Silver Bullet Pest ControlHome Pest Control: How to Keep Your Home Bug- and Rodent-Free
Most bug and mouse problems start with the same three things: a way in, water and food. This homeowner guide shows you how to take those away room by room, which signs mean it's time to call, and how Silver Bullet Pest Control keeps North Jersey homes bug- and rodent-free for good.
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Found droppings or bugs and not sure what they are? Text a photo to 973-510-2585.
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How do I keep my home bug- and rodent-free?
To keep your home bug- and rodent-free, seal the gaps pests use to get in, fix leaks and damp spots, and store food and trash so there's nothing to eat. Do it room by room and around the foundation, then have a licensed home pest control company inspect and treat what you can't reach. Silver Bullet Pest Control does this for homes across Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties — call or text 973-510-2585 for a free quote.
The bugs and rodents that get into North Jersey homes
Three pests account for a lot of the calls we get from homeowners. Here's what draws each one in:
Mice and rats
- Droppings in drawers, under sinks, in the garage
- Scratching in walls or ceilings at night
- Chewed food boxes or insulation
Mice squeeze through a gap about the width of a pencil and move in as nights get cold. Rats burrow under decks, sheds and along foundations. Mouse service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls.
Cockroaches
- Live roaches at night in the kitchen or bathroom
- Pepper-like specks in cabinets and behind appliances
- A musty smell in heavy cases
German roaches ride in on boxes and bags and breed fast in kitchens. Larger roaches come up from basements and drains. We use gel bait plus an insect growth regulator and a follow-up visit, with a 90-day warranty.
Ants
- Trails along counters, windowsills or baseboards
- Small piles of soil by the foundation or patio
- Large black ants indoors (possible carpenter ants)
Ants follow scent trails to crumbs, sugar and pet food. Spraying the trail scatters them; treating where they nest and where they enter is what ends it.
Room-by-room checklist for a pest-free home
| Room | What attracts pests | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Crumbs, open food, pet bowls, grease behind the stove | Store dry food in sealed containers, clean under appliances, don't leave pet food out overnight |
| Bathrooms | Leaky faucets, damp cabinets, gaps around pipes | Fix drips, seal pipe gaps under the sink, run the fan after showers |
| Basement | Damp walls, clutter, cardboard boxes, dryer vents | Use a dehumidifier, store items in plastic bins off the floor, check the dryer vent flap |
| Garage | Bird seed, pet food, gap under the door, trash cans | Keep seed and pet food in metal or hard plastic bins, replace a worn door seal |
| Attic | Gaps at soffits, roof vents and the roofline | Look for droppings, flattened insulation and daylight; call if you hear noise above the ceiling |
| Bedrooms | Clutter, secondhand furniture, travel luggage | Inspect used furniture and luggage after trips for bed bugs |
Rodents in the attic are a different job from mice in the kitchen. If the noise is heavy or happens at dawn and dusk, read what attic noises mean.
Pest-proofing the outside of your house
Almost every pest that ends up inside started outside. A walk around your house with these in mind does more than any store spray:
- Foundation gaps. Look where pipes, wires, the gas line and the AC line go through the wall. Those openings are the main mouse highway into basements.
- Doors. If you can see daylight under an exterior door or the garage door, a mouse can get in. Door sweeps and garage door seals are cheap fixes.
- Mulch and plants. Keep mulch, ivy and shrubs a little away from the siding. Damp mulch against the house invites ants, termites and other insects.
- Gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters and downspouts that dump water at the foundation keep the soil wet — which pests love.
- Wood piles and clutter. Stack firewood off the ground and away from the house. Old lumber and piles of leaves give rats and insects shelter.
- Trash and recycling. Lids closed, cans rinsed. Rats find open trash fast.
For gaps you can't close yourself, or rodents that already found a way in, see rodent proofing and exclusion.
Signs your home needs a pest control professional
Droppings
Mouse or rat droppings anywhere in the house mean there's an active way in. Don't sweep them dry — wet them and wipe with gloves on.
Bugs at night
Seeing roaches when you turn on the kitchen light usually means many more are hiding.
It keeps coming back
You've treated the ants or mice yourself two or three times and they're back. The entry point or nest hasn't been found.
Damage
Chewed wires, mud tubes on the foundation, wood that sounds hollow, or holes in insulation.
Mud tubes or soft wood can mean termites — see our termite guide. We also repair termite damage ourselves after treatment.
DIY pest control vs. hiring a pro
| DIY | Professional home pest control | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding the cause | Guesswork | Inspection of the house, foundation and attic |
| Products | Store sprays and traps | Licensed products placed where pests live, not just where you see them |
| Mice | Traps catch a few | Traps plus sealing entry points, with follow-up visits |
| Roaches | Sprays can scatter them | Gel bait, growth regulator and a follow-up visit |
| Safety | Easy to overuse around kids and pets | Targeted treatment, with clear instructions |
| When it makes sense | One ant trail, a single mouse, prevention | Repeat problems, droppings in several rooms, any termite or bed bug sign |
Good DIY habits — the checklist above — make professional treatment work faster and last longer.
How Silver Bullet's home pest control service works
Tell us what you see
Call or text 973-510-2585. A photo of the bug or droppings helps us identify it right away. Same-day visits are often available.
Inspect the house
A licensed technician checks inside and out: kitchen, bathrooms, basement, garage, attic access and the foundation.
Treat and seal
We treat where the pests are and seal the gaps they use. You get a plan in plain English and a free quote before work starts.
Follow up
Roach and mouse jobs include follow-up. For ongoing protection, ask about our monthly and quarterly service with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
What to watch for each season
Spring
Ants indoors, termite swarmers near windows and doors, stink bugs waking up.
Summer
Wasp nests on porches and decks, mosquitoes, fleas, ants. Mosquito treatment from $95 plus tax.
Fall
Mice and rats moving in, stink bugs and spiders looking for shelter. The best time to seal gaps.
Winter
Mice in walls and attics, indoor roaches. Wildlife like squirrels may nest in the attic.
More help for homeowners
Get a Free Home Pest Control Quote
Tell us your town, what you're seeing and where in the house. Send a photo if you can. We'll explain the plan and give you a free quote.
Why homeowners call us
- Droppings in the kitchen or basement
- Roaches showing up at night
- Ant trails every spring
- Noises in the walls or attic
- They want a pest-free home without the guesswork
Request Service
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Homeowner Pest Control Questions
What is the best way to keep mice out of my house?
Seal the gaps they use. Mice get in around pipes, wires, dryer vents, garage doors and foundation cracks. Close those with materials they can't chew, keep food sealed, and set traps along walls for any already inside. If droppings keep appearing, a professional can find the openings you're missing.
Why do I suddenly have bugs in my house?
Usually because something changed: weather, a leak, a new food source, or a gap that opened up. Heavy rain and heat push ants indoors, cold pushes mice and stink bugs in, and roaches often arrive in boxes or secondhand appliances. Finding what changed is the first step.
Is home pest control safe for kids and pets?
Yes, when a licensed technician does it. Most treatment is outside or in cracks and voids where kids and pets can't reach, and baits are placed out of sight. We tell you if anyone should stay out of an area and for how long.
How often should a house be treated for pests?
Most homes do well with quarterly service — about four visits a year timed to the seasons. Homes with an active problem may need more frequent visits at first. A one-time treatment can be enough for a single issue like a wasp nest.
How long does it take to get rid of mice?
Most homes see a big drop within the first week or two once traps are set and gaps are sealed. Mouse service includes 90 days of coverage with unlimited free service calls, so we keep coming back until it's quiet.
Do I need to leave the house during treatment?
Usually not for a standard treatment. For some roach or flea treatments we may ask you and your pets to stay out of a room for a short time. We'll tell you exactly what to do before we start.
Can I get rid of roaches myself?
A few roaches can sometimes be handled with good baits and cleaning, but sprays and bombs often scatter German roaches deeper into walls. Our method is gel bait, an insect growth regulator and a follow-up visit, with a 90-day warranty.
How much does home pest control cost?
It depends on the pest, how big the problem is and the size of the house. We give a free quote after hearing what you're seeing. Mosquito treatment starts from $95 plus tax; for other pests, call or text for a quote.
Do you handle bed bugs and termites too?
Yes. We offer bed bug heat treatment and termite treatment, and after termite treatment we can repair the damaged wood ourselves — sill plates, joists, beams and framing.
¿Ofrecen control de plagas para casas en español?
Sí. Hablamos español. Mande una foto por texto al 973-510-2585 y le damos una cotización gratis.
Home pest control near you
Based in Garfield, we take care of homes across Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Our service area
Bergen County
973-510-2585- Allendale
- Bergenfield
- Bogota
- Carlstadt
- Cliffside Park
- Closter
- Cresskill
- Demarest
- Dumont
- East Rutherford
- Edgewater
- Elmwood Park
- Emerson
- Englewood
- Englewood Cliffs
- Fair Lawn
- Fairview
- Fort Lee
- Franklin Lakes
- Garfield
- Glen Rock
- Hackensack
- Harrington Park
- Hasbrouck Heights
- Haworth
- Hillsdale
- Ho-Ho-Kus
- Leonia
- Little Ferry
- Lodi
- Lyndhurst
- Mahwah
- Maywood
- Midland Park
- Montvale
- Moonachie
- New Milford
- North Arlington
- Northvale
- Norwood
- Oakland
- Old Tappan
- Oradell
- Palisades Park
- Paramus
- Park Ridge
- Ramsey
- Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Park
- Ridgewood
- River Edge
- River Vale
- Rochelle Park
- Rutherford
- Saddle Brook
- Saddle River
- South Hackensack
- Teaneck
- Tenafly
- Teterboro
- Upper Saddle River
- Waldwick
- Wallington
- Washington Township
- Westwood
- Woodcliff Lake
- Wood-Ridge
- Wyckoff
Passaic County
973-510-2585- Bloomingdale
- Clifton
- Haledon
- Hawthorne
- Little Falls
- North Haledon
- Passaic
- Paterson
- Pompton Lakes
- Prospect Park
- Ringwood
- Totowa
- Wanaque
- Wayne
- West Milford
- Woodland Park
Essex County
973-510-2585- Belleville
- Bloomfield
- Caldwell
- Cedar Grove
- East Orange
- Essex Fells
- Fairfield
- Glen Ridge
- Irvington
- Livingston
- Maplewood
- Millburn
- Montclair
- Newark
- North Caldwell
- Nutley
- Orange
- Roseland
- Short Hills
- South Orange
- Verona
- West Caldwell
- West Orange
Hudson County
973-510-2585Union County
973-510-2585- Berkeley Heights
- Clark
- Cranford
- Elizabeth
- Fanwood
- Garwood
- Hillside
- Kenilworth
- Linden
- Mountainside
- New Providence
- Plainfield
- Rahway
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Scotch Plains
- Springfield
- Summit
- Union
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Morris County
973-510-2585- Boonton
- Butler
- Cedar Knolls
- Chatham
- Denville
- Dover
- East Hanover
- Florham Park
- Hanover
- Kinnelon
- Lincoln Park
- Madison
- Mendham
- Montville
- Morris Plains
- Morristown
- Mountain Lakes
- Parsippany
- Pequannock
- Randolph
- Riverdale
- Rockaway
- Roxbury
- Whippany
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B