How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The first step is choosing the right pest control company for the job. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we explore the details of each factor.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, need to be licensed via the appropriate Florida regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
An optional certification that could be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to earn this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain technician training standards. Companies can earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up their work.
There are various professional organizations that a pest control company can belong to. A pest control company can join both state-level organizations and 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 with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
In general, a company displays information like years of experience and specialities on its website. Online reviews can also tell you whether a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to find the information you need online, you can contact a company representative directly to get your questions answered.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can help you verify a company's reputation include local review sites, social media, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Additionally, you can confirm the status of a company's license through the Florida licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
The cost of pest control can vary based on things like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should confirm whether a company provides 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 returns, will the company provide additional treatments until the issue is satisfactorily resolved?
Safety and Treatment Methods
When it comes to choosing a pest control provider, you want to choose one that will help keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer a provider that is eco-friendly.
Safety
All pesticides used by your company (except those that are classified as minimum-risk) are required to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control technician should supply information on each pesticide they plan to use. They should be able to tell you whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions will be in place.
Treatment Methods
Companies looking to reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides often follow practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM involves a series of steps:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
