How To Choose a Pest Control Company
There are several things you can weigh when choosing the best pest control treatment planfor you. You may consider a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and price of services.
Below, we explore the details of 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 need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA has established minimum standards of competency, and the Missouri regulatory agencies handle the issuing, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations. These certifications can help you evaluate the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification is given to companies that use comprehensive and effective pest control methods that are safer for humans and the environment.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain professional organizations. Holding membership in organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not required, but helps verify a company's reputability. When a pest control company joins the NPMA, it gains access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to discuss methods and practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A company's years in business can indicate how much experience it has dealing with various pests in Wildwood. You can also explore its website or peruse customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the type of pests you are struggling with. If you cannot find this information online, getting in touch with a company representative is a great way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can read reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, verify a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status 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), as well as what type of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not take care of your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important consideration when choosing a pest control provider. You might also prefer one that employs environmentally friendly practices.
Safety
You want to ensure that you understand the precautions around pesticides being used around your home, for the sake of your family, your pets, and yourself. Your pest control technician should be able to provide information about all pesticides they plan on using, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be used. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Companies often begin with more environmentally friendly treatment methods before using pesticides, using a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control as needed.
