasion. The first move will be to lockdown all potential sources of food, water and warmth that attract these opportunistic intruders.

But if the problem continues despite your best efforts to thwart the issue, it will be time to take professional action. If this is the first time you will be calling in a professional pest control service, you will need a little perspective to make a great decision. Here are some of the most important things to consider.

Tip #1: Gather some options

Begin making a list of several pest control companies you will be considering for this task. The best place to begin will be with word-of-mouth advertising. Ask your friends, neighbours and colleagues about the services they have called in for this very situation. If you have a neighbour or colleague in a similar situation as yours, be sure to ask them about the problem, what solutions were provided and what the final results were. If they had a good experience with their pest control company, this might be your first choice.

Tip #2: Check the reputation

The next thing to do will be to check the reputation of any pest control company you are considering for your location. You will find many options online, but the first thing to do will be to check the reputations and specialties of the online options you are considering. Make sure the company has the experience, skills and equipment to ensure that your pest problem is addressed precisely and effectively.

Tip #3: Go through the treatment methods

Different pest control companies have experience in different capacities and with different species of animal intruders. Some will offer humane catch and release techniques, others will have experience in poisons, baiting and eradicating pest menaces. You should also favor companies that market eco-friendly pest control techniques. Out of control pesticide use in domestic situations has become a serious problem for the environment and pest control services with special environmentally safe methods make a big difference in the long run.

Tip #4: Quality of services

After you have narrowed down your search to a handful of suitable pest control companies operating in your area, it will be time to make a few more cuts. Choose the top three companies with experience in situations much like your own. If you are looking for pest control in a residential area, you will not need the same types of services as they will need in a large commercial restaurant or food production facility.

Make some phone calls and ask about the type of work that any prospective companies specialize in and see how that aligns to your own needs.

Tip #5: Beware of unprofessional companies

Be very careful when dealing with companies that offer impossibly good deals and unbelievable prices, you have to ask yourself what they are actually selling. Pest control is a very precise business and many unreliable pest control companies will offer low rates for ineffective services. These services seem to cost a little more each time new techniques are tried, but in the end, you will be no better off than when you began, even worse perhaps.

Professional companies will begin with a thorough inspection of the infestation and then provide a clear plan of removing the pest problem. After this they will provide a detailed description of their prices and the reasons behind each one.

Tip #6: Licensed and Bonded Professionals

Any worthy pest control company will have the proper licensing to operate within their location. Be sure to check the review boards for your local region and make sure that the pest control professionals visiting your location have been certified with a major regulatory board in your area.