How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When picking a pest control company, you want to make sure that you find the best one for you. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and price of services.
Below, we dive into detail on each factor.
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 Michigan regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, while 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 optionally apply for certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to support its methods and standards. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is given to any company that can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. These companies also need to maintain certain training standards for employees.
Pest control companies can also become members of various professional organizations. When a company obtains membership in an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it receives access to education, resources, and a network of other pest control experts with whom to compare treatment methods. This can offer added peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The amount of time that a company has been in business can give you some insight into its experience dealing with various pests. Online reviews or the company's own website can also enlighten you about whether it has the experience necessary to eliminate the particular pests that are plaguing you. 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 view a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, explore reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the Michigan licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when hiring someone for pest control. Cost can be affected by your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors.
Many companies offer free on-site estimates as part 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
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how eco-friendly a company's pest control management solutionsare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
You will want to understand the precautions for the pesticides used around your house, for the sake of you, your family, and your pets. Your pest control expert should be capable of providing information about the pesticides they plan on using, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures they have in place. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) should be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
It is now common for companies to begin with more environmentally friendly options before employing harsh pesticides, following a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- 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 when required, and always with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control as needed.
