How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The first step is choosing the best pest control company for the job. Factors 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?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, must be licensed via the appropriate Illinois regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, while providing, maintaining, and revoking licensing is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is awarded once a company has shown that its treatment methods are more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also maintains 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 practices and methods.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various 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 professionals with whom to compare methods. This can offer added peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's level of experience by finding out how many years it has been in operation. The company's website and local reviews can also clue you in as to whether a company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can call the company directly to learn this information if it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, look up a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or check the status of its license through the Illinois licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is often a deciding factor when picking a pest control company. Cost may be determined by your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors.
Certain pest control companies offer a free on-site estimate to help you decide if it fits into your budget. You can also see if it offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When choosing a pest control provider, you want to choose a company that will help keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer a provider that is eco-friendly.
Safety
You want to ensure that you understand the precautions for the pesticides being used in your house, for the sake of you, your family, and your pets. Your pest control expert should provide information about any pesticides they plan to use, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be used. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many pest control companies are making the switch to using more natural and eco-friendly treatment methods before (or in place of) harsh chemical pesticides. Some follow a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control as needed.
