How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is choosing the best pest control company for the job. You might consider a company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, there is also the cost of services to consider.
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, need to be licensed via the appropriate Michigan regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensing is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is granted once a company has shown that its treatment methods are more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further verify its practices and methods.
Pest control companies can also become members of professional organizations. Joining an organization such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization gives companies access to education and resources, as well as a professional network to compare best practices with. Joining organizations like these is not mandatory, but it can help indicate that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The amount of time that a pest control 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 inform you whether it has the skills and experience needed to deal with your particular pests. If the answers to your questions aren't available online, reaching out to the company directly is an easy way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can read reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, look up a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status through 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 influenced by the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, 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 if your pest problem is not solved by the initial treatment, it will continue returning until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When choosing a pest control provider, you want to select one that will help keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer an environmentally-conscious provider.
Safety
It's important to understand the precautions around pesticides used around your home, for the sake of your family, your pets, and yourself. Your pest control expert should be able to provide information about all pesticides they plan to use, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be in place. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your technician will start with lower-toxicity and more eco-friendly options before trying harsher chemicals.
Many companies are now using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to treat pest infestations with minimal personal or environmental risk. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always along with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
