How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to make sure that you find the right one to meet your needs. You may consider a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we dive into detail on each factor.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators (and those who supervise them) must be certified at the state level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators working in Alabama should be licensed via the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can receive optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to verify its methods and standards. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is awarded to any company that can demonstrate that its methods are more eco-friendly. A company that receives this certification also needs to maintain certain training standards for employees.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. Companies can obtain membership in the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), or state-level organizations. Membership in the NPMA gives companies access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control companies. While not mandatory, membership in professional organizations helps back up a company's reputability.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at how long a pest control company has been in business can help determine how much experience it has handling pests in Phenix City. You can also explore its website or peruse customer reviews to determine whether it has adequate experience with the type of pests you are dealing with. If you cannot find this information online, contacting a representative directly is a great way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look up a company's reviews and rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), read social media and local review sites to find out what homeowners near you think, or verify its license standing through the Alabama licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors can all affect the price of pest control.
You can learn whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what kind of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not take care of your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how eco-friendly a company's pest control management solutionsare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
You should ask your pest control expert if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they plan to take. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider will be able to supply you with information about all of the pesticides they plan on using.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest control provider will start with lower-toxicity, more natural methods before trying harsher chemicals.
Many companies have started to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce personal or environmental risk when treating pest infestations. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always along with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
