Many insects play an important role in our ecosystem that helps sustain life on our planet. Unfortunately, they can also pose a threat to our health, property, and way of life – not to mention, they can just be downright creepy! Most people don’t think about pests until they have a problem. At Bill’s, we always have pests on our minds and are dedicated to safely protecting you and your home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
To ensure effective control throughout the year, our highly trained and state licensed technician will:
- Complete a thorough inspection of your residence and property to determine the level and primary areas of pest activity.
- Discuss their findings with you and establish a personalized service plan to make sure your service fits your specific needs, including the use of non-chemical solutions whenever possible.
- Always be the same technician to perform your service, so they are aware of your needs and service requirements.
- Guarantee the service! Our job is to control your pests; we’re not happy until you’re happy.
We offer two different residential pest control service programs that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of our customers:
Reliable Pest Control Needs an Outside/Inside Approach
Tucson residential pest control takes place both outside and inside the home. While pest infestations begin outdoors, prevention and pest removal must occur at every layer to ensure no pests can hide or quickly come back.
At the start of every year, we recommend providing your home with an indoor-outdoor pest prevention treatment that creates a barrier to keep pests from entering your home. Throughout the rest of the year, occasional outdoor treatments help ensure that outdoor pests are kept at bay. With regular maintenance of the barrier, interior treatments can be less frequent. Let us take care of your yearly barrier treatment first so that you have peace of mind knowing that your home is safe from potential pests for a whole year after professional and safe indoor-outdoor pest treatment.
Pest Control Solutions
We know that the safety of your home is paramount, which is why our team uses safe pest control solutions. Our professional pest control products are scientifically designed to target common household pests while being safe around people and pets. Our whole-home approach to residential pest control can be seen best with our household pest programs.
We offer two different residential pest control service programs that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of our customers:
Household Pest Program
Backed by the Bill’s Home Service guarantee, the Household Pest program is the ideal program to control the most common desert pests Southern Arizona homeowners face throughout the year. Developed by more than 50 years of experience protecting local homeowners from unwanted invaders, this program guarantees control of ants, beetles, centipedes, cockroaches, crickets, scorpions, spiders, and other common household pests.
Pest Plus Program
The Pest Plus program is the perfect program for homeowners looking to have all their pest concerns covered under one simple plan. The Bill’s Home Service guarantee will provide extra levels of protection for all the pests included in the Household Pest program as well as occasional invaders, including Africanized honeybees, fleas & ticks, German cockroaches, rodents and wasps. In some cases, pre-existing infestations will be treated and charged at the regular rates prior to coverage starting under the Pest Plus program.
Request a FREE quote for your residential pest control needs today!
Rodents in or around your home can not only cause physical damage to structures, but they can also spread disease. If you’re worried that you may have a mouse or rat infestation in or around your residential structure, there are rodent control measures that we can help with to eliminate the problem and keep rodents away for good.
Bill’s Home Service Company has been locally owned and operated since 1964 and is one of the largest local providers of rodent control services in Southern Arizona. Learn more about how Bill’s Home Service can help if your home has a rodent infestation.
How to Spot a Rat Infestation
Pack rats, field mice, and house mice usually congregate where there are food and water sources. If the food and water sources are located in shelter from harsh weather conditions, that’s even better. However, you may never see them because they’re nocturnal, hate bright lights, and are usually active from dusk to dawn. Seeing one of these rodents during the day can indicate a large infestation in your home.
You may not be able to see the rodents themselves, but they do present themselves in other ways. Signs that there may be a rodent problem can include:
- Rodent droppings around food packages that are located in drawers, cupboards, or under a sink
- Gnawed holes in food packaging, stored food, piled papers, or insulation
- Piles of shredded paper, insulation, fabric, or other soft materials could indicate a nest
- Chewed holes in walls and floors that the rodents use as entry points
- Scratching sounds coming from within the walls, ceiling, or floor
When you see any of these signs, contacting a mouse and rat exterminator is important to start immediate rodent control to prevent the spread of disease and avoid further damage to structures.
Dangers of a Rodent & Rat Infestation
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that not only can diseases be spread through rodent bite wounds, but diseases can also be spread by touching areas or eating food contaminated with rodent feces, urine, or saliva. In addition, even breathing air contaminated with rodent waste can cause illness and disease.
The most common diseases that are spread by rodents are Hantavirus, an infectious respiratory disease, and Salmonella, a bacterial infection that infects the urine, blood, bones, joints, and nervous system. In addition, the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) says that researchers have conducted studies on the link between exposure to rodents and increased asthma symptoms. Studies and research have found that exposure to rodents can trigger asthma attacks. In addition, pack rat nests are ideal breeding grounds for kissing bugs which are known carriers of the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Some people also can have severe allergic reactions to kissing bug bites.
Bill’s does not provide medical information or medical advice. Please see your medical provider for any questions about rodent-related illnesses.
Pack Rats
Pack rats, also known as wood rats, are one of the biggest rodent concerns in Southern Arizona. Pack rats are about 6 – 8 inches long and are typically gray to grayish-brown with lighter-colored feet and undersides. Their ears are large and hairy, as are their tails which are about the same length as their head and body.
Pack Rats get their name from their tendency to collect small objects, especially shiny ones, to bring back to their nests. The nests are built of cacti and sticks and are usually located in sheltered areas such as rock clusters, the base of trees and shrubs, and around the root systems of cacti. They also build their nests in suitable areas that we provide for them, such as cars, BBQ grills, sheds, and even in attics and wall voids; anything providing shelter that is left undisturbed for a long period of time.
Bill’s can create a specific rodent control plan based on your needs to eliminate rodent problems, including trapping, ongoing baiting service, and exclusion services.
House Mice
House mice are one of the most common commensal rodents in the U.S. They are smaller than pack rats measuring about 2.5 to 3.75 inches long. They are dusty gray with cream colored bellies, pointed noses, and large ears.
House mice prefer to nest in dark, secluded places and often use paper products, cotton and fabrics, and even wall insulation as nesting material. They normally try to build their nests close to food and water sources like kitchens and pantries.
Our Rodent Removal Process
Professional control for rodent infestations should be sought as soon as an infestation is discovered. Two pack rats can become as many as 72 rats in less than a month based on their reproductive cycle. Mice can reproduce even faster. The licensed technicians at Bill’s have the training and tools to immediately develop a treatment plan based on the type and size of an infestation to effectively gain control of the infestation. As with any treatment we perform, our rodent services are developed with the safety of people and other animals in mind. We only use traps and bait stations that can be securely anchored in the treatment area and cannot be accessed by people, pets, or other animals. We also look for possible entry points and will provide information on ways to make your home or business less appealing to rodents in the future.
Bill’s Home Service: Your Solution for a Rodent-Free Home
Rodent or rat infestations in homes in Tucson and surrounding areas are not unusual. If you discover a rodent infestation, you must start rodent control immediately to keep the people around you safe from disease. Bill’s Home Service Company can help, so schedule a pest evaluation with us today!
Helpful Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Pests
Exposure to pests can be a health risk in addition to fright or annoyance in your daily routine. Fortunately, you can reduce your home’s risk of developing a pest problem with just a few basic precautions. Home pest control starts with simple home maintenance.
Take Control of Household Moisture
Pests often migrate into a home seeking moisture. Leaky pipes, dripping sinks, over-watering your landscaping, and other moisture problems can draw pests. Taking control of your household moisture also allows you to control what can live between your walls or in the crawl space.
Vacuum, Sweep, and Eliminate Crumbs
Crumbs and debris can provide pests with their food source or with cover to hide behind. Regular vacuuming, sweeping, wiping, and tidying will help create a less welcoming environment for pests, providing them with nothing to eat or hide behind.
Contain, Enclose, and Take Out the Trash
Keep your trash contained. Throwing away food containers is only the first step to tidy pest control. Keep a lid on your trash and tightly close bags of rubbish waiting for trash day. Containing your household garbage can be the key to keeping pests away from your main property.
Weatherproof Doors and Windows
Weatherstripping on your door and windows, screens and screen doors, and other careful precautions can help to reduce pests in your home, as well. These measures keep pests out when you open and close doors or windows as well as close any gaps. Scorpions only need about the width of a credit card to gain access.
Create a Barrier with Landscaping
Lastly, you can give pests a further distance and greater difficulty between their homes and your house through landscaping. A garden path, a gravel flower bed, and a barrier liner near the foundation can help to ensure pests are not living too close by.
Maintaining landscaping is essential. Overgrown plants and grass, trash, wood piles, and other debris can all serve as shelters for pests. Trees and bushes that grow around or hang over the house can provide clear paths for insects to enter the home.
Professional & Effective Pest Control Services Near Tucson
Pest control for homes in Tucson, AZ, is only a phone away. Whether there are pests in your home or you’d like to keep pests out of your home, Bill’s Home Service Company is the home pest control team you can count on. Our trained and experienced technicians will ensure your home is pest-free through routine pest control services, including an annual interior treatment and exterior treatments every other month. No matter which residential pest control service you select, we will always prioritize the health and safety of your home first and foremost.
Contact us today to request a FREE quote for our professional and effective routine pest control services for your Tucson home.