How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and price of services.
Below, we dive into detail on 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, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensing is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can earn the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires a company to show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and that its employee training is up to date. Trade organizations such as QualityPro offer other certifications. These are not required, but can help show that a company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. 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 other professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
For the most part, a company displays information like years of experience and specialities on its website. Local reviews can also inform you as to whether a company has experience dealing with a particular pest in your area. If you're unable to locate the information you need online, you can call the company directly to get your questions answered.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and local review sites or social media. You can also check with California's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Pest control costs can vary based on things like your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors.
When considering the cost of services, you should first look into whether a company includes free on-site estimates as part of its process. This can inform you whether the company fits into your budget. Also look into a company's guarantees: If the problem is not resolved, or returns, will the company provide additional treatment until the problem is satisfactorily resolved?
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, any children or pets, and the environment may influence the provider and the treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Your pest control provider should use pesticides that are low toxicity or non-toxic when possible. If any pesticides used don't fit into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions they will put in place to protect your family, your pets, and you. Any pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now exploring greener and cleaner pest management that can be implemented before (or instead of) chemical pesticides. Many are following the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether 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.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
