How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as are its years of experience and what other customers have said. Of course, you also want to consider cost.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, licensing is handled at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Arkansas should be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can also obtain optional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is given once a company has proven that its treatment methods are more eco-friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date employee training. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further support its methods and practices.
Pest control companies can also belong to professional organizations. While not required, membership in organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help demonstrate a company's reputability. In the NPMA and other organizations, pest control companies have access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to share best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how many years it has been in operation and what kind of pests it specializes in exterminating. Online reviews can also give you some insight into a company's experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to find this information online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can help you verify a company's reputation include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), local review sites, and social media. Additionally, you can check the status of a company's license via the Arkansas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when choosing a pest control company. Cost may be determined by your location, the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
Certain pest control companies offer a free on-site estimate to help you match services to your budget. You can also check to see if it offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when choosing a pest control company, and you might prefer a provider who uses more natural, environmentally friendly pest control services.
Safety
All pesticides used by your company (except those that are determined to be of minimal risk) are required to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control technician should provide information on all the pesticides that they plan to use. They should inform you whether these chemicals are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions they plan to take.
Treatment Methods
Many companies have started offering options for more environmentally friendly pest control solutions before employing harsh pesticides.
One popular method for making pest control safer and more eco-friendly is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always along with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
