Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Please enter a valid 5-digit zip code!
Written By Todays Homeowner Local Pros
Last Updated May 2023
Columbia's ample rainfall and warm summers mean the city can get a range of pest problems--from ticks to cockroaches. You may want to try to deal with the issue by yourself, but pest control is often best left to the professionals, especially if you have a serious infestation.
With so many pest control providers to choose from, it can be hard for homeowners to know which is the best one for them. That's why we have reviewed plenty of providers and narrowed down our top choices to the best ones.
Read on to learn more about each company's plans.
Our Rating
Continuous highly praised customer service reports
Punctual arrival
Proactive solutions for pest control
Helpful homeowner content on its website
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Positive customer service reviews
Preventative pest control services
Free inspection policy
Helpful homeowner content on its website
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Our Rating
Continuous highly praised customer service reports
Reliable exterminators
Free inspections
Educational web content
Lack of hidden fees
Services Offered
Our Rating
Consistently high customer service reviews
Reliable exterminators
No-cost inspections
Commitment to customer education
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Consistently high customer service reviews
Reliable appointment windows
No-cost inspections
Educational web content
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Our Rating
Positive customer service reviews
Punctuality
Free inspection policy
Helpful homeowner content on its website
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Proactive solutions for pest control
Commitment to customer education
Transparent pricing
Free inspection policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Consistently high customer service reviews
Proactive solutions for pest control
Free inspections
Commitment to customer education
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Our Rating
Continuous highly praised customer service reports
Proactive approach to pest control
Helpful homeowner content on its website
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reviews praise customer service
Reliable appointment windows
Free inspections
Educational web content
Lack of hidden fees
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reviews praise customer service
Proactive solutions for pest control
Transparent pricing
Free inspection policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
Consistently high customer service reviews
Educational web content
Transparent pricing
Services Offered
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on pest 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:
Looking for a pest control company with nation-wide expertise? Here are our top picks:
Terminix has 300 branches in over 22 countries and has been in the pest control industry for almost 100 years. With this experience, it's easy to see why Terminix is a top choice for many .
Terminix's specialty termite services are their most widely known service, but they exterminate much more than just that. Their other services include: mosquitoes, cockroaches, spiders, rodents, ticks, ants, and wildlife control such as skunks, raccoons, squirrels, opossums, and more. Terminix's general pest control consists of a home inspection and initial treatment, followed by three seasonal treatments over the course of a year.
If you need fast service in Columbia, consider Orkin for your pest control needs. Since 1901, Orkin has become one of the largest pest control companies in the country. Orkin has also dedicated time to educating customers on its pest control process and treatments by outlining it in a series of articles and videos on the company's website.
The pests Orkin takes care of includes hornets, earwigs, flies, fleas, cockroaches, moths, yellow jackets, centipedes, scorpions, termites, mice, wasps, spiders, bees, carpenter ants, rats, bed bugs, crickets, ticks, and silverfish. Once the first treatment has been done, your Orkin expert will follow up to check that the pests haven't come back and, if so, they can assist you with that.
It's important to know which pests you could encounter as a resident of Columbia. To give you an idea of the most widespread pests in the city, we examined the pests mentioned in around 10 million social media posts.
The top pest control providers are Orkin and Terminix. They control for all common pests, have many locations, and have been in the industry for decades.
For the most part, pest control chemicals are safe. However, they have to be handled by a trained exterminator to make sure they're used properly and safely, which is especially important if you have young children. After your house has been sprayed, the exterminator will recommend staying out of your home for a certain period of time. This is usually 2 to 4 hours, but can be a maximum of 24 hours.
Hiring a pest control company and getting a professional to spray your property every quarter is the best way to prevent future pest infestations. This deters insects and animals from coming inside your house.
For small infestations, you may be able to take care of pest control yourself with store-bought products. However, hiring a pest control company is usually worth it for larger infestations or for preventative pest control. Professional exterminators are trained to identify and treat pests, which can give you some peace of mind.
For apartments and homes, quarterly or even bi-monthly pest control treatments are recommended. If you have a more serious infestation, on the other hand, you may need to get monthly treatments for a few months until the issue is resolved.
