Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Living in a place like Santa Barbara, which gets rather hot summers, often means seeing lots of pests too. Homeowners who have a preventative pest control plan in place can avoid encounters with these uninvited tenants. Luckily, pest control companies can help you with this.
We take pest control seriously. That’s why the Today's Homeowner team has done the research and ranked the best pest control companies in Santa Barbara for you. Keep reading to learn more about each exterminator.
Offerings of preventative treatments
Lack of hidden fees
No-cost inspections
Helpful homeowner content on its website
Services Offered
Consistently high customer service reviews
Lack of hidden fees
Educational web content
No-cost inspections
Services Offered
Positive customer service reviews
Proactive solutions for pest control
No-cost inspections
Lack of hidden fees
Helpful homeowner content on its website
Services Offered
Educational web content
Reviews praise customer service
Free inspection policy
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Transparent pricing
Reviews praise customer service
Preventative pest control services
Free inspections
Services Offered
Transparent pricing
No-cost inspections
Consistently high customer service reviews
Services Offered
Continuous highly praised customer service reports
Transparent pricing
Free inspection policy
Proactive solutions for pest control
Educational web content
Services Offered
Educational web content
Reviews praise customer service
Free inspection policy
Lack of hidden fees
Services Offered
Commitment to customer education
No-cost inspections
Positive customer service reviews
Services Offered
Lack of hidden fees
Free inspection policy
Reviews praise customer service
Services Offered
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on pest control companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
We've narrowed down the top pest control experts so you can find the best provider for you. We considered customer reviews, costs, pest control treatments offered, state availability, contracts, and more.
Here’s how Santa Barbara’s top providers ranked:
Terminix is one of the top four pest control companies in the world, and it has been helping homeowners and businesses with their pest problems for over 90 years. The company offers professional pest control services that are safe for your family and pets.
Terminix offers both one-off extermination services and seasonal pest control. Additionally, every contract comes with a 30-day guarantee. Terminix will inspect your home for free. A qualified technician will assess your situation and give you a suitable control plan.
Orkin has been around for over 100 years. Its pest control specialists undergo 160 hours of training. In addition, due to its large network, it can usually provide next-day — or even same-day — service.
Pests Orkin handles are bed bugs, centipedes, fleas, termites, flies, cockroaches, silverfish, scorpions, crickets, yellow jackets, and more. After the first visit, your technician will follow up regularly to make sure that the pests have not returned. If they have, your local technicians can assist
Rentokil, a service group, is the world's largest and most widely recognized pest control company, which is comprised of hundreds of brands worldwide. Rentokil is the parent company of top North American pest control providers including J.C. Ehrlich, Western Exterminator, and Presto-X, which provide tailored services.
Rentokil provides integrated pest management (IPM) services, which means your pest control expert will focus on both eliminating existing pests and preventing future infestations. Rentokil’s services cover preventative maintenance, treatment, and monitoring for pest infestations.
Not all pest control services are the same when it comes to reputation, expertise, and capability. It's important to do your research to determine the best option for your specific pest problem. Focus on these key factors when hiring a pest control company:
Look for a pest control company that can address the type of pest you have, whether it’s termites, bed bugs, roaches, rodents, or something else. The company should be able to provide an overview of how they treat your type of pest.
When choosing a pest control provider, look for technicians that hold certifications from respected industry associations, like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), on top of proper state licensing. These credentials show that the technicians have completed adequate training. Also ask about required training hours and continuing education.
We suggest reading customer reviews prior to scheduling a pest control appointment. Google, Yelp, and other sites can tell you whether a company consistently provides quality service and a good customer experience. Also check the Better Business Bureau website for any complaints that have been filed. Ask about the kind of continuing education technicians receive to stay current on best pest control practices. When you choose a company from our list of Santa Barbara's best pest control, you can feel confident knowing that you're hiring an expert that meets our quality and review standards.
If you prefer more eco-friendly and natural pest control solutions, look for companies that have "green" certifications. If you’re dealing with larger pests, such as mice or other rodents coming inside, you can also ask about humane catch and release. Bear in mind that natural pest control options may be less effective. You may need to consider a more traditional route if dealing with a serious infestation. No matter your approach to pest control, all pesticides (besides those classified as minimal risk) must be registered with the EPA.
Leading pest control provides typically offer service guarantees for ongoing plans. The guarantees mean if pests remain after the initial treatment, the provider will make another visit and re-treat your home for free until the infestation is taken care of. One-time treatments may not include reservice guarantees.
Once you have found your top pest management companies, contact each one with these questions:
Evaluate potential pest control companies based on their answers to these questions. This will allow you to select the right provider to effectively fix your pest problem at a reasonable cost.
There are various types of pests in Santa Barbara, ranging from harmless nuisances to disease-carrying insects. We reviewed around 10 million online discussions to determine the most common pests in the city.
The top pest control providers are Orkin and Terminix. They help with all common pests, service many locations, and have been in business for several decades.
Hiring a pest control company and having a professional spray your property every quarter is the best way to prevent future pest infestations. This deters insects and animals from coming inside your house.
Pest control involves removing unwanted bugs like termites, rodents, and other unwanted bugs or wildlife from your home. When you hire a pest control company, an exterminator will do an inspection. Then they will use various methods to remove the pests and prevent them from returning, such as chemical or natural sprays, bait, and traps.
Many Santa Barbara homeowners are concerned about the cost of pest control. Monthly pest control usually costs $40 to $70 per visit. Quarterly pest control costs about $110 to $250 a visit. To find out exactly how much it will cost for you, we recommend getting in touch with several pest control providers for an estimate.
If you already have a serious pest infestation, you should get pest control as soon as possible. However, if you’d just like preventative pest control, the best time of year to have a professional spray your house is in the spring before colony numbers get too high in the hotter part of the year. However, it’s never too late for pest control. You can still spray in the summer or in other seasons and see effective results.
