How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The first step is selecting the right pest control company for the job. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as well as its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you also want to think about cost.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, but licensing is handled at the state level. All pesticide applicators and supervisors in North Carolina need to be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies also have the option to obtain additional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is given once a company has proven that its treatment methods are more environmentally 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 QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further verify its practices and methods.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain professional organizations. Membership in organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not required, but helps verify a company's reputability. The NPMA gives companies access to resources, education, and a network of professionals with whom to discuss practices and methods.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a pest control company's experience level by looking at how many years it has been in business. The company's website and local reviews can also clue you in as to whether a certain company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests that are afflicting your home. You can always call the company directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using social media or local review sites as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with North Carolina's licensing board to verify the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors can all influence the cost of pest control.
You can find out whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what type of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not solve your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when choosing a pest control expert. You might also prefer a provider who uses more natural, eco-friendly pest control management.
Safety
You can ask your pest control expert if they plan on using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they will take. Any pesticide that presents above a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should provide information about all pesticides to be used, and how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Many companies have started offering options for more eco-friendly solutions before relying on harsh pesticides.
One common way of making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
