How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is picking the best pest control professional for the job. You might consider 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?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and those that supervise them must be certified at the state level. The EPA does set minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in New York must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is given 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 training for employees. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support its practices and methods.
A pest control company can also belong to certain professional organizations. When a company joins an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it receives access to resources, education, and a network of other pest experts with whom to compare treatment methods. This can give you extra peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
How long a pest control company has been in business can give you some insight into its experience dealing with the pests that live in Freeport. Customer reviews or the company's own website can also enlighten you about whether it has the experience needed to deal with your particular pests. If you cannot find the answers to your questions online, speaking with a representative is an excellent way to learn about the company's areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can view a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, read reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the New York 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 influence the cost of pest control.
You can learn whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget) and what kind of guarantees it provides. 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
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, your children, your pets, and the environment may influence the provider and the treatment methods you choose.
Safety
You will want to understand the precautions for the pesticides being used around your home, for the sake of you, your family, and your pets. Your pest control expert should be able to provide information about the pesticides they plan to use, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures they have in place. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your technician will start with eco-friendly and lower-toxicity methods before trying harsher chemicals.
Many companies now use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to eliminate pests while reducing personal and environmental risks. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
