How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, there are a number of factors that you can consider to make sure that you're choosing the best one for you. Some things you may 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?
According to 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 has established minimum competency standards, and the Michigan regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can obtain optional certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations. These certifications can help you evaluate the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification recognizes comprehensive and effective pest control treatment that is safer for people and the environment.
Pest control companies can also be members of certain professional organizations. A pest control company can obtain membership in state-level organizations as well as national organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). By being a member of these optional organizations, a company helps support its reputability and gains access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A company's years in business can indicate how much experience it has taking care of various pests. You can also browse its website or peruse customer reviews to determine whether it has adequate experience with the type of pests you are looking to get rid of. If you cannot find this information online, getting in touch with a company representative is a good way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look at a company's reviews and rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), explore local review sites and social media to see what others in your area have to say, or verify its license standing via the Michigan licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is probably high on your list of priorities when hiring a pest control company. Cost can be affected 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 at the beginning of their process, to help you determine whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether a company offers a satisfaction guarantees, meaning that if your pest problem is not solved by the initial treatment, it will continue returning until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
It's important to consider safety when selecting a pest control company, and you might prefer a provider who uses more natural, eco-friendly pest control management.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they are going to use. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider will be able to provide you with information about all pesticides that they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
Companies often start with more eco-friendly treatment methods before employing harsh pesticides, using a framework called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always along with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
