How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is picking the best pest control professional for the job. You might take into consideration a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we dive into detail on each factor.
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 must be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, and the Minnesota regulatory agencies handle the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
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 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. Companies that receive this certification also need to maintain certain training standards for employees.
Pest control experts can also hold membership in professional organizations. Joining an organization such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization grants a pest control company access to education and resources, as well as a network of professionals with whom to compare best practices. Joining one of these organizations is not required, but it can help show that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Browsing a pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in operation and what kind of pests it specializes in eliminating. Local reviews can also give you some insight into a company's experience dealing with specific pests. If you can't find this information online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can view a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), browse reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the Minnesota licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors can all influence the cost of pest control.
You can find out whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what type of guarantees it has. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not take care of your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be influenced by how eco-friendly a company's pest control servicesare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what precautionary measures they plan to take. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals must be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should be able to provide you with information about all of the pesticides they plan to use.
Treatment Methods
Pest control professionals looking to reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides often implement procedures such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM involves a series of steps:
- Identify problem pests and assess whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control as needed.
