How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to find the right one to meet your needs. You may consider a pest control company's qualifications and treatment methods as well as its years of experience and customer reviews. And of course, there's the cost of services to consider.
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 must be certified at the state level. The EPA does set minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in California need to be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One certification that pest control companies can earn is the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and that its employee training is up to date. 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 belong to certain professional organizations. While not mandatory, membership in organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help show 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
For the most part, a company displays information like years of experience and specialities on its website. Local reviews can also help you figure out if a company has experience dealing with a particular pest in your area. If you're unable to find the information you need online, you can reach out to the company directly to get your questions answered.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and social media or local review sites. You can also check with California's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the most important factors when picking a company for pest control services. Cost can be determined by factors like your location, the size of your house, and the type of pest being treated.
You can take into consideration whether a certain company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what kind of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if your pest problem isn't fixed by its treatment, it will continue to treat until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how environmentally friendly a company's practicesare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
You can ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that has been deemed above minimum risk must be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should supply information about all of the pesticides that will be used in your home, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Many companies will start with more eco-friendly solutions before using pesticides, following a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- 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 mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and continue with additional pest control as needed.
