How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to find the best one to meet your needs. You may consider a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost of services.
Below, we dive into detail on each factor.
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 those that supervise them need to be certified at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Connecticut should be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can also obtain optional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is awarded once a company has proven that its treatment methods are more eco-friendly and demonstrated that it also maintains certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up its practices and methods.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain professional organizations. Being a member of organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not mandatory, but helps verify a company's reputability. The NPMA gives companies access to education, resources, and a network of professionals with whom to discuss practices and methods.
Professional Experience and Specialties
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 provide some insight into a company's experience dealing with specific pests. If this information isn't available online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, verify a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check the status of its license through the Connecticut licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the main deciding factors when looking for pest control services. Cost can be determined by factors like your location, the type of pest being treated, and the size of your house.
You can take into consideration whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what kind of guarantees are provided. Often, a company will guarantee that if its treatment doesn't resolve your pest problem, it will continue to come back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
It's important to consider safety when choosing a pest control provider, and you might prefer a provider who employs more natural, environmentally friendly methods.
Safety
You want to ensure that you understand the precautions for the pesticides being used in your home, for the sake of your family, your pets, and yourself. Your pest control technician should be capable of providing information about the pesticides they will be using, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be in place. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are making the switch to using more natural and environmentally friendly treatment methods before (or in place of) harsh chemical pesticides. Some follow a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). 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 mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always along with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control treatments as needed.
