How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When selecting a pest control professional, there are a number of factors you can consider to be sure you choose the right one for you. 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. Last but not least, you'll likely want to look at the cost of services.
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 their supervisors need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum competency standards, and the Missouri 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 also obtain optional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is granted once a company has shown its methods to be more eco-friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date employee training. A company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up its practices and methods.
A pest control company can also belong to certain professional organizations. When a company becomes a member of an organization such as the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gets access to education, resources, and a network of other pest professionals with whom to compare treatment methods. This can offer additional peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can look at a pest control company's years in business to help determine how much experience it has dealing with common pests in St. Charles. You can also browse its website or read customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the type of pests you are dealing with. If this information is not available online, contacting a representative directly is a great way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources you can use to check a company's reputation include social media, local review sites, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Additionally, you can confirm the status of a company's license through the Missouri licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors can all affect the cost of pest control.
You can find out whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget) and what sort of guarantees it has. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not solve your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When it comes to picking a pest control provider, you want to choose a company that will keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You may also prefer an environmentally-conscious provider.
Safety
Your pest control expert should be able to explain the safety precautions of any pesticides that they're going to use. They should be able to clarify whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not what safety precautions they will put in place to protect you, your family, and your pets. All pesticides that pose greater than a minimum risk need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are using options for more environmentally friendly methods of pest control before employing harsh pesticides.
One common method for making pest control safer and more eco-friendly is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always along with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and implement additional pest control as needed.
