How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Choosing the best pest control treatment for you is important. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as well as its years of experience and what other customers have said. Of course, you also want to think about cost.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, need to be licensed via the appropriate California regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established 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 that a company show that its practices are environmentally friendly and that its employees receive up-to-date training. Trade organizations such as QualityPro offer additional certifications. These are not required, but can help show that a pest control company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. Being a member of organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not mandatory, but helps verify a company's reputability. When a pest control company joins the NPMA, it gains access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to discuss practices and methods.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Browsing a pest control company's website can tell you how many years it has been in operation and what species of pests it specializes in eliminating. Local reviews can also offer some insight into a company's experience dealing with a specific pest. If this information isn't available online, you can try contacting the company directly.
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 verify the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
The cost of pest control can vary based on things like the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should confirm whether a company includes free on-site estimates as part of its process. This can help determine whether the company fits into your budget. Also consider a company's guarantees: If the problem is not fixed, or if it returns, will the company provide additional treatments until the problem is resolved satisfactorily?
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be affected by how environmentally friendly a company's practicesare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what precautionary measures they plan to take. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician will be able to provide information about all of the pesticides that they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now trialing options for more environmentally friendly methods of pest control before jumping into using harsh pesticides.
One common method for making pest control safer and greener 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 required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
