Is Quarterly Pest Control Worth It? Find Out Why Or Why Not

Isn’t precaution better than cure? Well, it certainly is.

When it’s about protecting your home from pest invasion or as a long-term pest solution, then preventative pest control measures always help. 

It not only keeps your home pest-free by detecting early signs of infestation but also protects you from incurring heavy costs associated with full-fledged pest control.

But is quarterly pest control worth it?

Or is it a scam that pest control companies try to push to make a quick buck from you?

You’ll get honest answers to both of these questions. This post will help you decide if you should go for preventative quarterly pest control or not.

So, let’s figure it out.

Quarterly Pest Control – Factors To Keep In Mind

Two factors should influence your decision on having a regular pest checkup for your home, quarterly or half-yearly.

These factors are – 

• The place where you live.
• The history of pest infestation in your home.

Why do they matter? Let’s have a look.

Weather And The Place Where You Live Determines How Prone Your Home Is To Get Pests

It’s a known fact that the weather of your town, city, and state, along with your neighborhood’s overall conditions, determine how prone your home is to get pests. 

For example, suppose you’re living in the south. In that case, the likelihood of termites infesting your home is more than in any other region.

Rat, roach, and bed bug infestation are high in big cities like New York and Chicago.

The truth is that some states like Florida, Georgia, California are more buggy than other states.

Weather and higher population density play a significant role in the likelihood of pest infestation. 

Humidity and temperate weather are perfect conditions for pests to breed in large numbers. And so as garbage. 

Also, suppose your neighborhood has many homes infested with pests. In that case, it’s only a matter of time when pests will invade your home or property. 

Not every homeowner is attentive to the early signs of pest infestations.

Some ignore the symptoms, and they don’t even do the necessary pest control when it’s needed. In multifamily homes and apartment complexes, it’s a common issue.  

And pests, especially bed bugs and termites, spread from one home to another quickly. 

So, if your home is at a place where pest infestation is expected and if the weather is humid and tropical, then quarterly pest control is necessary. 

If you don’t, then it’s only a matter of time that pests will infest your home.

The History Of Pest Re-Infestation Of Your Home Determines If You Should Get Quarterly Pest Control

Do you face the problem of pest re-infestation? 

Many homes go through elaborate pest control often, especially for bed bugs and termites.

It’s because bed bugs can come back if you don’t do heat treatment for the entire home. And termite infestation depends a lot on their presence beyond your home’s area. 

Suppose you’ve to go through pest control every one or two years. In that case, it means that either the pest control wasn’t thorough or the overall conditions in and around your home caused re-infestation.

And the only way to stop it is quarterly pest control. 

Quarterly pest control will nip the pest re-infestation problem at the bud, saving you a lot of money on recurring pest control costs. 

Not to mention, it’ll also save you from the losses that damaging pests like termites will inflict on you.

You must hire a professional for regular pest inspection if you’re tired of seeing pests making a comeback and spending vast amounts of money.

Professional pest controllers are skillful in spotting the early signs of pest re-infestation and removing it.

Why A Pest Controller Should Do Quarterly Pest Control – The Benefits

Now that you know the factors that you should keep in mind before you decide on hiring a professional for quarterly pest control, let’s deep dive into the benefits of it. 

You Let The Expert Exterminator Look For The Signs Of Infestation

Many DIYers take pest control into their hands. But the success of pest control lies in spotting the signs of infestation and zeroing in on the places where pests hide. 

These are skills professionals learn by being on the field. And if you’re not doing pest control for a living, then you might not have the expertise. 

It’s always wise to leave it in the hands of a professional exterminator to deal with it.

If you miss one hiding spot or the minor signs of infestation, which at times are not visible to the untrained eye, then you’re helping the pests to make a comeback. 

Also, you always don’t use an aerosol spray or a bug bomb, or vinegar for getting rid of pests. Sadly, removing pests from your home isn’t as simple as that. 

Professionals use equipment to go straight to the infestation source, like nests, to remove every possibility of pests resurfacing in your home. 

Quarterly Pest Control Is More Economical In The Long Run

Do you think quarterly pest control is expensive and not worth the money?

Let’s get into the numbers – the average price of quarterly pest control costs $200 per quarter for an average-sized two-bedroom home. So, the yearly cost of preventative quarterly pest control is $800.

But if you act after the infestation of damaging pests like bed bugs or termites have increased, then the average cost of treatment is at least $1150 for the home of the same size. 

So, you end up losing more money. 

Quarterly pest control is just like your regular health checkup. It costs money, but it saves a lot of money in the long run. 

To safeguard your home quarterly pest control comes with warranties. 

The warranty coverage differs from company to company. But there’s a peace of mind that for a fraction of actual pest control cost, you’re avoiding a massive pest infestation. 

And on top of it, your budget for home maintenance is always under control, with no surprise pest control costs lurking in the corner that will create a hole in your pocket. 

Are there any drawbacks to quarterly pest control? When done through a reliable pest controller company, no. 

The Quarterly Pest Control Process – What Does The Controller Do

The process is quite simple. When you hire a pest control company for a quarterly pest control process, the main thing they do is eliminate pests before they become an infestation. 

The pest controller will check every area of your home, including furniture and the cracks in your home’s floors and walls, where pests can hide. The gaps in your home are entry points of many pests like roaches and centipedes.  

Depending on the inspection, the controller will use a bit of pesticide.

Most of the time, the pest controller will use pesticides that aren’t as strong as the pesticides used during the actual treatment. These preventative pesticides are generally odor-free and safe as compared to the treatment pesticides.

The pest controller may also recommend minor repairs in your home that can prevent bugs and insects from sneaking into your home.

But their primary expertise lies in spotting the places from where the infestation is starting.

The pest controller doesn’t limit the inspection only to your home interiors.

He also examines your home’s exterior, like checking the soil, which can be a source of subterranean termite infestation too. 

Many pest control companies check your garden or yard for garden pests too. 

So, quarterly pest control covers your entire home, including your home’s outdoor area. 

Avoid Pest Control Companies That Are Scams

There are times when many unscrupulous pest control companies can take you for a ride if you don’t know what you’re getting into. 

In this section, you’ll get to know some red flags to look out for when hiring a company for quarterly pest control. 

You should always engage with a licensed pest controller for sure.

But if you keep the upcoming point in mind, no pest control company will be able to defraud you of your money. 

Eco-Friendly Or Green Pest Control Company

No pest control company which is good at doing its job is a green or eco-friendly pest control company.

It’s because pest control always entails the usage of chemicals or pesticides in most cases, except when you do heat treatment against bed bugs for your home.

They might use eco-friendly methods of disposing of wastes, but no insecticide is organic.

And pesticides always harm you and the environment unless you take precautions. 

If a pest control company uses these terms, then better disengage and move forward.

You might not be aware of the technical terms that they’ll use during the conversation, so they might be successful in winning your trust. 

You shouldn’t hire a company that will use bleach or vinegar to prevent pests from showing up in your home. 

Most importantly, state regulations don’t cover pest control companies that are “green.” So, if anything goes wrong, you’ll be left alone to fend for yourself.

Avoid Pest Control Companies That Give You A “Rough” Estimate

Estimation or a ballpark figure is always good to know the information. It gives you an idea of how much you will spend on quarterly pest control. 

But if they give you an estimate after they’ve visited your home, then it should ring your alarm bells. 

Once they do a home tour of your entire home, they must quote the exact amount you’ll need to spend. This amount should be fixed and not floating. 

Also, they should mention what kind of pests they’ll do the quarterly pest control for and the warranty that comes with it.

Reputable pest control companies don’t change their costs. They’re crystal clear with all activities they will perform and what the results would be. 

Avoid pest control companies that keep things open to change. 

Avoid Pest Control Companies That Will Charge You For Extermination Treatment During The Quarterly Pest Control Process

Reputable pest control companies will do whatever it takes to get rid of pests, if they find any, during the quarterly pest control process.

And they’ll do it for free.

For example, if your home needs fumigation treatment against termites, which they’ve found out during the quarterly process, they’ll do it at no extra cost. 

Avoid engaging with a company or signing a contract with a company that will charge you extra for pest extermination during the quarterly process. 

Many companies don’t need any contract for quarterly pest control and inspection services. 

Don’t Hire Door-To-Door Pest Controllers

Over the past few years, thieves masquerading as pest controllers and robbing homes have increased. 

These individuals will typically pose as pest controllers who’ll do free inspections for your home.

Some of them also move around with portable heaters claiming that they’ll do heat treatment against bed bugs inside your home for free or for a minimal cost. 

Heat treatment is expensive, and no pest control company does it for free. 

Don’t risk yourself by letting these individuals enter your home.  

Should You Do DIY Pest Control For Your Home

DIY pest control is a good idea as long as you’re sure about what you’re doing. And the effectiveness of DIY measures depends on the pest that you’re dealing with.

DIY ways will always fail if you’re trying to get rid of resilient and tough pests like termites, bed bugs, cockroaches, wasps and hornets, and fleas. 

But if you’re dealing with insects like centipedes, silverfish, and earwigs, that don’t carry an infestation threat, then DIY ways work. 

Also, you need to be an expert in handling pesticides and finding out the infestation source. 

DIY methods will fail if you don’t go to the root of the infestation. 

And remember, pests like termites and bed bugs need more than aerosol sprays.

Over the years, these pests have developed immunity against many pesticides. So, getting rid of them is more challenging than ever before. 

Leaving it in the hands of a pest controller is the best course of action to eliminate destructive pests. 

Final Words

Is quarterly pest control worth it? Yes, it is, especially when your home is under the conditions outlined in the post. 

It’d be best for your home if you hire a reliable pest controller for quarterly pest control. It’s a necessary measure if you’re living in a place that makes your home prone to pest infestation.

Quarterly pest control is a preemptive way to protect your home from invasive pests and to keep your pest control costs massively low in the longer run. 

To help you in choosing the right pest control company for your home’s quarterly pest control, we’ve also mentioned what red-flags to look out for. Avoid them, and you’ll always be in safe hands. 

Preventative pest control is like a regular health checkup for your home. It keeps your pest control costs under control.