No matter how hard we try to keep our homes safe, clean, and secure, it happens to everyone from time to time: pests show up. Maybe you encounter a cockroach on the way to your midnight snack, or fruit flies begin buzzing out of your drain. Maybe a line of ants is suddenly marching across your wall. It could be something worse, like mouse droppings in your attic or signs of- shudder- bed bugs. When the inevitable happens and you discover that you have unwanted, creepy crawly houseguests, what do you do? Can you manage the problem yourself? Or is it time to enlist exterminator services to thoroughly rid your home of these intruders?

The answer really depends on your situation. Take bed bugs, for example. These clingy little insects can easily infest your home by riding in with visitors or used furniture, jumping on your suitcase in a hotel, or hopping onto your clothing when you’re riding public transportation. You could use DIY folk remedies like rubbing alcohol or essential oils, but to effectively rid your home of bed bugs you’d have to apply the products to each bug individually. Is that something you think you could realistically accomplish? Especially because bed bugs are so good at hiding, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to find them all. In the meantime, leaving even one pair of bed bugs alive is enough to create a new infestation in just a few months. Even if you try getting rid of bed bugs using commercial products, they’re likely to be ineffective. That’s because you’d need to know exactly where the bed bugs are hiding, and you’d have to use a product to which they haven’t built up a resistance. What’s more, while you’re trying different products to find the right one, you’re likely to expose your family and pets to harmful chemicals. When you call in a professional bed bug exterminator, you’re enlisting the services of someone well-versed in bed bug behavior and biology, as well as the best methods to eliminate them. Exterminators have a wide range of strategies at their disposal, including heat treatment, insecticides, and more. That’s why you should always hire an exterminator if you have a bed bug problem.

With some pests, you may have a little more leeway. If you’ve occasionally got ants eating crumbs on your counter, it may be sufficient to keep the window closed and clean up your crumbs, without having to hire an ant exterminator. Even a cockroach sighting from time to time may not be enough to warrant a call to the professionals. You may be able to spray for roaches or set out some roach baits and be done with the problem. On the other hand, if you see another one after you’ve already made an attempt to control the problem, it may be worth considering that for every one roach you see, there are likely 100 of its compatriots inside your walls. That thought alone may send you running to the phone to call a roach exterminator.

So why are people often reluctant to hire an exterminator? It sometimes comes down to money. Homeownership comes with many expenses, and people tend to look for places where they can save a little bit by doing things themselves. The truth is, though, that hiring a professional exterminator is often more cost-effective than buying products to do it on your own. Further, the products you buy may not be as effective as those used by the professionals. Trial and error may end up costing you more than if you’d just paid for the service.
There’s also the cost of your time to consider. Most people are simply too busy to keep up with DIY pest control and may find that the efforts they do make fall short because they didn’t have the time to do a thorough job.

There’s also the issue of pests returning. For example, when you’re dealing with a problem like termites or mice, exterminator services generally include an initial eradication of the pests, along with an ongoing exclusion service. This means that the exterminator will thoroughly inspect your home and determine the weaknesses that are allowing the pests in, then take proactive measures to protect your home going forward. Without these kinds of services, your home may be vulnerable to infestation that can be extremely damaging and costly. Ultimately, effective protection of your home and family is the main reason you should hire an exterminator.

Whether you’re looking for a cockroach exterminator, a mouse exterminator, or any other kind of help ridding your home of unwanted creatures, call All Star Pest Management. The exterminator Baltimore area residents have trusted for more than a decade, we’re a family-owned and operated business providing customized solutions to deal with any pest problem you’re facing. The team at All Star Pest Management respects the home of every client, and they’ll treat your infestation conveniently and effectively while treating your home or business as if it were their own. To make an appointment, call 410-772-0204 in Catonsville or 410-730-6304 in Columbia or request a free estimate through our website.