Typical call: rats behind a rowhouse near the Jones Falls in Hampden
What homeowners notice
Residents of rowhouse blocks near the Jones Falls valley sometimes find burrows beside a back step, gnawed trash bags or droppings by the alley fence. Seeing a rat in daylight often means the activity has been building for a while.
What we do
The technician walks the yard and alley, finds the burrows and travel routes, sets bait stations or traps where children and pets cannot reach them, and points out open trash, gaps under the fence and low spots that hold food.
What to expect
Activity typically fades over the following weeks as the work continues and food and cover are removed, and the technician explains when to call again if new burrows appear.
Typical call: mice in a shared wall in a Pigtown rowhouse
What homeowners notice
A household in a long block of attached brick rowhouses hears scratching in the wall at night and finds droppings along the baseboard. Cleaning and a few traps only help for a week or two, because new mice keep arriving.
What we do
The technician looks for gaps where pipes, wires and vents enter the wall, checks the cellar and the roofline, seals openings with materials mice cannot chew through and sets traps along the runs. The conversation with the neighbors comes up too, since the wall is shared.
What to expect
Noise in the wall usually stops within a few weeks once the entry points are sealed, though a gap left open next door can still let mice back in.
Typical call: bed bugs in a rented apartment in Waverly
What homeowners notice
A tenant in a rented rowhouse unit wakes with bites in a line along the arm and finds dark specks along a mattress seam. The unit has neighbors on either side, and the landlord has not yet been told.
What we do
The technician inspects mattress seams, bed frame joints, outlets and baseboards, explains the treatment options and the preparation the tenant will need, treats the affected rooms, and advises the tenant to tell the landlord so adjoining units can be checked.
What to expect
A follow-up visit is usually planned to confirm the bugs are gone, and the tenant leaves knowing exactly which preparation steps matter most.
Typical call: roaches in a Fells Point bar kitchen
What homeowners notice
Staff at a bar in an old brick building near the water start seeing small, light-brown roaches behind the dish station and under the prep tables. Seeing them in the daytime usually means the population has grown.
What we do
The technician checks drains, wall voids, equipment housings and gaps behind the bar, places gel bait in cracks and crevices, sets monitoring traps and lists sanitation and sealing fixes for the manager.
What to expect
Activity typically drops across a few visits, and the manager leaves with a clear list of what to change in the kitchen to keep it down.
Typical call: carpenter ants in a wood porch in Roland Park
What homeowners notice
On an older detached house with a deep wood porch and mature trees, the owner sees large black ants indoors in spring and finds fine sawdust-like debris under a porch beam. Damp wood where a downspout drains is a common starting point.
What we do
The technician traces the ant trails to the nest, inspects the porch framing and gutters for moisture, treats the nest and the entry points according to the label, and recommends fixing the leak that keeps the wood wet.
What to expect
Ant sightings usually drop within a few weeks, and the technician explains that unless the damp wood is repaired, they can return.
about 1 hour typical visit
Have the same problem?
Call and tell us what you see. We will tell you what it likely is and what it usually costs before anyone drives out.
