How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to make sure that you find the right one to meet your needs. You may consider a pest control company's qualifications and treatment methods as well as its customer reviews and years of experience. And of course, there's the cost of services to consider.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
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 those that supervise them need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA maintains minimum standards of competency, and the Kentucky regulatory agencies handle the issuing, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can receive optional certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations in order to back up its methods and standards. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is granted to any company that can demonstrate that its methods are more eco-friendly. These companies also need to maintain certain employee training standards.
Pest control companies can also become members of professional organizations. A pest control company can obtain membership in state-level organizations as well as national organizations like 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
You can gain some insight into a company's level of pest management experience by looking at how long it has been in business. Local reviews and the company's own website can also tell you whether a company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can always reach out to a representative directly to learn this information if it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can be used to verify a company's legitimacy include social media, local review sites, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also confirm the status of a company's license via the Kentucky licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the most important factors when hiring for pest control services. Cost can be affected by factors like the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and your location.
You can take into consideration whether a certain company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what sort of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if its treatment doesn't resolve your pest problem, it will continue to come back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When it comes to picking 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 an environmentally-conscious provider.
Safety
All pesticides that will be used (except those that pose only a minimum risk) are required to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control expert should be able to provide you with information on every pesticide they are using. They should inform you whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions will be in place.
Treatment Methods
Nowadays, many companies are exploring greener and cleaner pest control solutions that can be used before (or in place 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 whether 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 if needed, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control as needed.
