Stan Ketchum is the owner and founder of Ketchum Pest Control, which serves the northwest corner of Indiana. His company helps customers get rid of termites, ants, cockroaches, wasps, fleas, raccoons, squirrels, mice, rats, bats, and even snakes. The family-run and operated pest control service aims to use non-toxic substances that are child- and pet-friendly whenever possible. Here, Ketchum advises what you should do to get rid of pests when you first move into your brand-new digs.
A lot of people call me when they are first moving into a new home. It’s a good idea in this case for a pest controller to come do a once-over. Some states even legally require a new home to be inspected for pests before people move in. Indiana doesn’t require this, but some Realtors in our state do, and a lot of people tend to get inspections done for their own peace of mind.
Besides a general pest inspection, a termite inspection upon first moving in is also a good idea. (It’s best to get a termite inspection before you furnish your new house, so you don’t then have to spray behind the furniture.) A termite inspection includes looking for the “mud tubes” along walls which are characteristic of a termite infestation, as well as for moisture and other factors. I don’t usually charge extra for termite inspections because that lowers my liability though a fee is common among pest control operators. And when you sign up for our monthly Pest Insurance Program, we offer you a complimentary termite inspection as well.
What is the Ketchum Pest Control Pest Insurance Program? Good question! For a low monthly fee of $40 or less, protect yourself, your home, and your loved ones from all invasive pests. This program includes protection against any insects, rodents such as mice or rats, and other invasive pests such as bats, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and snakes. If you pay for an entire year, you can receive one month free.
As part of the program, we will treat the outside of your home monthly in an environmentally responsible way to provide insect protection. We offer this from March through October. I usually don’t provide outdoor pest control services from about November/December to February, because here in northwest Indiana, snow is often on the ground during those months.
I do get calls about indoor rodent infestations year-round, especially from bars and other food-serving establishments. Just recently, for example, I got a call from the owner of a chocolate shop, who just moved into a new location. The building he moved into had cockroaches and mice even though it was the middle of winter. Now there’s a good reason to get monthly pest control protection as soon as you move into a new place!
