How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to find the right one to meet your needs. Things you may consider include licensing and qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains minimum standards of competency for pesticide applicators, but licensing is overseen at the state level. All pesticide applicators and their supervisors in Florida need to be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can obtain optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro. These are not required, but can help you evaluate the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification indicates comprehensive and effective pest control methods that are safer for people and the environment.
A pest control company can also obtain membership in professional organizations. A pest control company can join both state-level organizations and national organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). While not mandatory, membership in these organizations helps prove a company's reputability and gives it access to education, resources, and a network of other professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A company's years in business can indicate how much experience it has handling pests in your area. You can also explore its website or peruse customer reviews to determine whether it has adequate experience with the species of pests you are looking to get rid of. If this information is not available online, contacting a representative directly is a great way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can browse reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, view a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status through the Florida 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, the type of pest being treated, your location, 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 see if it offers a guarantee of satisfaction.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be affected by how environmentally friendly a provider's practicesare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Your pest control provider should be using pesticides that are low toxicity or non-toxic whenever possible. If they plan to use pesticides that don't fall into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions they will put in place to protect your family, your pets, and you. Pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies will start with more environmentally friendly treatment methods before using pesticides, using a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
