How To Choose a Pest Control Company
There are several factors that you can weigh when selecting the right pest control treatment planfor you. You may 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?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, should be licensed via the appropriate New Hampshire regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
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 awarded once a company has proven its methods to be more eco-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 back up its practices and methods.
Pest control companies can also become members of professional organizations. While not required, membership in organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help verify a company's reputability. In the NPMA and other organizations, pest control companies have access to education, resources, and a network of other professionals with whom to discuss best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's level of experience by looking into how long it has been in operation. The company's website and local reviews can also inform you whether a certain company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can always contact the company directly to learn this information if it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can read reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, view a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or check the status of its license through the New Hampshire licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, your location, and other factors can all affect the cost of pest control.
You can look into whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what kind of guarantees it has. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not eliminate your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
It's important to consider safety when choosing a pest control company, and you might prefer a provider who uses more natural, environmentally friendly pest control solutions.
Safety
Ask your pest control expert 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. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to provide information about all of the pesticides they plan to use.
Treatment Methods
Nowadays, many companies are exploring greener and cleaner pest control solutions that can be used before (or instead of) chemical pesticides. Many are following the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and provide additional pest control as needed.
