VIP Pest Control Will Keep Your Home Pest-Free

By Celeste McLaughlin

Every Florida resident knows that pest control is a must. From termites to mosquitos to roaches to nuisance animals (such as squirrels and snakes), little creatures are often everywhere around your home and property. So if you don’t want these pests affecting your life, turn to the experts at VIP Pest Control.

Vicki Hutto owns VIP, which serves Wesley Chapel and the surrounding areas in Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties with traditional chemical treatments, as well as organic options. In addition to keeping homes and lawns pest-free, VIP also offers inspections, treatment and protection from termites.

Vicki started VIP Pest Control in 2006 because she wanted to provide a higher level of customer service than other companies. She says she chose to name her business “VIP” to indicate that her customers are, “very important people.” 

Prior to launching her own business, Vicki worked for Orkin and she says she was the first female termite inspector in the entire company. She was inducted into the Orkin National President’s Club three years in a row, a prestigious honor given to the top three percent of sales producers nationwide. She also worked at two smaller pest control companies. 

She says her early career included management and marketing at various vocational schools, including what are now known as ITT Technical Institutes and the Texas College of Medical & Dental Assistants.

Vicki uses her business expertise and passion for pest control — she’ll tell you she “happens to like bugs,” especially “figuring things out” about them — to help customers throughout our area get rid of all kinds of unwanted pests.

Vicki says a good rule of thumb is not to try to take care of bugs yourself. 

“It’s tempting to grab the can of bug spray,” she explains. “But then, you’re left to breathe all the chemicals in the air and you probably haven’t solved the problem.”

She and her team emphasize the importance of taking care of the families and pets in the homes they treat. They always are aware that pets and kids spend time on the floor, so the treatments they use must be safe for all members of the family. That’s why VIP technicians (photo on next page)offer many organic options, and Vicki says you won’t be charged a premium for using those organic products.

“If you call us, we’ll take care of whatever is making you the most mad or the most scared,” says Vicki, “and then we’ll do a thorough inspection to see what else might be in your home that you may or may not even be aware of.”

She recommends that if you live in Florida, your home should receive quarterly pest control treatments and monthly lawn treatments. 

“If you want to live in a nice Florida home with no bugs (at all), it’s not going to happen,” Vicki jokes. “But, we can come really close by treating your home and your lawn and by offering proper termite protection.”

Martine Duncan is a Meadow Pointe resident who says she has been using VIP’s pest control services since the company started in 2006. She says she became aware of VIP at a Business Expo in her neighborhood, and decided to give them a try.

“We’ve stuck with them ever since,” says Martine. “We have no bugs, so they’re doing a great job.” 

Martine says she’s found VIP’s prices to be comparable with other companies in the area, but that VIP’s technicians are always on time and the office staff always is accommodating whenever she calls and needs something. 

“They have excellent customer service,” she says. “The people are very personable and very nice, and they’re a great company to work with.”

Vicki says that’s the reputation everyone at VIP is always striving to achieve. When you call the office, a live person answers the phone. Vicki notes that this personal touch is an important signature of the way her company does business.

She says another thing that sets VIP apart is that the treatments are customized for each home. 

“Every lawn is different, and every lifestyle is different,” says Vicki. “So we don’t just pre-fill a big rig with one treatment for every customer. There’s not a one-answer-for-all solution.” 

Instead, she says her technicians know what questions to ask, know how to get the right information and know what to look for to solve each problem they encounter.

Here are some of the pests VIP currently is treating:

Bed Bugs

“Bed bugs are rampant right now,” Vicki says. “Some people think that if you don’t travel, you won’t get them, but that’s not true. If your kids are in sports, they could pick up bed bugs by throwing their bags down with other bags. Anytime your stuff mixes with someone else’s stuff, that’s an opportunity for bed bugs.”

She explains that black spots in the bed are a telltale sign of bed bugs. And, she says if you see them, be sure to call an expert.

“We treat them with a liquid treatment and fogging product,” Vicki says. “We usually take care of the problem in one treatment, but we always do a second treatment, just to be sure.”

If you suspect you might have bed bugs, be sure to check VIPPestControlLLC.com for a wealth of information about the creatures. And, Vicki notes that, although they can be difficult to find and eradicate, the experts at VIP can help you get rid of bed bugs with minimal headaches.

Sometimes other bed bug remedies you may have heard of cause other problems you may not realize. For example, if you heat your whole house to a really high temperature, you may find melted crayons between your couch cushions. You also may have heard you need to throw out everything in your home, but that’s just not necessary. Vicki and her team will walk you through all of the options for treating bed bugs or any pest — and potential pitfalls — so you can get the best treatment for your home and family.

Mosquito Control

“Since we live in Florida and most people like to sit outside and enjoy the outdoors, controlling mosquitos is key,” says Vicki. “We offer an organic treatment that is applied to the lawn once a month. It keeps the mosquitos away, and it isn’t as expensive as some other treatment options.” 

Roaches

Vicki says while palmetto bugs won’t hurt you, German cockroaches carry bacteria such as salmonella and can cause health problems that include polio and asthma. 

“For every roach you see, there are 50 that you don’t,” she says. So, if you see any type of cockroach, it’s important to call an expert to treat your problem. 

Vicki adds that there are hundreds of varieties of roaches, so the best way to determine whether your bugs can make you sick is to call an expert. 

 “Many times, people think they get food poisoning in a restaurant, but it’s possible that they actually got it from their own countertop at home,” Vicki explains.

Fleas & Ticks

Vicki says she also is receiving a lot of calls about fleas (photo) and ticks this year. “You have to be careful, especially with ticks, because they carry Lyme disease,” she says. “To effectively get rid of them, you need to treat the house, yard and pets at the same time. It takes all three to get rid of the problem.”

Termites

Vicki says that right now also is “swarming season” for drywood termites. She says a home with termites only needs to be treated once. Then, the company offers a bond — like an insurance policy — against any damage the termites might cause. Then, the treated home is inspected for termites again each year.

“We offer tentless fumigation,” says Vicki. “We want people to know there are other means to treat drywood termites other than tenting your house. The key is to catch them in time.”

Vicki says that there are times in which there isn’t much of a choice but to tent a home, but it’s always a good idea to have the home checked by a VIP technician, adding that some of the non-tent options from VIP will leave residual protection in the wood to keep termites from returning to the same area. 

Whole House Treatment

“We can give you the best deal when you use our company for pest control, lawn, and termite protection,” Vicki says.

She also warns against companies that offer really low prices, which may be an indicator that “extras” will be added to your bill. For example, some low-priced lawn treatment companies may charge extra to treat chinch bugs. Vicki asks this rhetorical question: “Why have lawn control if it doesn’t include pests?”

She adds, “We’re not a company that’s just looking to sell you something. We are established in this community, and feel it’s important to give back. That’s why I’m a member of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (WCCC), and involved with NETWIB (North East Tampa Women in Business). I sincerely care about this community and its schools, playgrounds and water.” Vicki also is a member of the Wesley Chapel (Noon) Rotary Club.

Vicki says that being a woman-owned business sets her apart in the pest control industry and helps her to better relate to many of her customers. 

“Most times when we visit a home, it’s the woman who is there to meet with us,” she says. Vicki adds that she also is hoping to hire a female technician someday. 

“We can train and educate people to work for us,” she says. “What we’re more picky about is how you will serve our customers.” She also says that VIP does not operate on the weekends, so there’s never any weekend work being done at your home. 

“We want our technicians to be home with their families on the weekend.”

VIP Pest Control is offering a special just for readers of the Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News. For more info, see the VIP ad on page 27 of this issue.

VIP Pest Control is headquartered at the corner of Livingston Ave. and Sunset Ln. in Lutz and is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit VIPPestControlLLC.com or call 234-8888.