How To Choose a Pest Control Company
There are a number of factors that you can weigh when choosing the best pest control professionalfor you. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we explore the details of each factor.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, must be licensed via the appropriate California regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, while providing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that might be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To earn this certification, a pest control company must both show that its practices are more eco-friendly and maintain certain technician training standards. Companies can obtain other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up their work.
There are certain professional organizations that a pest control company can belong to. A pest control company can join both state-level organizations and national organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). While not mandatory, membership in these organizations helps prove a company's reputability and gives it access to resources, education, and a network of professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at a pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in operation and what species of pests it specializes in eliminating. Online reviews can also provide some insight into a company's experience dealing with specific pests. If you're unable to find this information online, you can try calling the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look at 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 California licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is an important consideration when choosing a pest control company. Cost may be determined by the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors.
A pest control company may offer a free on-site estimate to help you figure out if it fits into your budget. You can also see if it offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider 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 will want to understand the precautions for the pesticides used in your house, for the sake of your family, your pets, and yourself. Your pest control provider should be able to provide information about the pesticides they plan to use, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be in place. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
It is now common for companies to begin with more environmentally friendly treatment methods before employing pesticides, using a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control as needed.
