How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to find the right one to meet your needs. Along with a company's qualifications and treatment methods, you may also look into how long it has been in business and what the reviews are like. Finally, you'll likely want to consider the cost of services.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
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 their supervisors need to be certified at the state level. The EPA does set minimum standards of competency, but all Minnesota pesticide applicators should be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies also have the option to obtain additional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is awarded once a company has shown that its treatment methods are more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also maintains certain other standards, such as up-to-date employee training. A company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support its practices and methods.
Pest control experts can also belong to professional organizations. Being a member of organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not required, but helps show that a company is reputable. Membership in the NPMA gives companies access to education, resources, and a network of other professionals with whom to discuss methods and practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's level of pest management experience by looking at how many years it has been in operation. The company's website and local reviews can also tell you whether a company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can contact the company directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, look up a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status through the Minnesota licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the main deciding factors when picking a company for pest control. Cost can be influenced by factors like the size of your house, your location, and the type of pest being treated.
You can take into consideration whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what kind of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if your pest problem isn't fixed by its treatment, it will continue to treat until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be affected by how environmentally friendly a provider's practicesare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Make sure to ask your pest control technician if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they are going to use. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician will be able to provide you with information about all chemicals that they plan to use.
Treatment Methods
Many companies have started offering options for more eco-friendly pest control solutions before moving to harsh pesticides.
One popular method for making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control as needed.
