How To Choose a Pest Control Company
There are a number of factors you can take into consideration when choosing the right pest control professionalfor you. You might take into consideration a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and price 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 are required to be certified at the state level. The EPA does set minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Florida need to be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies also have the option to obtain additional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is granted once a company has proven its methods to be more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further verify its methods and practices.
Pest control companies can also belong to various professional organizations. Pest control companies can join state-level organizations in addition to national organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). By being a member of these optional organizations, a company helps support its reputability and gains access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
For the most part, a company displays information like its years of experience and specialities on its website. Local reviews can also tell you whether a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to locate the information you need online, you can call the company directly to get your questions answered.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can browse reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, verify a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check the status of its license through the Florida licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
It's important to think about cost when hiring someone for pest control. Cost can be affected by the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
Often, companies will offer free on-site estimates before starting work, to help you determine whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether a company offers a satisfaction guarantees, meaning that it will continue to treat your pest problem until it is solved.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be influenced by how environmentally friendly a provider's pest control management solutionsare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Your pest technician should use pesticides that are low toxicity or non-toxic when possible. If they plan to use pesticides that don't fit into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions they plan to use to protect you, your family, and your pets. All pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest technician will start with lower-toxicity and more eco-friendly treatment methods before employing 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 determine if immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always along with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and provide additional pest control as needed.
