How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is picking the best pest control company for the job. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we dive into detail on each factor.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the minimum standards of competency for pesticide application, licensure is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Indiana need to be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that could be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to obtain this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more eco-friendly and maintain certain technician training standards. Companies can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support their work.
Pest control companies can also join certain professional organizations. While not required, membership in organizations like 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 discuss best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The number of years that a pest control company has been in business can tell you something about its experience dealing with pests in your area. Customer reviews or the company's website itself can also enlighten you about whether it has the skills and experience necessary to handle your specific pest problem. If you can't find the information you need online, speaking with a representative is an excellent way to learn about the company's areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, look for reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the Indiana 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 cost 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 provides. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not take care of your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When 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
Be sure to ask your pest control technician if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they plan to take. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider will be able to provide you with information about all of the pesticides that they plan on using.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest control provider will begin with lower-toxicity and more eco-friendly treatment methods before using harsher chemicals.
Many companies are now using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to eliminate pests while reducing personal and environmental risks. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and provide additional pest control as needed.
