People all over the world have problems with insects, rodents, and birds. People around the United States spend about $6.5 billion every year to have pest removal services companies rid their homes of bed bugs, roaches, termites, rats, squirrels, and crows. There are more than 18,000 pest control services companies around the nation helping homeowners. If you have seen pests in your home or have found evidence of them, it can be really tempting to hire the first exterminator you find. That is a mistake. If you want to hire one, these tips can help you hire the right one.

1. Look around your home town. You can start with a Google search for exterminators near you. You can narrow your search parameters to your town or neighbors. When you are looking online, you can also get reviews on Yelp! or Angie’s List. This is a great way to hone in on the exterminators you want to talk to.
2. Talk to people you know. If you have pests in your home, the chances are good that the people who live around you do as well. Not everyone likes to admit they have pests, so you should talk to the people you know well. It is great to hire companies or get services for just about everything this way.
3. Get to know the pests in your home. Every pest is different, but all are in your home to be warm, get food, and find access to water. Find what pests you have in your home. This can make it easier for you to help the pest exterminator find and get rid of the pests in your home. Knowing what pests you are dealing with can also help you hire the right people. If you have mice, you do not need to talk to bed bug exterminators.
4. Ask the company about their experience. It can be really hard to get rid of pests and keep them from coming back. Termites are notorious for being hard to kill. You need to find out how much experience they have both in pest control but also in dealing with the exact pest you have to deal with. You want a company who has a lot of experience.
5. Check with the Better Business Bureau. That is something you can do whenever you need to hire someone to work on or around your home.
6. Make sure the exterminator you hire has the right amount of insurance and the correct license. This is a real “trust but verify.” It is really important that they have the right amount of insurance. When people work on or around your home, if something goes wrong, you may be held liable. Also, licenses can be forged so you should check with the government to make sure your exterminator has the license you need.

It can be upsetting to find there are insects, birds or animals living in your attic but a good exterminator can save you a lot of stress and money in the long run.