How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. Important decision-making factors include a company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, must be licensed via the appropriate Florida regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, but providing, maintaining, and revoking licensing is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can earn the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are more eco-friendly and that its employee training is up to date. QualityPro and similar trade organizations also offer additional certifications. These are not required, but can help demonstrate that a pest control company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain professional organizations. While not mandatory, membership in organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help demonstrate a company's reputability. After joining an organization like the NPMA, a company receives access to education, resources, and a network of other professionals with whom to share best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Browsing a pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in business and what type of pests it specializes in eliminating. Online reviews can also give you some insight into a company's experience dealing with a certain type of pest. If this information isn't available online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can help you verify a company's reputation include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), local review sites, and social media. You can also verify the status of a company's license via the Florida licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when hiring a pest control company. Cost can be influenced by your location, the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
Many companies offer free on-site estimates at the beginning of their process, to help you decide whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether a provider offers a satisfaction guarantee, meaning that it will continue to treat your pest problem until it is solved.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, your children, your pets, and the environment can affect the provider and the treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control technician if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they plan to take. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals must be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to provide information about all of the pesticides they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now exploring more environmentally friendly pest control solutions that can be used before (or in place of) chemical pesticides. Many are following the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and implement additional pest control as needed.
