How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is picking the best pest control professional for the job. You might 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?
Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and their supervisors need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum competency standards, and the Illinois regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies have the option to obtain certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro. These are not required, but can help you evaluate the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification is given to companies that use comprehensive and effective pest control treatment that is safer for humans and the environment.
A pest control company can also belong to various professional organizations. While not mandatory, membership in organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help to prove 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
For the most part, a company provides information like its specialities and years of experience on its website. Online reviews can also inform you as to whether a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to locate the information you need online, you can speak with a company representative directly to get the answers to your questions.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look up a company's rating and reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), check out local review sites and social media to hear what homeowners near you think, or verify its license standing via the Illinois licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors can all influence the price of pest control.
You can look into whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what sort of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not solve your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when selecting a pest control expert. You might also prefer a provider who employs more natural, eco-friendly pest control services.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if they will be using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that presents above a minimum risk must be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should be able to supply information about all of the pesticides that will be used in your home, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Many pest control companies are now exploring more eco-friendly pest control solutions that can be used before (or instead 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 if immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always along with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
