How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to find the best one for you. You might consider a company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its customer reviews and years of experience. Of course, there is also the cost of services to consider.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
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 their supervisors must be licensed at the state level. The EPA has established minimum standards of competency, and the Illinois regulatory agencies handle 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 certifications 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.
Pest control companies can also belong to various professional organizations. Pest control companies can obtain membership in both state-level organizations and national organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). While not mandatory, membership in these organizations helps prove a company's reputability and gives it access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
How long a pest control company has been in business can shed some light on its experience dealing with pests in your area. Online reviews or the company's website itself can also inform you whether it has the experience necessary to handle your specific pest problem. If the answers to your questions aren't available online, contacting the company directly is a great way to learn about its areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look up a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), read reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the Illinois licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors can all affect the price of pest control.
You can find out 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 take care of your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important concern when selecting a pest control provider. You might also prefer a provider that employs environmentally friendly practices.
Safety
Your pest control expert should be able to discuss the safety of any and all pesticides they plan to use. They should be able to clarify whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic; if they are not, they should explain what safety precautions they will put in place to protect your family, your pets, and you. All pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Companies looking to reduce their use of chemical pesticides often follow practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM involves a series of steps:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
