Pest Control Service Frequently Asked Questions

It depends case-by-case. Certain pests take longer to deal with than others, and certain homes are larger and more complicated to service than others. Some treatments may only take 30 minutes while others may take up to 8 hours depending on the severity and type of treatment that is needed.

In most cases, you can expect to see a significant and noticeable reduction in pest activity within one to two days. The exact timeframe depends on the pest we’re dealing with along with the choice of materials necessary to provide the best long-term results.

In some cases, you will actually see a slight increase in pest activity right after our initial treatment. This is a good sign! This means the pesticides are working. We have disrupted their normal breeding and feeding habits, and are looking for a new place to live – the only difference now is that pesticide is all over them. They are not going to last long. Give it a week or two to die down, but give us a call if they persist past that time – we may need to give them another round.

If you’re inquiring about pest inspection and/or pest control, chances are you’ve tried to solve the issue yourself. While taking things into your own hands is great in some instances, pest control almost always requires more strategy and attention than you can give it. More often than not, homeowners tend to lack the expertise and time to handle most pest-related situations that are commonly encountered in or around a home or business. If you’d like to nip your pest control problem in the bud right now, call us today at 919-231-3292

There are numerous ways that pests can enter a home. Ants, roaches, and even mice can enter through impossibly tiny cracks and crevices as they search for food and shelter. To lessen the chances of pests intruding into your home, be sure to keep any branches, shrubs, piles of firewood, decorative rocks, and any other aspect of landscaping well-maintained.

For example, if you’ve got a pile of firewood adjacent to your home, be sure to roll around the logs every so often to decrease the chance of pests beginning to form nests in the area, or have them raised off the ground. Properly stacking any piles of firewood would also be beneficial and optimal.

Spiders, ants, and other pests have been known to use trees, shrubs, and parts of gardens as ladders into homes through windows, cracks in brick siding, etc. Before applying any treatment, Stomp Pest Control inspects and pinpoints potential problem areas that may need to be tended to, but it is your job to make sure that these areas get the alteration that they need.

There are several temporary solutions that may work for a short period of time, but in our experience, continued pest control is achieved through going above and beyond normal practices. To learn more, check out the Stomp Pest Extermination and Inspection Difference.

Amateur applications of over-the-counter, basic pest control products are nearly always ineffective, and take multiple time-consuming attempts. Like any chemical, pesticides need to be used with caution. Our certified technicians will ensure that the job is done right, and according to the law.

Stomp Pest Control’s first priority is the safety and happiness of our customers, as well as being as environmentally friendly as possible.  All of our materials are EPA approved and biodegradable and all technicians have been thoroughly trained on industry safety regulations and guidelines. The products we use are the same products that are used on sensitive areas, such as schools and hospitals. We take pride in providing pet-friendly and kid-friendly pest solutions to our clients.

The strongest products on the market last 60-90 days. After that, they biodegrade and become a part of the natural environment; otherwise, they wouldn’t be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The weather also affects the efficacy of our treatments – but not as much as you’d think. Next time it rains, look at the base of your home; chances are, it’s still dry.  This means the barrier spray is still going strong.  And for our yard treatment, the granules we use are water activated, so the rain is actually beneficial.

But, at times, the products do wear off before we come out next, so this is where a free re-service will come in handy.

YES! A preventative plan is the only plan that works for bugs.  They are going to return one way or another. It will be up to you to decide whether you want your home protected when they do come.  If there is not pesticide preventing them from coming inside, what is stopping them from getting inside your home?

Offering coverage again numerous pests native to Cary, Raleigh, and surrounding areas, be sure to ask us any questions related to maintaining a pest-free home for years to come. We love answering questions and will help any way we’re able to.

At Stomp Pest Control, we have very high standards for our employees. Each of our employees has gone through an in-depth and thorough interview process. We have found that hiring the right professionals takes time, patience, and effort. Along with extensive vetting of potential employees, we also require background checks and industry certifications, such as the P phase certification.

All technicians go through on-the-job training with a highly experienced trainer for the first few weeks. Within the first 75 days, we send them to a registered technician school offered by the state of North Carolina.
Our employees are constantly learning and increasing their professional standards, resulting in a solid and uplifting team dynamic. Once hired, our employees are required to go through regular training and testing as an ongoing process throughout their employment.

Our goal is to ensure that we are always communicating with our customers as effectively as possible. In order to achieve this level of satisfying and transparent customer service, each of our technicians are assigned a regular route. They will be familiar with the houses and customers they service, resulting in not only interpersonal relationships but also the ability to understand the specific needs of each individual customer.

Each of our customers will receive a courtesy message the working day before each regular service. Lastly, we put specific service notes on each customer’s account, enabling us to perform the service according to the customer’s specific requests and needs.

We are constantly learning about innovative products and methods that can make our services even better.

Our well-versed and experienced team is likely in your area more often than you would think. Really stressing the importance of transparent dynamics between customers and employees, we are easily reached and would happily provide you with a time frame as far as when we could come by for our initial inspection and evaluation.

Our customers have often mentioned how much they appreciated our hassle-free, one-call scheduling and emergency, same-day service. Please keep in mind, we are only a quick phone call away.

First off, it’s important to have a clutter-free and clean home. Be sure to check any areas that could be used as a hideout for ants, mosquitos, cockroaches, spiders, wasps and bees, and mice and rats.

Your home’s countertops should be free of dishes, food, and any appliances where pests can hide. Cover any open food and store it in a safe place. If you have children, ensure their crib/mattress and toys are protected and stored in a safe place as well. Please keep in mind, children tend to put objects in their mouths, often without the parent(s) knowing.

Mopping and scrubbing any tile or hardwood surfaces never hurts, and can help rid of any pest eggs. Same goes for vacuuming; get rid of any pest eggs before your home is serviced to avoid unexpected and additional services after the fact!

Something that’s often not thought of: cleaning under and around any movable appliances, such as microwaves, freezers, refrigerators, storage units, etc. Appliances such as those are known to be a comfortable vacation area for pests. Another tip is to be sure to empty and clean around your indoor garbage can regularly and before service so it doesn’t become a pest hideout.

If you have found proof of intruding pests such as feces, damaged property, or exoskeletons, be sure to fill in your pest exterminator to ensure the area(s) is appropriately examined and evaluated. Be on the lookout for any water leaks or moist areas of your home, as pests have been known to flock to those areas relentlessly.
Because all scenarios differ, there may be additional ways to prepare your home for pest control services. That is why it’s important to communicate as effectively as possible with during your free pest inspection.

Usually, it’s safe to clean your home after pest control treatment about 3-5 days after the treatment took place. If part of your treatment included leaving bait around your home, you should be able to clean around them as long as you stay away from the bait.

It’s always a good idea to clean before the exterminator arrives, this way you won’t have to wait too long between cleaning your home.

Shampooing your carpet before the treatment will definitely maximize your treatment. At times, carpets can act as nests for pests’ eggs. Anything that could act as a nest for pest eggs needs to be dealt with as well as possible to receive optimal results from your pest control service.

Your technician will happily advise you if you, your family, or your pet need to leave the home. Oftentimes, treated surfaces need time to dry. This can be a problem if you’ve got a 2-year-old touching everything in sight and putting anything possible into their mouths.
By advising your technicians of any sensitive people, pets, fish ponds, or even organic gardens that require extra care and attention, you’re avoiding potential issues after your home is serviced.

A lot of customers assume that pest products will be washed away during the rain. So, it’s common for pest control companies to receive calls requesting to reschedule their services due to not-so-ideal weather conditions. Contrary to popular belief, pest control treatments are rarely affected by rain or snow. Rain and light snow can actually optimize pest control services, as pests are typically drawn out of the ground.

Along with that, rain and light snow have been known to benefit pest control services. This is because some products (formulated granular pellets) are placed on a property needing water to be activated by water. These pellets seep deeply into your soil, preventing crickets, earwigs, ants, and other unwelcomed pests from intruding into your home. If you live in an area that regularly experiences abnormally harsh weather conditions, be sure to explain those conditions to your pest control professional.

When dealing with indoor pest control services, keep in mind that window areas, door frames, and crevasses are typically key points of focus. Because those areas generally remain dry, wet weather conditions are rarely pest control factors.

As previously stated, all pest control services projects differ case-by-case. That said, we cannot guarantee which product will be used for your service. We can, however, list a handful of the most commonly-used pest control products. These products include but are not limited to;

Permethrin and Pyrethroids: Botanical insecticides derived from Australian and African chrysanthemum flower species. These insecticides work to paralyze and kill a robust range of insects, are some of the safest alternatives to humans and mammals, but are extremely toxic to aquatic organisms. If you have outdoor fish ponds or bodies of water, be sure to protect those areas from permethrin and pyrethroids, as they can really be damaging.

Piperonyl Butoxide and MGK-264: Popular chemicals that are commonly added to other insecticide agents, such as permethrin and pyrethroids. These additives do not act alone as pesticides but are used to optimize the effectiveness of other chemicals by restricting insect metabolism. Classified as a potential carcinogen, consuming Piperonyl Butoxide has been known to cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Hydramethylnon: Commonly used to bait termites, crickets, and ants, this insecticide is a subtle killer that has been known to kick in gradually over 3-5 days. Focusing on the long-term results, this product is popular in instances where large nests need to be dealt with. Posing little to no harm to humans, there have been cases where eye irritation has been a side effect of coming into contact with this product.

Fipronil and Boric Acid: A white powder typically used to control ants, cockroaches, beetles, and other pests. It is derived from naturally occurring boron, posing with little-to-no risk to humans when handled appropriately.

By following the recommendations on the product label or each product, you should be able to gather an understanding of how long you should stay out of your house after it’s been serviced for pests. Although not needed for most services, A 2-4 hour window is generally considered best practice for some. Be sure to ask how long the products used will take to dry, and begin calculating the start-to-finish timeframe of vacancy if needed.

Yes, pest control is crucial in the winter, especially in Raleigh and surrounding areas of Central North Carolina. Believe it or not, winter pests are surprisingly worse than summer pests. Although most flying insects are gone, this doesn’t mean that the threat of all pests is gone. The warmth of your home is particularly inviting to rodents and insects during the harsh temperatures of winter. This means they do whatever it takes to get inside. That is why it is important to do pest control during the winter. Not only can they be annoying, but also harmful to your health. Rodents can carry diseases, such as Salmonella and Hantavirus, spider bites can result in dangerous side effects, and cockroaches can prompt asthma and other allergies.

There are some ways to prevent winter pests from invading your home. However, individuals are usually unable to secure the entirety of their home. Winter pests will always find a point of entry. So, professional pest control services are ideal to ensure that all necessary prevention techniques are thoroughly and properly completed.

However, some steps you can take on your own include:

Seal all cracks and holes on the outside of your home. Mice can squeeze through a dime-size hole, so make sure they are thoroughly sealed
Keep firewood at least 20 feet from your home, as rodents and ants love to hide in these piles
Secure the mortar and weather stripping around your windows and foundation
Install screen vents to your chimney
Eliminate moisture from all attics, basements, and crawl spaces
Dry out all moisture sites, especially in your bathroom. Ensure the absence of leaking pipes and clogged drains, or any other potentially wet area. Such conditions are attractive to cockroaches.
Keep your home clean and ensure its doors and windows are kept in proper working condition! Most pests love to hide in clutter and have been known to intrude through damaged doors and window seals.