Orkin Review (2020)

Orkin specializes in residential and commercial pest control across the United States and uses an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to control pests. Their service is backed by an exceptional quality assurance program, a team of experts, and comprehensive documentation of their findings and service.

Not sure of the best place to start your pest control search? House Method has done the work for you. Read our Orkin pest control review to see why you might consider them to be the best pest control company for you. 

Orkin pest control services

Orkin has the most comprehensive pest treatment list in the industry, treating anything from termites and mosquitos to weevils, Jerusalem crickets, and rhinoceros beetles. They have specialized treatments for general pests, termites, and bed bugs, as well as home services such as attic insulation, lawn treatments, and moisture control.

General pest control

Orkin’s general pest control plan includes protection from approximately 20 standard indoor and outdoor pests, including:

Termite control

Orkin’s termite control program helps homeowners detect existing and prevent future infestations. It provides comprehensive treatment through a three-step A.l.M. process: assess, implement, and monitor. 

Upon inspection, the technician will provide a tailored treatment plan to best suit your property. They use three methods to tackle termites. 

• Termidor Liquid Termite Treatments: This method is dual-action, providing immediate protection. An application flowmeter allows the technician to use the precise amount of treatment. 
• Dry Foam and Orkinfoam: Orkinfoam treats gaps around heating ducts and water pipes, under slabs, in interior and exterior walls, and other surfaces. The foam expands to reach critical areas. 
• Sentricon Bait and Monitoring: By disrupting the termite molting process, this process prevents future growth. It is applied to the most at-risk areas, like mulch, most soil, old tree stumps, sprinkler heads, and downspouts. 

Orkin notes that any property enhancements or alterations could interfere with these processes and compromise your protection from termites.

Bed bug services

Orkin’s bed bug service is designed to detect bed bugs before it develops into a full infestation. It uses a targeted process that gets to the root of the problem immediately and implements ongoing monitoring to prevent bed bugs from returning. You can also expect a follow-up visit from your technician to ensure that treatment was adequately effective.

Other pest services

The company’s technicians are also trained in removing ticks, carpenter ants, and mosquitos. The A.I.M. approach is used in all service visits to ensure the customer is receiving quality, lasting treatment. These specialized plans also include coverage against general pests as outlined above. 

All Orkin plans include a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee. Technicians will return to your home between visits for complementary re-servicing if additional service is needed. Customer satisfaction is of utmost importance to the company. If they can’t solve your problem, they will refund your most recent service payment.

What to expect from Orkin

Orkin employs a six-pronged treatment model to keep pests out of your home year-round:

1. Investigate—First, an Orkin expert will investigate the interior and exterior of your home, searching for potential problem areas and evidence of infestation and pest problems.
2. Protect—Next, using the safest method possible, Orkin will treat the perimeter of your home and remove any spider webs or wasp nests.
3. Fortify—The technician will then seal, caulk, plug, and secure gaps and cracks to keep insects and pests out.
4. Keep watch—The Orkin technician will treat the interior of your home and install pest monitors in critical areas like kitchens, baths, utility rooms, and garages.
5. Report—Orkin will provide a detailed report of services rendered and recommendations to help keep your home free of pests.
6. Follow up—Orkin promises to stay in touch between their regularly scheduled visits. If any issue arises, they will respond to any immediate needs.

Treatment frequency

How often Orkin comes to treat your home depends on the type of pest problem you have. Orkin customizes a plan for each customer, taking into account your home, pest problem, and surrounding environment.

As part of their 100% satisfaction guarantee, your Orkin technician will return to your residence at no additional charge if pests return in between treatments. If they’re unable to solve the pest problem, they’ll refund your last service payment as long as you’re their customer.

Cost

While Orkin does not provide pricing information, you can get a free estimate online. They make customized plans for each of their customers, taking into account your home, your problem, and your surrounding environment. You can contact them to get a free quote for the services you need.

The general pest control plan cost consists of an initial base payment, plus an additional fee per each following service. For general pest coverage for a 2,000 square-foot home, customers can expect to pay around $790-$980 annually.

In order to receive a quote for specific issues such as termite or bed bug treatment, Orkin will need to perform an inspection. The initial inspection is free and will allow their experts to create a custom treatment plan. You can call 877-871-4752 or click here for a free estimate.

Orkin locations

With more than 400 locations worldwide, it is more than likely that Orkin provides service in your area. The only states not included in Orkin’s U.S. coverage areas are Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. This provider services more states than competitors such as Rentokil and Aptive Environmental.

Customer reviews

Orkin’s parent company, Rollins, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ review. Here is what its customers are saying about their experiences: 

A customer from Richmond, KY on January 22, 2020, said: 

“The Orkin representative was very good! Arrived promptly, was polite, knowledgeable, and informative.”

Jodi K. on May 1, 2019, said: 

“They may offer professional service; they may offer services to get rid of bugs and mice, but regular customers have to deal with an appointment department that only wants to use text messages and email to tell them that an appointment has been made for them and if they don’t like it they are to call a number to reschedule. The messages are received by customers at 5:30 p.m., so the customer has no choice but to take time out of their busy schedules the next day to call them because they don’t know how to respond to messages in a timely manner or at all. It’s sickening.”

Lesley P. on November 25, 2018, said:

“Called for animals in attic. Was told (*incorrectly) it was squirrels/mice. The insulation needed to be replaced and the ingress/egress areas needed to be blocked up. They replaced the insulation, but did no other work and the infestation continued. Finally got them to come back out, discovered the raccoon family, and said they didn’t do raccoons. Had to pay another firm to get rid of the raccoons and block the holes. Rollins/PermaTreat is still insisting on full payment. DO NOT USE.”

Company comparison

Final thoughts

House Method recommends Orkin for your home because of their extensive industry experience and technician training and excellent customer service. Orkin puts its money where its mouth is in terms of training and specialization. They have an award-winning training program and each of their 8,000 technicians undergoes over 160 hours of training just in the first year.

We also like how they have step-by-step approaches to their treatment plans, so you can understand exactly what to expect from their services. The company earned 94 points out of 100 on our rating methodology, making it the highest-scoring pest control company we reviewed.

Company information

Orkin is an Atlanta-based company that was founded in 1901 by Otto Orkin, a door-to-door rat poison salesman. His business flourished in the early 1900s, but his first big break came when he received a government contract to address a rat infestation at the Wilson Dam in Muscle Shoals, AL. Orkin was purchased in 1964 by Rollins Inc. and has become the company that it is today under their leadership.

• Company name: Orkin
• Company type: Public
• CEO: John Wilson
• Year founded: 1901
• Headquarters: 2170 Piedmont Road, NE Atlanta, Georgia, 30324 
• State availability: 47
• BBB rating: N/A

If Orkin is the best pest control company for you, call them today at 877-871-4752 or fill out this form to get started.

Methodology

At House Method, our goal is to save homeowners time and money, so we’ve done all the research for you when it comes to pest control and remediation efforts. We highly recommend only the best exterminators that our team would use in our own homes. 

We developed a 100-point rating system to numerically compare the companies to each other. 

• Plan options (35 points): Companies that offer more plans and flexibility on services to address specific issues were given a higher score. 
• State Availability (5 points): Those that offer coverage in fewer than 45 states were deducted points for availability. 
• Trustworthiness (10 points): This is based on whether companies have money-back guarantees, service guarantees, and additional satisfaction assurance measures.
• Customer Service (30 points): We considered accessibility (including on weekends and holidays) of technicians and customer support.
• Additional Benefits (20 points): Companies that offer further conveniences such as an app, comprehensive resources, and other benefits were rated higher.