As a realtor serving Delaware County, I spend a lot of time thinking about what makes a community worth putting down roots in. It's not just the housing stock or the school ratings, it's the people and the businesses that show up, year after year, and treat their neighbors like they actually matter. That's exactly why I want to take a moment to talk about Ken and the team at Bug Away Exterminating And Termite Control Co., a pest control service that has quietly become one of the most trusted names in Delaware County. And not because of flashy marketing, but because of the kind of integrity that is genuinely rare.
A Business Born Right Here
Ken started Bug Away in the spring of 1995, after spending years learning the trade from the ground up with small family-owned companies in and around Ridley Park. He tried the corporate route once (Terminix) and lasted about six months before realizing that model wasn't for him.
What Ken wanted was something he could build on his own terms, something where the work actually meant something. He scraped together enough to buy a used Toyota pickup truck from his former employer, paid it off over a year, and launched Bug Away with every piece of equipment that came with it. That origin story tells you a lot about who Ken is.
Nearly three decades later, he still has residential clients from the neighborhoods where he grew up. Some of them have been with him for 30 years. When Ken walks through the door, they hug him. That doesn't happen by accident: it happens because he has spent decades showing up on time, telling people the truth, and treating their homes the way he would want his own home treated.
More Than Just a Pest Control Company
One thing that stands out about Bug Away is how Ken talks about his senior citizen clients. He offers them discounts without being asked, takes extra time with them, and simply listens - even when listening isn't technically part of the job. He doesn't advertise this. He doesn't make a big deal of it. It's just what he believes is right. In a world where a lot of service businesses are racing to scale and automate, that kind of quiet generosity is worth recognizing.
His approach to the work itself reflects the same values. Ken follows a philosophy of integrated pest management: applying only what is needed, where it is needed, and when it is needed. No unnecessary treatments, no scare tactics, no pressuring clients into service agreements they don't need. If a homeowner just needs a one-time service, that's exactly what they get. He is honest about what pest control can and cannot do, because he believes the truth builds more trust than a convenient promise ever could.
Deeply Woven Into the Local Business Community
What many people don't know about Ken is that his connection to Delaware County goes well beyond his residential route. Over the years, long-time clients who are local real estate investors brought Ken into their network and helped him learn how to purchase properties through estate auctions, short sales, and foreclosures. That kind of relationship, where a service provider becomes a trusted enough partner to be invited into someone's investment strategy - doesn't come from a business transaction. It comes from years of loyalty, honesty, and showing up.
As a realtor, I work alongside a lot of vendors, and I can tell you that the ones who truly understand the pace and pressure of real estate are irreplaceable. Ken gets it. His team has turned around termite certifications and full treatment documentation on the day of settlement, so that buyers and sellers can close without delay. He knows how high the stakes are, and he responds accordingly.
His core team includes Anthony Giorgio, a licensed and experienced technician who has been with Bug Away for about eight years and handles termite work, bedbug treatments, and stinging insects, and Ryan Farrow, a newly licensed technician who Ken trained personally from the ground up. The fact that Ken chose to invest in developing someone with no prior exterminating experience: training him exactly right rather than undoing old habits, says everything about how he approaches his business.
A Genuine Recommendation from a Fellow Delaware County Business
If you are a homeowner, a renter, a property manager, or a fellow real estate professional in Delaware County, I encourage you to reach out to Bug Away Exterminating And Termite Control Co. Ken has earned his reputation one honest conversation, one thorough treatment, and one loyal client at a time. That is exactly the kind of business I am proud to recommend.
You can reach Bug Away Exterminating And Termite Control Co. by visiting bugawayexterminating.com or by calling their office directly. Tell them Ursula sent you.