How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is choosing the right pest control company for the job. Important decision-making factors can include a company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency for pesticide applicators, licensure is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Illinois need to be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that may be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to earn this certification, a pest control company must both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain technician training standards. Companies can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up their work.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain professional organizations. While not mandatory, 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 share best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The number of years that a pest control company has been in business can shed some light on its experience dealing with various pests. Customer reviews or the company's website itself can also help you figure out whether it has the experience needed to handle your specific pest problem. If the answers to your questions aren't available online, reaching out to the company directly is an excellent way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using local review sites or social media as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Illinois' licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the main deciding factors when picking a company for pest control services. Cost can be determined by factors like the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and your location.
You can think about whether a specific company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), and what kind of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if your pest problem isn't fixed by its treatment, it will continue to treat until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When it comes to 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 an eco-friendly provider.
Safety
Your pest control expert should be able to explain the safety precautions of any pesticides that they're going to use. They should be able to explain whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not what safety precautions they will put in place to protect your family, your pets, and you. Any pesticides that pose greater than a minimum risk must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now trialing options for more environmentally friendly methods of pest control before relying on harsh pesticides.
One common method for making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
