“The note said the ants were coming in at the window over the sink and under the dishwasher. Aniyah showed me the gap before anyone opened a bottle.”
Bethany W.Apison
Pest management, Chattanooga
We look first, and we write down what we find.
Armstead & Daughter inspect the whole house before we treat any of it, close the way pests get in, and use a product only where the inspection says it is needed. After every visit you get the notes.
- A written report after every visit
- Product list on request
- Inspection before treatment
The credential
What Green Shield Certified means
Green Shield Certified is a third-party program run by the IPM Institute of North America that looks at how a company practices integrated pest management: inspection and prevention come before any treatment. It certifies a company's program, not a product, and the institute's own site explains what it asks of a certified company.
A visit
In the order we do it
The same six steps at every house, so you know what each one is for.
- 01
We walk the outside first
Foundation, vents, door sweeps, downspouts, the woodpile. Pests nearly always have a reason to be here, and it is often outside.
- 02
Then the inside, with a flashlight
Under sinks, behind the dishwasher, along garage and basement baseboards. We ask where your pets eat and sleep.
- 03
We name what we found
A plain list of what is here, how it is getting in and what is drawing it. You see it before we do anything.
- 04
We fix the way in
Door sweeps, screen, steel mesh, sealant, a drain that stays wet. Most of the work is closing gaps, not spraying.
- 05
We treat only where it is needed
If a product is called for, it goes where the inspection pointed, applied by a licensed applicator following the label. We tell you where to keep people and pets out, and for how long.
- 06
You get the notes
A written report after each visit: what we found, what we did, which product and where, and what to watch. The product list is yours to keep.
What we are called for
Six calls we get most
Most calls in the Tennessee Valley are ants, mice, fleas and ticks. Here is what we look for and what we do about each.
Ants and roaches
Trails along counters, damp cabinets, a gap at the slab. We follow the trail to the way in.
Ants and roachesMice and rats
Sealing comes first: steel mesh, sweeps and sealant, then traps and a second look.
Mice and ratsFleas and ticks
The house, the yard edge and the pets' routine, planned around your vet's advice.
Fleas and ticksSpiders and silverfish
Usually a moisture or clutter problem. We look at both before anything else.
What we treatWasps and hornets
Nests under eaves and in sheds. We find them in spring, when they are small.
What we treatMosquito-prone yards
Standing water, clogged gutters and shade. We start with what holds water.
What we treat
Houses with pets
Tell us where the dog sleeps.
Before any treatment we ask where your dog or cat eats, sleeps and goes in and out. That decides what we use and where, and we write it down, including how long to keep animals out of a treated area and what to do about water bowls and the yard.
Treated areas are marked on your service report
Fish tanks, bird cages and small animals are covered or moved first
Show the product list to your vet if you like
Closing the way in
Most of our work is a gap and a piece of mesh.
Mice come in through a gap the width of a pencil, and ants follow a crack in the slab. We find them, close them with steel mesh, sealant and door sweeps, and look at them again on the next visit.
Vents, foundation and siding joints
Pipe and cable entries
Door sweeps and weatherstripping
Customers
What the notes led to
“We have two cats, so I asked for the product list before the visit. It came by text that afternoon and Clyde went through it with me at the door.”
Ganesh P.Cleveland
“Mice in the garage in October. They sealed along the sill first and set traps second, and the follow-up visit checked both.”
Amaya R.Sale Creek
Sample reviews.
Where we go
Chattanooga and the valley towns around it
One office on the North Shore, and the same technician when the route allows.
- Hamilton County: Chattanooga, Apison, Birchwood, Sale Creek, Falling Water, Georgetown
- Bradley County: Cleveland, Charleston
- Marion County: Kimball, Sequatchie, South Pittsburg
- Sequatchie County: Dunlap
- Rhea County: Dayton
We don't work in Georgia or Alabama, or north of Dayton.
Questions we hear first
How much does it cost?
It depends on the pest, the size of the house and lot, how long it has been going on and how many gaps need closing. The cost page lists what changes the number, and you get it in writing before any work starts.
What about my kids and pets?
We don't make promises about a product, because no pesticide label lets a company do that. Licensed applicators follow the label, we tell you where people and pets should stay out and for how long, and the product list is yours before the visit if you ask.
Do I have to sign a contract?
No. Most jobs are a few visits, and a seasonal plan is optional. If you start one, you can stop it by telling us.
How long until I see results?
Most homes see activity drop within a couple of weeks, though it varies with the pest and the house. Ants and mice usually take two or three visits.
What if the pests come back?
If the same pest is back within 60 days of a treatment, we return and treat again at no charge. It covers the address and pest on your service report. It doesn't cover a new pest, or an entry point we flagged that wasn't repaired.
Contact
Request a visit
Tell us what you are seeing and where in the house. We reply during office hours.
Phone(423) 555-0101
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- SundayToday
- Closed