How to Stay Safe When Using Home Pest Control Products?

When you can handle it yourself

• The pest problem is limited to one or two rooms with no sign of spreading
• You can identify the pest and know the correct treatment for it
• No elderly family members, infants, or pregnant women are at risk of exposure
• You've already tried environmental cleanup and physical controls with some success

When to call a licensed pest control professional

• The infestation is widespread, stretching across multiple rooms or the entire house
• The pest poses a significant health risk: termites (can cause catastrophic structural damage), severe bed bug infestations, rats, snakes, wasps, fire ants
• You've applied treatment more than three times and the problem persists
• A family member has had a severe allergic reaction to bug bites
• You can't identify the pest, or the treatment requires special credentials and equipment

As a general rule, call a professional for these pests: termites (a systemic building-wide problem), severe bed bug infestations (extremely hard to fully eradicate in a home setting), rats (requires professional trapping and exclusion plans), wasps (removing a nest puts you at risk of stings), fire ants (their venom can trigger severe allergic reactions).

When choosing a professional, verify their license and credentials, ask about their treatment plan and the products they use, and check online reviews and service guarantees.