Pest Control · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to pest control
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any exterminator in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Estimate request
What have you seen, and where?
Straight to us, and a reply the same day.
By Michael Blair, owner, Nashville's Pest Control · who we are
Warning signs
How to know you need us
Recognize one? Have it looked at before it grows.
- Mud tubes on foundation walls or piers, which is the classic termite sign
- Discarded wings on window sills in spring, from a swarm
- Wood that sounds hollow or gives under a screwdriver
- Droppings in cupboards, in the pantry or along a wall run
- Scratching or movement in the attic or wall cavity, particularly at dusk
- Ant trails that reappear within days of being cleaned up
Your options
More than one right answer.
Bait or liquid barrier, a one-time treatment or a quarterly plan, exclusion or traps: each fits some houses and not others. These are the trade-offs, stated plainly.
Liquid termiticide barrier
A treated zone in the soil around and under the structure. The traditional and still highly effective approach.
Termite bait system
Stations around the property that eliminate the colony rather than repelling it. Monitored on an ongoing basis.
Quarterly general pest program
Exterior-focused treatment on a schedule, which keeps the common Tennessee pests outside rather than dealing with them inside.
Rodent exclusion
Finding and sealing entries, then trapping what is already in. Sealing without trapping just locks them inside.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
A pest plan is priced on what the inspection finds: the pest, how established it is, and how it gets in. Over the phone those are guesses, so here is what actually sets the price.
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Pest and severity
A single ant trail is not a termite colony. Identification comes before pricing, because the treatment differs completely.
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Home size and construction
Linear footage of foundation, crawl space versus slab, and the number of entry points all affect a treatment plan.
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Treatment type
A liquid termiticide barrier, a bait system and a spot treatment are different jobs with different warranties.
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Ongoing program versus one-off
Quarterly service costs more over a year and prevents rather than reacts. Both are legitimate depending on the problem.
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Exclusion work
Sealing entry points is often the durable fix for rodents and is separate from chemical treatment.
Estimates are free, written and without obligation. Anything found only after starting is priced up front.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Inspection
A proper look at the crawl space, the perimeter and the interior. Identification first, treatment second.
Written plan
What was found, what is proposed, what it covers and what the warranty is, in writing before anything is applied.
Treatment
Most general treatments are the same visit. A full termite barrier is typically most of a day.
Follow-up
Scheduled re-inspection, because a termite warranty is only worth what the monitoring behind it is worth.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
Shortcuts that cheapen the quote and cost you later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Treating without identifying
Carpenter ants, moisture ants and termites all appear in damp wood and need different responses.
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Spraying visible ants
Killing the foragers you can see leaves the colony intact and often causes it to bud into several colonies.
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Sealing rodents in
Exclusion before removal traps animals inside a wall, and the smell is the least of the problem.
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Letting a termite bond lapse
The monitoring is the value. A treated house with no ongoing inspection is a house nobody is watching.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any exterminator.
Including us. If an exterminator cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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What is the license, and who holds it?
A Tennessee Department of Agriculture charter for the company and an applicator certification for the technician. Both numbers are the answer.
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What is the pest, and how do you know?
Inspection first, then treatment for the pest you actually have. A quarterly spray sold before anyone has looked treats the calendar.
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Is this a one-time treatment or a contract, and can I cancel?
The terms in writing, including how to end them. Auto-renewing contracts sold at the door are the trade’s complaint.
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Will you fix the entry points, or only spray?
Exclusion — sealing where they get in — is most of the fix for mice and ants. Spraying alone is a subscription.
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Is it a termite inspection with a report, or a sales visit?
A written report with what was found and where. A number for a bait system before anyone has crawled the perimeter is a sales visit.
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What is safe for the kids and the dog, and for how long?
The product names and the re-entry time, stated plainly. A technician who cannot say what was applied should not be applying it.
FAQ
Choosing an exterminator in Nashville
How do I choose a exterminator in Nashville?
Every pest control technician of ours works under a Tennessee Department of Agriculture charter, holds the applicator certification, and is covered by liability insurance on file with us. Ask the six questions below of anyone, including us.
Should I get more than one quote for pest control?
Yes — and compare the scope, not the total. Pest control in Nashville is priced by the plan — quarterly general service is one number, a termite treatment is priced by the linear foot of foundation, and rodent exclusion by the entry points found — and the inspection comes before any of them.
Is the cheapest pest control quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically; a low number is information. A perimeter spray for a problem that lives in the attic is a bill, not a treatment.
Do I need a permit for pest control in Nashville?
Pest control needs no permit from Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties, but every technician applying a pesticide in Tennessee must hold the state’s applicator license, and a termite contract must be issued by a licensed company.
How far in advance should I book pest control?
An active infestation in Nashville — rodents in the walls, a wasp nest by the door — is seen the same or next day; a quarterly plan starts at the first available route stop, usually within the week.
Free estimate
Seeing signs of pests at home?
Tell Nashville's Pest Control what you found and where; a technician inspects first, then puts the plan and its price in writing, free and without obligation.