How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Choosing the best pest control treatment plan for you is key. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as are its years of experience and what other customers have said. Of course, you will also want to consider cost.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency for pesticide applicators, licensure is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Missouri should be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can optionally apply for certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro in order to verify 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. A company that receives this certification also needs to maintain certain training standards for employees.
Pest control companies can also belong to various professional organizations. Membership in 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, in addition to a network of professionals with whom to compare best practices. Joining organizations like these is not mandatory, but it can help show that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in business and what type of pests it specializes in exterminating. Online reviews can also give you some insight into a company's experience dealing with a specific pest. If this information isn't available online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and social media or local review sites. You can also check with Missouri's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, 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), as well as what kind of guarantees it offers. 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 company might be affected by how environmentally friendly a company's pest control management solutionsare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Your pest control provider should be using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides when possible. If they plan to use pesticides that don't fit into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions they plan to use to protect your family, your pets, and you. Any pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are making the switch to using more natural and greener treatment methods before, or instead of, harsh chemical pesticides. Some use a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the 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 controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control methods as needed.
