The Things
Living In
Your Walls.
Chicago's century-old infrastructure — balloon-frame walls, shared utility chases, aging radiators — creates ideal conditions for German cockroaches, Norway rats, and bed bugs. We know every hiding place.
Rat complaints filed with Chicago 311 in one year
Rise in bed bug reports since 2021 — Chicago ranked #1 in the nation
Cockroaches in a single untreated colony behind your walls
The Tenant That Never Pays Rent.
Blattella germanica — Chicago's most persistent building resident.
German cockroaches exploit Chicago's shared utility chases and aging plaster walls to spread between units in multi-family buildings. A single female produces up to 400 offspring in her lifetime. Heating systems maintained at 65–70°F create year-round breeding conditions. Their shed exoskeletons and fecal matter trigger asthma in children — a documented public health crisis in Cook County.
50–60 days
Egg to adult
30,000+
Colony size
BlaG1 & BlaG2
Allergen trigger
Heated buildings
Year-round threat
Trust & Authority
After six months of failed DIY attempts across three units, Exterminate cleared our entire building in two treatments. Zero callbacks in eight months.
Diane Kowalski
Property Manager, 48-unit Logan Square
Illinois Dept. of Public Health
Licensed Pest Management Professional — Category 7B Commercial
German cockroach allergens are present in 78% of urban apartments — the primary asthma trigger for Chicago children.
Found evidence in the pantry after the first frost. They were here the next morning, found the entry point, sealed it, and treated the whole wall cavity.
Marcus Okonkwo
Homeowner, Wrightwood Ave
Forty Thousand Complaints. One Solution.
Rattus norvegicus — threading through century-old balloon-frame walls.
Chicago filed over 50,000 rat complaints in a single year. West Town and Logan Square consistently rank highest. Norway rats exploit the voids in balloon-frame construction — vertical wall cavities running floor to roof with no fireblocking — that define most of Chicago's pre-war housing stock. When temperatures drop below 40°F, entire colonies relocate from alleys into basements within 48 hours. Chicago has spent over $80 million on rat control since 2019. The problem isn't slowing down.
50,173
2024 complaints
$14M/yr
City budget
30+
Diseases carried
½ inch
Entry gap needed
Trust & Authority
We had tenants threatening to break leases. Exterminate did a full structural assessment, identified three entry points in the foundation, and eliminated the colony. No complaints since.
Tomasz Wiśniewski
Portfolio Manager, 6 buildings
Chicago Association of Realtors
Preferred Vendor Partner — Residential & Commercial Pest Management
West Town ranked #1 of 77 neighborhoods for rodent service requests 2019–2024.
Health department was coming Saturday. Called Thursday night. They responded Friday morning, cleared the issue, and we passed with zero violations.
Priya Venkataraman
Owner, West Randolph Restaurant
Riding the Blue Line Home.
Cimex lectularius — Chicago's most-traveled uninvited guest.
For the fifth consecutive year, Chicago ranks #1 on Orkin's national bed bug list. Bed bugs travel in luggage, winter coats, and secondhand furniture — spreading through the Blue Line corridor and into Gold Coast high-rises with equal indifference. A single female deposits up to 500 eggs in her lifetime. During the day they hide in mattress seams, behind electrical outlets, and inside picture frames. Heat treatment at 120°F eliminates all life stages — including eggs — without chemicals.
#1 — 5 yrs
National rank
Up to 500
Eggs per female
Months
Survival without host
120°F
Heat kill temp
Trust & Authority
Three units affected after a tenant returned from travel. Exterminate heat-treated all three in one day. Board had zero complaints from residents about the process.
Sandra Fitzgerald
HOA President, Lake Shore Drive
Chicago has ranked #1 on the national bed bug list for five consecutive years.
NPMA
National Pest Management Association — QualityPro Certified
I manage 12 short-term units in Lincoln Park. After one incident, I put Exterminate on retainer. Quarterly inspections, immediate response. My reviews haven't dropped since.
Aisha Nwosu
Short-Term Rental Manager, 12 units
The Record
Speaks.
847 verified Google reviews. Average 4.9 stars. Property managers, restaurant owners, and Lincoln Park homeowners — all with the same story.
"I had a health inspection at 10am Saturday. They were at my door Friday at 7am. We passed. That's the whole story."
Rafael Domínguez
Owner · Fuego Cocina — West Randolph
"The droppings were in the pantry. By the time I called, they'd already mapped three probable entry points over the phone just from my description."
Jennifer Park
Homeowner · Lincoln Park, Wrightwood Ave
Licenses & Certifications
Illinois Dept. of Public Health
Licensed Cat. 7A & 7B
Chicago Association of Realtors
Preferred Vendor Partner
NPMA QualityPro
National Certification
Cook County Health
Registered Operator
BBB Accredited
A+ Rating Since 2011
EPA Certified
Pesticide Applicator
We'll Come
To You.
Enter your zip code and we'll surface the specific pest pressure in your neighborhood — then schedule a free inspection at your convenience.
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Same-day response for urgent situations. Standard quotes within 2 hours.