10 best pest control companies in Severn, Maryland

Pests commonly found in Severn are rats, mice and snakes. DIY prevention techniques may improve your pest problem, but you may need to hire a pest control company for an existing infestation. A professional pest control service in Severn can diagnose, treat and solve your pest problems.

Letting a pest problem go unaddressed can introduce a variety of risks to you, your family and your pets. Insects and small animals can cause long-term property damage, contaminate foods and spread disease.

Hiring a professional pest control company can reduce these risks. These specialists identify infestation hot spots and create personalized treatment plans that may include sealing gaps, using traps or spraying chemicals. With the right solution in place, your pest problem can be solved for the long term.

Find the best local pest control company for you in Severn

Look for pest control companies in Severn with at least 3.5 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews and a good rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB). Use the filters below to help you find the right company for your needs.

What are common pests in Severn?

Different pests infest different regions. Here are some signs of common pests in the Severn area.

• Snakes: Snakes become more active when the weather is warm, nesting in rock piles, debris, wood and overgrown grass. Snake skins and snake eggs indicate an infestation. If you think you might have a snake, sprinkle flour in the suspected areas. If you see trails in the flour, reach out to a pest control service immediately.
• Mosquitos: Standing water draws mosquitoes, so you’re at a higher risk of an infestation if you live in a humid climate or have bodies of water nearby. Mosquitoes are active at night — as the sun goes down, they emit a distinctive buzzing noise and bite. You may not notice a bite until a few hours later, at which point the area around the bite turns into a bump and becomes itchy. Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as dengue fever, West Nile and malaria.
• Rats: Signs of a rat problem include seeing a rat, finding droppings about half an inch long or hearing skittering in your walls or ceiling. Rats also create entry points for themselves by gnawing through walls, doors and food packaging.
• Mice: Mice that have gotten into your house might dart past you unexpectedly or leave rice grain-sized droppings. Mice characteristically give off a musky smell and damage household items by chewing through them. They build nests from found materials and shredded fiber. As mice prefer tight spaces, you may hear rustling inside your walls or ceiling.
• Flies: Flies often buzz around homes in the summer, but more flies than normal could mean an infestation. Fly droppings look like black specks and are often found in around high shelves, trash and sink drains. Another sign of an infestation is seeing maggots, which are fly larvae, in waste.

How can you prevent pests in your Severn home?

While an infestation will probably require professional extermination, the best way to avoid infestations is to take preventative steps.

Schedule regular preventative pest control

Bugs and small animals are troublesome and can cause extensive damage to your home and health if left unchecked. Consult with a pest control company about taking proactive measures to keep pests from invading your home. They may recommend sealing small entry points, setting traps or spraying the area with pesticides.

Cover, seal or eliminate food sources

As pests are typically looking for food, making food difficult to access will keep them from infesting your home. Food should be a minimum of half a foot off the floor and a modest distance away from the walls. Make sure to keep counters, food storage areas and sinks clean and sanitized when not in use, and dispose of food scraps and other trash regularly. Maintain the areas around your trash cans and dumpsters.

Keep up with yard maintenance

Insects and small animals can hide in leaves, tall grass, trash and standing water. Keeping your yard clear of debris and your lawn and foliage well-maintained is one of the most straightforward ways to stop an infestation before it starts. If professional lawn maintenance is needed, find out if national lawn care services such as TruGreen cover your region.

Seal off pest entrances

Closing off small openings will prevent insects and small animals from making their way indoors. Rats, for instance, can fit through openings as little as a half-inch wide. Be sure to address openings in your roof or siding and fix damaged window frames. Some pest control companies focus specifically on pest prevention and can help you with this task.

What are questions to ask your pest control provider?

Ask the following questions to make sure you hire a pest control company that can handle your specific needs.

Are your technicians properly licensed and insured?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees the use of pest control chemicals under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Furthermore, the EPA mandates that restricted-use pesticide applicators and their supervisors have certification in line with the agency's regulations as well as state, territorial and tribal legislation.

Maryland requires pest control professionals to get a Pesticide Applicator License from the Maryland Department of Agriculture in order to provide services.

What treatment schedule do you recommend?

The treatment plan a pest professional recommends will vary based on the location of the property, the severity of the infestation, the particular pest type and the specific treatment method. In most cases, pest control services advise against relying on a one-time treatment to get rid of household pests, as there will likely be insects at different stages of their life cycles that may have laid eggs in hidden spots.

Pest specialists often suggest recurring treatments, some of which may be limited to the warmer months, while others last across all seasons. As a proactive measure, they might also recommend preventive treatments every two or three months to stop infestations from developing.

How long will it take to get rid of pests?

How long it will take for your pest issue to disappear depends on the type and severity of the infestation and the insect's life cycle. When the pest control professional applies the first treatment, you may see a decline in activity, but pests can return after they hatch, requiring more treatments. You may also see increased activity after the first treatment, as it can force pests out of hiding places. Luckily, this should decrease within a few days.

Can I remain in my home during pest control treatments?

You can stay in your home during certain portions of the pest control process, such as when holes and cracks are being sealed. However, if your service technician applies a pesticide, it might take several hours to dry, and you'll need to leave the house during this period.

Certain treatments can be especially time-consuming like termite fumigation. The pest control provider erects a tent around your home, which is left in place for three days to release the pesticide. During this period, you'll need to find another place to stay.

Are your treatments safe for my family and pets?

An experienced pest control professional can gauge the right amount of a product to use, the time needed for it to dry and when children and pets can safely return to the treated location. Before beginning any treatment, your service provider should inform you about what should be removed from the area, including food, animals and plants.

Do you offer any “green” pest control methods?

Some pest control providers offer green solutions for treating an infestation. These companies employ methods that have a smaller environmental impact compared to conventional methods. Examples include sealing entry points where pests can enter, setting humane traps for rodents or using pesticides made from natural sources.

What do I do if pests come back?

Most pest control companies provide guarantees and warranties in the event that pests reappear before a specific date. To resolve a returning pest issue, specialists may offer a one-time treatment or continued treatments. Consult with your service provider to learn about the treatments they offer.

Our methodology for selecting pest control companies

The Homefront Local team employs a proprietary scoring algorithm that evaluates companies based on key factors you value, such as average customer review ratings and trustworthiness indicators. Our method for determining trust involves a comparative analysis of the number of reviews a company receives compared to its local competitors. This leads to companies that have earned more trust from your local community being awarded a higher score. We review national pest control companies against our full pest control methodology. We score pest control companies based on service options, safety and certifications, service guarantees and customer service.