How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When picking a pest control company, you want to find the best one for you. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as well as its years of experience and what other customers have said. Of course, you also want to consider 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 need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA has established minimum competency standards, and the Florida regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
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 eco-friendly and that its employees receive up-to-date training. QualityPro and similar trade organizations also offer other 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 required, membership in organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help demonstrate a company's reputability. In the NPMA and other organizations, pest control companies have access to education, resources, and a network of other professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a pest control company's level of experience by seeing how long it has been in operation. The company's website and local reviews can also inform you whether a company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can reach out to a representative directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look up a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, browse reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the Florida licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the most important factors when hiring for pest control. Cost can be determined by factors like the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and your location.
You can look into whether a particular company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what sort 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
Your choice of pest control provider might be influenced by how eco-friendly a provider's practicesare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Your pest control expert should be able to discuss the safety of any and all pesticides they plan to use. They should be able to clarify whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic; if they are not, they should explain what safety precautions will be used to protect your family, your pets, and you. Any pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest control provider will start with more natural and lower-toxicity methods before trying harsher chemicals.
Many companies have begun to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to treat pest infestations with minimal personal or environmental risk. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and implement additional pest control as needed.
