Pest Control FAQ for Sacramento Homes

Question 1

How much does pest control cost in Sacramento?

Accepted Answer

Pest control is $39 a month on the quarterly plan, $49 a month bi-monthly, or $79 a month monthly, all on a 12-month agreement, plus a $150 initial cost. Rodent exclusion is quoted separately, starting at $500, because the price depends on how much of the house is open. We give you the number before any work starts.

Question 2

How do pest control contracts work?

Accepted Answer

Ours run for 12 months and are billed monthly, and the $150 initial cost is the first service, the visit that starts the plan. The monthly rate depends on how often a technician comes out. Each plan sheet lists the pests it covers and the same exclusions: German cockroaches, termites, roof rat infestations, major flea or bedbug infestations.

Question 3

How often should a house be treated for pest control?

Accepted Answer

On our plans it is every three months, every two months or every month. The quarterly plan includes a seasonal barrier inspection every 90 days, and the bi-monthly plan is the one marked most popular. The monthly plan adds garden pests and a monthly report from the technician.

Question 4

How much does mice exclusion cost?

Accepted Answer

Rodent exclusion, for rats and mice, is quoted after an inspection, starting at $500. Our range for exclusion work is $500 to $20,000. The price depends on how much of the house is open, so we price it at the house rather than over the phone.

Question 5

Should I clean my house before an exterminator comes?

Accepted Answer

For ants and cockroaches, UC IPM's advice is to clear food crumbs and sweet spills around sinks and pantries. Baits work better when nothing else is on offer. When you book, tell the office about pets, fish tanks or anyone in the house with sensitivities.

Question 6

Do exterminators have to come inside your house?

Accepted Answer

Not on every visit. Every visit covers the outside, and inside work happens where there is an active problem.

Question 7

How long from my call to the first treatment, and how long does a visit take?

Accepted Answer

From a call to the first treatment is about 2 hours. A visit is typically 30 minutes to an hour.

Question 8

Can I sleep in my house after pest control?

Accepted Answer

For most exterior and general interior work you do not need to leave. If a treatment needs a room clear for a short while, the technician will say so before starting and tell you how long to wait before going back in.

Question 9

Which pest control is safe for pets?

Accepted Answer

We use products chosen to be low risk around children and pets, and the technician will tell you what to keep clear of while a treatment dries. Tell us about pets, fish tanks or anyone in the house with sensitivities when you book, and we will adjust where and how we treat.

Question 10

How long after pest control is it safe for pets?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what was applied and where. The technician tells you before leaving which areas to keep pets off, and for how long.

Question 11

What does a rodent inspection consist of?

Accepted Answer

A technician checks the attic, crawlspace, roofline, vents and garage for droppings, chew marks and open entry points. Then they go through what they found with you.

Question 12

How much does it cost for pest control to get rid of rats?

Accepted Answer

Rats and mice are named on all three plan sheets, so ongoing rodent work runs under a plan from $39 a month plus a $150 initial cost. Roof rat infestations are on the exclusions line, so those start with a rodent inspection. Sealing the entry points is quoted separately from $500.

Question 13

What time of year is worst for rats?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM’s Pest Notes: Rats says rats are active throughout the year and mostly at night. Its house mouse note adds that mice living outdoors often move indoors in autumn as nights get colder.

Question 14

Will rats go away on their own?

Accepted Answer

Not on their own. Once rats are in the garden or landscaping, UC IPM says they will turn up indoors sooner or later unless the house is truly rodent proof. It adds that control takes less time and effort while numbers are low.

Question 15

What gets rid of rats quickly?

Accepted Answer

Usually not quickly. UC IPM says rats often avoid new traps and baits for the first several days, sometimes weeks. It calls snap traps the safest and most effective way to trap rats, and sealing the openings the longest-lasting fix, which is what rodent exclusion does.

Question 16

Will killing ants eventually stop them from coming?

Accepted Answer

Not on its own. UC IPM says most ants live outdoors and that spraying them indoors will not stop more from coming in. It recommends baits, which workers carry back to the nest, along with sealing the gaps they use.

Question 17

Why do I suddenly have flying ants?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM says winged ants leave the nest in large numbers in warm weather to mate and start new colonies. They are often mistaken for winged termites; ants have elbowed antennae and termites do not. Termite work is something we do not do.

Question 18

Are there cockroaches in Sacramento?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and roaches are named on our plan sheets. UC IPM's Pest Notes name five pest cockroaches in California: German, brownbanded, oriental, American and Turkestan. Most come out at night and hide by day in warm, dark, damp spots such as cracks, water meter boxes and crawl spaces.

Question 19

What is the hardest pest to get rid of?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM's Pest Notes call the German cockroach the most persistent and troublesome cockroach. It lives and breeds indoors, and one female and her offspring can produce over 30,000 in a year. It is on the exclusions line of all three of our plans, so call the office first and say what you are seeing.

Question 20

What kills roaches immediately?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM says baits give better control than sprays and that it can take 7 days or longer to see fewer cockroaches, so expect a week or more. It also says pesticides alone will not solve a cockroach problem without cleaning up and sealing gaps. On the bi-monthly plan, callbacks between visits are free.

Question 21

How do I permanently get rid of spiders in my house?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM's advice is to remove webs and the hiding places spiders use, and to vacuum up spiders and their webs indoors. It says pesticides are not generally needed. On a visit we clear existing webs from eaves and entryways as well as treating them.

Question 22

Are there any poisonous spiders in Sacramento?

Accepted Answer

The one UC IPM names for California is the black widow. The adult female is shiny black with a red hourglass underneath, and it hides in dry, undisturbed places such as woodpiles and garages. UC IPM says anyone bitten should stay calm and get medical advice.

Question 23

Is there a brown recluse spider in Sacramento?

Accepted Answer

No. UC IPM says the brown recluse does not live in California. It is occasionally brought in with furniture, firewood or vehicles, but there are no breeding populations in the state.

Question 24

How much does it cost to have an exterminator get rid of spiders?

Accepted Answer

Spiders are named on all three plan sheets, so spider control runs under a plan. It is $39 a month quarterly, $49 bi-monthly or $79 monthly, plus a $150 initial cost.

Question 25

What month do mosquitoes go away in California?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM does not give one month. It says West Nile virus outbreaks usually start in summer and continue into autumn. In summer a mosquito can go from egg to adult in a week or less, so standing water matters most from summer into autumn.

Question 26

Why are there so many mosquitoes in Sacramento right now?

Accepted Answer

Usually standing water close by. UC IPM says larvae grow in any standing water, even a bottle cap's worth, and its advice is to empty or change water in pet dishes, saucers and blocked gutters every week. The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District also offers residents a free home inspection.

Question 27

What is the average cost of mosquito control?

Accepted Answer

With us, a mosquito barrier is included on the quarterly plan at $39 a month. The bi-monthly plan at $49 a month adds active mosquito barrier reduction treatments. Each has a $150 initial cost and a 12-month agreement.

Question 28

Where can I get wasp nests removed in Sacramento?

Accepted Answer

We take down wasp and hornet nests across Sacramento, West Sacramento, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Natomas, Roseville, Rocklin and Carmichael. UC IPM also suggests asking your Mosquito and Vector Control District whether it treats nests.

Question 29

How much does wasp removal usually cost?

Accepted Answer

Wasps are named on all three plan sheets, so nest removal is part of a plan from $39 a month plus a $150 initial cost. For a single nest, call the office for the price.

Question 30

What if fleas won’t go away?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM says fleas can keep emerging for up to 2 weeks after a treatment, because the spray does not kill the pupae. Keep vacuuming through that time. For the Central Valley it says outdoor fleas can become very numerous in shaded, protected spots such as sheltered animal enclosures and crawl spaces, and that treating the pet itself normally prevents reinfestation.

Question 31

How much would it cost for pest control to get rid of fleas?

Accepted Answer

A major flea infestation is on the exclusions line of every plan, so the price depends on what is going on. Call the office and describe what you are seeing before you pick a plan. Quotes are free.

Question 32

I found one flea in my bed. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

UC IPM’s steps are to wash pet bedding and throw rugs, vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture, including under the cushions, and treat the pet. It says vacuuming every day or two picks up flea eggs, larvae and adults.

Question 33

How much does commercial pest control cost?

Accepted Answer

It is priced per site after a walk through the building, so the residential plan rates do not apply. Call the office on (916) 818-3863 and describe the site.

Question 34

What pests are common in Sacramento?

Accepted Answer

Our plan sheets name ants, rats, spiders and roaches, and we treat all four in Sacramento. UC IPM says Argentine ant colonies are not separate but link up into one large supercolony with many queens.

Question 35

What pests are common in West Sacramento?

Accepted Answer

In West Sacramento we treat ants and roaches, which our plan sheets name. UC IPM says oriental cockroaches like cooler temperatures than other roaches and often build up in water meter boxes.

Question 36

What pests are common in Elk Grove?

Accepted Answer

We treat ants, spiders, rats and mice in Elk Grove, as our plan sheets list. UC IPM says the stocky Norway rat digs burrows along foundations, under trash piles or in woodpiles.

Question 37

What pests are common in Rancho Cordova?

Accepted Answer

For Rancho Cordova, our plan sheets name ants and spiders, and we treat both there. UC IPM says Argentine ant nests are often shallow, just below the soil surface.

Question 38

What pests are common in Natomas?

Accepted Answer

Mosquitoes, ants and spiders are all on our plan sheets, and we treat them in Natomas. UC IPM says mosquito larvae live in still water, from surface pools to old tires and flowerpot saucers.

Question 39

What pests are common in Roseville?

Accepted Answer

In Roseville we treat ants, spiders, rats and wasps, which our plan sheets name. UC IPM says yellowjackets hunt other insects and also scavenge on people's food and garbage.

Question 40

What pests are common in Rocklin?

Accepted Answer

Our plan sheets name mosquitoes, ants, spiders and wasps, and we treat them in Rocklin. UC IPM says tree holes can hold mosquito larvae, and that open tree holes can be filled with sand or mortar.

Question 41

What pests are common in Carmichael?

Accepted Answer

Roof rat infestations are on the exclusions line of our plans, so in Carmichael they start with a rodent inspection. UC IPM says the roof rat is smaller and sleeker than the Norway rat, with a tail longer than its head and body.

Question 42

Can I sleep in my bed after fumigation?

Accepted Answer

We do not do fumigation, so the company doing it should tell you when it is safe to go back in. We also do not do termite work, bird control or wildlife removal.