How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Hiring the best company for you is the most important step in the pest control process. In addition to a company's qualifications and treatment methods, you might also consider how long it has been in business and what the reviews are like. Finally, you'll likely want to consider the cost of services.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and those that supervise them need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA maintains minimum competency standards, and the California regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that may be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to earn this certification, a pest control company must both show that its practices are more eco-friendly and uphold certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up their work.
There are various professional organizations that pest control companies can be members of. While not mandatory, membership in organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help to prove a company's reputability. After joining an organization like the NPMA, a company receives access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how many years it has been in business and what species of pests it specializes in exterminating. Local reviews can also offer some insight into a company's experience dealing with specific pests. If you can't find this information online, you can try contacting the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, view a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check the status of its license through the California licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
It's important to think about cost when hiring someone for pest control. Cost can be influenced by the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, your location, and other factors.
Often, companies will offer free on-site estimates before starting work, to help you decide whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether a provider offers a satisfaction guarantee, meaning that it will continue to treat your pest problem until it is solved.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how environmentally friendly a company's pest control servicesare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Ask your pest control provider if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they plan to take. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals must be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should be able to provide information about all pesticides they plan on using.
Treatment Methods
Nowadays, many companies are exploring greener and cleaner pest control solutions that can be used before (or in place 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 if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always along with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
