How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control professional, there are several factors you can consider to make sure you choose the best one for you. Some things you may consider include licensing and qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost.
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 their supervisors must be certified at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, but all Florida pesticide applicators need to be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is given once a company has shown that its treatment methods are more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date employee training. A company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up its methods and practices.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain professional organizations. When a company joins an organization such as the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it receives access to education, resources, and a network of other pest control professionals with whom to compare methods. This can offer additional peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Typically, a company provides information like its specialities and years of experience on its website. Local reviews can also inform you as to whether a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to locate the information you need online, you can speak with a company representative directly to get the answers to your questions.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using social media or local review sites as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Florida's licensing board to verify the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Pest control costs can vary based on things like your location, the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should try to determine whether a company includes free on-site estimates as part of its process. This can help determine whether the company fits into your budget. Also consider a company's guarantees: If the problem is not resolved, or if it returns, will the company provide additional treatment until the issue is satisfactorily handled?
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when deciding on a pest control expert, and you might prefer a provider who uses more natural, environmentally friendly treatment methods.
Safety
All pesticides (except those that are classified as minimum-risk) need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control expert should be able to supply information on all the pesticides that they are using. They should be able to tell you whether these chemicals are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions will be taken.
Treatment Methods
It is now common for companies to begin with more environmentally friendly options before employing pesticides, following a framework 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 required.
- 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 when absolutely necessary, and always along with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
