How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to find the right one for you. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as are its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you also want to consider cost.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators (and those that supervise them) need to be certified at the state level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, but any pesticide applicators working in California must be licensed via the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
An optional certification that could be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to earn this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain technician training standards. Companies can also obtain other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further support their work.
Pest control companies can also become members of various professional organizations. Companies can be members of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), or state-level organizations. Membership in the NPMA gives companies access to education, resources, and a network of other pest control companies. While not required, membership in professional organizations helps demonstrate a company's reputability.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's level of experience by looking into how long it has been in operation. The company's website and local reviews can also inform you whether a company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can contact a representative directly to learn this information if it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using local review sites or social media as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with California's licensing board to verify the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors can all influence the price of pest control.
You can find out whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what type of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not resolve your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important consideration when selecting a pest control provider. You may also prefer a provider that uses eco-friendly treatment methods.
Safety
Ask your pest control provider if they are going to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that poses greater than minimum risk must be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to provide information about all pesticides that will be used in your home, as well as how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest control provider will start with more eco-friendly and lower-toxicity methods before employing harsher chemicals.
Many companies now use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to treat pest infestations with minimal personal or environmental risk. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
