Before you choose a pest control company in Canberra
When you type in “Pest control Canberra” or something similar you will get a variety of companies come up in search results. With so many pest control companies out there all charging different prices, it is difficult to know which pest control company and what pest treatment to choose.
The pest technician needs to be licensed and insured to carry out the pest control treatment being requested. They are required to provide you with their license and insurance on request. Unfortunately, there a lot of “cowboys” in the industry (often charging the cheapest prices), who are not licensed or insured, so be careful! When you are protecting your home and family and insecticides are being applied, it’s important that you trust that the pest manager is knowledgeable, professional and will take their time to apply a comprehensive and safe pest control treatment.
Always ask for a quote and clarify exactly what their service involves, how long it will take (see “What to expect with a pest control treatment”) and what warranties or service free periods are provided. Of course, ask them to confirm they are licensed and insured. It should allow you to compare quotes and ensure you are getting the service you require and one that’s good value for money!
Don’t forget the importance of an annual termite inspection. By combining the termite inspection with general pest treatment, you will normally get a significant discount on the separate services.
What to expect with a pest control treatment
Before starting the treatment, the pest technician should inspect the property (to confirm the nature of the pest problem and work out what pest treatment is required), discuss any issues with you, explain the treatment and carry out a risk assessment.
Before applying any product the technician should carry out a risk assessment. This involves assessing the property and surrounding properties for any safety or environmental issues that need to be considered before applying a product.
The duration of a pest control treatment will vary depending on the size of the property, construction type and level of pest infestation. For example a home with a sub-floor will take longer than a home on a concrete slab. But as a guide, for the typically modern 3/4 bedroom Canberra home on a concrete slab, a general pest treatment should take around an hour. If it is taking them less than 30 minutes you should be worried.
Typically the treatment will involve spraying the perimeter of the property, all surfaces, around doors, windows, other entry points, under the eaves, gutters and any foliage. This treatment is targeting crawling insects such as large cockroaches and ants, as well as web-spinning spiders.
A quality pest technician would spray inside the house as needed and choose the correct products and if the property has a particular problem with specific insect additional products such as gel baits, sticky boards, dusts and granules may be applied to the affected areas.
The roof void is a key area to inspect and treat. Typically pest technicians will blow an insecticide powder through the roof void to provide a fine layer over all the surfaces. This can be very effective at keeping pest numbers down.
If the house has a sub-floor, this area should be inspected and then treated with a spray and / or powder, as required.
Depending on your requirements, treatment of the garage, sheds & fences may also be included in the service.
Most pest control treatments will come with a warranty period, normally 6 months. To maintain the warranty, the homeowner needs to have met any conditions specified by the pest technician at the time of the treatment. If a pest issue covered by the warranty arises during the warranty period, the normal procedure is for the technician to come back and provide a supplementary pest control treatment to solve the issue (free of charge).
Some pest control companies may also include a “rodent treatment” as part of their service. Such rodent treatments only normally deal with low level / background rodent issues, dealing with a rodent problem will be a more involved exercise with additional charges.
It is important to note that, although the pest technician is “inspecting” your home, they are not specifically looking for termites and it is not a formal termite inspection. You should be very cautious about accepting a free termite check, this is not the same as a comprehensive professional termite inspection (which you should have a least once a year).
After the treatment the pest technician should provide you with a pest treatment advice, which specifies what products have been applied to what locations around your home and whether there are any specific instructions (all pest control companies are required to do this by law).
