Frequently Asked Questions

We try to be as transparent as we can about pricing but the truth is that every property has unique needs and issues. We try to match your exact need with our services. We build our services custom to you. We don’t want to give you services that you don’t need and make you pay for them. And we don’t want to leave out services that you really need.

Generally we need to wait just a little time in between services to let the products work. Then we can follow-up with an inspection and see what is happening and where treatments are still needed. If you are in a situation where you cannot wait, like an empty apartment unit that needs to be rented, please let us know and we will do everything we can speed things along.

There are lots of considerations we take into account when recommending heat or recommending chemical treatments such as:
How severe is the bed bug infestations?
How widespread is the infestation?
How difficult would chemical treatments be?
How much stuff is in the infested areas?
What is the construction of the building?

After assessing the situation and answering these and other questions, our bed bug experts make their recommendations. We are always happy to discuss alternative treatment methods or why we are recommending one or the other. And just FYI, our bed bug experts do not receive any commissions, bonuses, or compensation of any kind for what treatments they prescribe. They make a salary for performing quality inspections and assessments.

We have designed all of our treatments to require very little to no preparation. We know that often tenants struggle to do the recommendations so we had to design services that worked regardless of cooperation.

We generally do not charge tenants for pest control services but charge the property. We service tens of thousands of apartment units every year and it just isn’t feasible for us to bill all those tenants directly. If we did this, we would have to raise our rates considerably to pay for the extra man power to stay on top of all that billing.

Generally speaking we believe that apartment complexes should not bill their tenants for pest control services. This may sound like a good idea, but most of the time we have seen that this leads to unhappy tenants, faster tenant turnover, tenants who do not report problems for fear of paying, and widespread pest control issues. We want to foster an atmosphere of reporting issues quickly so we can eliminate them. It almost always saves the property money in the end and makes tenants happier and therefore improves your bottom line.

Yes we are. Thorn is very familiar with the global food safety initiative and the various 3rd party auditing requirements. We have a preventive controls qualified individual on staff and we are the only QualityPro Food Safety certified company in the state of Utah. All off our pest professionals have been trained and tested on current good manufacturing practices and providing pest management in food production facilities. We can help set up your compliant pest prevention program and take away the stress of your next audit.

There a few things you should think about when hiring a pest control company. The top things that we think you should look for are:

1. They are good at inspection and assessment. This is the number one requirement for a good pest management company. The focus should be on inspection and not just treatment.
2. They look professional. A professional company should have professional dress and equipment. You can tell a lot about a company by how they look.
3. They have excellent customer service. They should answer questions and be quick to respond. Their focus should be you.
4. They should have the proper credentials. They should be member of professional organizations like their state pest management association and the National Pest Management Association. You should look to see if they are QualityPro certified from the NPMA. They may have Associate or Board Certified Entomologists on staff. They should have their state licensing.
5. They should have knowledge and experience. Look to see what other companies the pest control company services. Ask for testimonials and references.
6. They should be proactive and not just reactive. A pest control program should be designed to prevent and detect pest issues early and not just react to issues. Find a pest control that provides a proactive program.
7. They stand behind their work and provide long warranties. Look for companies that will provide warranties and not just have you spending money and not making progress.
8. They should have proper insurance. Pest control companies are not required to have liability insurance here in the state of Utah.

The pesticides we use are the best in the industry and are low-risk pesticides. They have all been approved for use in residences, commercial offices, restaurants, hospitals and even supermarkets. More important then what we use is how we use the products we have. We always read and follow the product labels so you and your family are kept safe. We do have a full organic line of products if you prefer.

For most services, you do not need to leave the house but you should not touch the materials we apply while wet. Keep people and pets away from the materials applied until they dry.

No. We do not require you to sign a contract. Some people want (and we recommend) a service program that prevents pests before they are a problem but others simply want a one time service to eliminate a current pest issue. We are here to help with both.

Pest control is so much more than the products applied. In fact the products used are much less important than how and where they are applied. This requires expertise and a high level of training. Thorn pest professionals are experts and will get better results than a pest control guy that comes and “sprays”.

Absolutely we do. That being said, we have found that many people do not fully understand or have different definitions of what IPM is. That is why we prefer to use the term assessment-based pest management. We inspect and assess a situation, develop a strategy based on what we discovered, prescribe a treatment (both chemical and non-chemical), and then monitor and follow-up to make sure we are seeing the desired results. Just as a doctor would not prescribe a treatment without an examination, we cannot prescribe a treatment with an inspection and assessment.

Yes we do. Inspections are an important part of what we do and we value our time and our expertise. Our professionals go through hundreds of hours of training to make sure they have keen observational skills and understand pests, their biology, and pest conducive conditions.

Pest control is an important part of maintaining public health and we believe it should be done by licensed pest control experts. That being said, you play a very important role in your pest control. The most important steps of pest control don’t require applying pesticides at all.

How to keep pests out of your home:

• Make sure all of your doors are well sealed.
• Make sure your window screens are tight fitting and in good working order.
• Keep pet food in tightly sealed containers and clean up any spills.
• Trim plants away from the home. (Don’t let plants touch the home)
• Make sure caulk and sealant are in good shape around utility lines and windows.
• Keep your trash cans covered and clean.
• Hire an experienced pest control company for quarterly inspections and preventive treatments.