How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The first step is hiring the right pest control professional for the job. You may consider a pest control company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its customer reviews and years of experience. And of course, there's the cost of services to consider.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and their supervisors must be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, and the California regulatory agencies take care of the issuing, 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. To obtain 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 also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up their work.
Pest control companies can also become members of professional organizations. Companies can belong to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), or state-level organizations. Membership in the NPMA provides companies with access to resources, education, and a network of other pest professionals. While not mandatory, membership in professional organizations helps back up a company's reputability.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a pest company's level of experience by seeing how many years it has been in business. The company's website and local reviews can also let you know whether a certain company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests that are afflicting your home. You can contact the company directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can view a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), look for reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the California licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is an important consideration when picking a pest control company. Cost may be determined by the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
A pest control company may offer a free on-site estimate to help you match services to your budget. You can also look at whether it offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, your children, your pets, and the environment might influence which provider and treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Make sure to ask your pest control technician if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they plan to take. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should be able to supply you with information about all of the pesticides that they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
Many pest control companies are now exploring more environmentally friendly 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:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
