How To Choose a Pest Control Company
There are a number of things that you can consider when selecting the best pest control expertfor you. Some things you might consider include qualifications and licensing, 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 Indiana regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can receive optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro in order to support its standards and methods. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is granted when a company can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. Companies that receive this certification also need to maintain certain employee training standards.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. When a company becomes a member of 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 extra peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at a pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in operation and what species of pests it specializes in eliminating. Local reviews can also give you some insight into a company's experience dealing with a certain type of pest. If this information isn't available online, you can try contacting the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), explore reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the Indiana licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
It's important to think about cost when hiring someone for pest control. Cost can be influenced by the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
Companies will often offer free on-site estimates before starting work, to help you decide whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether if your company has a satisfaction guarantee, meaning that it will continue to treat your pest problem until it is solved.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how eco-friendly a provider's pest control management solutionsare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
All pesticides that will be used (except those that are determined to be of minimal risk) are required to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control expert should be able to supply information on every pesticide they plan to use. They should be able to tell you whether these chemicals are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions will be taken.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now exploring more environmentally friendly pest control solutions that can be used before (or instead of) chemical pesticides. Many follow 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 biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control as needed.
