Commercial pest control companies

About commercial pest control

A cockroach in a dining room or droppings in a stockroom can cost a business customers and inventory. Commercial pest control is built around regular service, written records and visits that fit around your hours. This guide covers the signs to watch for and how to choose a company for a restaurant, office, warehouse or rental property.

Signs your business needs pest service

• Droppings or gnaw marks on packaging in storage rooms, warehouses or behind equipment.
• Cockroaches in kitchens, break rooms or restrooms.
• Flies around drains, dumpsters or loading docks.
• Damaged stock or insects in stored food or goods.
• Complaints from customers, staff or tenants.
• No recent service records on hand if an inspector or client asks.

Habits that help keep pests out of a business

• Clean under and behind equipment, shelving and appliances on a schedule.
• Store food and ingredients in sealed containers, off the floor.
• Keep the dumpster area clean, keep lids closed and place dumpsters away from doors where you can.
• Keep dock and back doors closed when not in use, and fit them with door sweeps.
• Check deliveries for pests before you put stock away.
• Give staff or tenants a simple way to report sightings, and write down when and where.
• In rental properties, respond to pest reports quickly and check units at turnover.

What a commercial service plan usually involves

A technician inspects the whole site, inside and out. That includes storage areas, kitchens, docks and dumpster areas, and for rental properties, units and common areas. The company should then give you a written plan that names the problem areas, what it will do and how often it will visit.

Service runs on a set schedule. A busy kitchen usually needs more frequent visits than an office. Many companies place monitoring devices around the site and check them at each visit. Most will schedule service before you open, after you close or on weekends.

Each visit should end with a written service report. It lists what the technician found, what they did and what they recommend. Keep these reports together, because health inspectors may ask for service records.

Price depends on the size of the site, the number of buildings or units, the type of business, how often the company visits, which pests the plan covers, after-hours scheduling and how fast it responds to calls between visits.

Questions to ask a commercial pest control company

1. Are you licensed for commercial work in this state?
2. Have you worked with businesses like mine?
3. Will you inspect the full site before giving a price?
4. Will I get a written report after every visit, and can I get past records on request?
5. Can you service before opening, after closing or on weekends?
6. How fast will you respond if we see pests between visits?
7. What do we need to do before each visit, such as clearing areas or telling staff and tenants?
8. How long is the contract, and is there a guarantee if pests come back?

Compare the commercial pest control companies listed above and read their reviews.