How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The first step is hiring the best pest control professional for the job. A company's qualifications and pest treatment methods are important to consider, as are its years of experience and reputation in customer reviews. Of course, you will 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) has set minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, but licensure is regulated at the state level. All pesticide applicators and their supervisors in North Dakota 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 awarded once a company has proven its methods to be more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date employee training. A company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support its methods and practices.
Pest control companies can also belong to various professional organizations. When a company becomes a member of an organization such as the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gains access to resources, education, and a network of other pest professionals with whom to compare treatment methods. This can offer extra peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
In general, a company displays information like its years of experience and specialities on its website. Online reviews can also help you determine if a company has experience dealing with a particular pest in your area. If you're unable to locate the information you need online, you can call the company directly to get your questions answered.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources you can use to check a company's reputation include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), social media, and local review sites. Additionally, you can confirm the status of a company's license through the North Dakota 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 offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget) and what sort of guarantees it has. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not resolve your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be affected by how eco-friendly a company's pest control servicesare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
You will want to understand the precautions for the pesticides being used around your home, for the sake of your family, your pets, and yourself. Your pest control expert should provide information about all pesticides they plan to use, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be in place. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Companies often start 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:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and provide additional pest control as needed.
Common Household Pests in Bismarck
Some pests are more common in Bismarck, and these are the ones to keep an eye out for. Some of these include the following:
- Bees: Your local pest control professional can help get rid of bees around your house (some even are able to safely relocate hives). You might be especially eager to have bees' nests removed if someone in your household has an allergy.
- Ants: Whether they are larger carpenter ants or smaller soils ants, these bugs can be found in most areas of North Dakota. Carpenter ants can pose a more urgent issue than their smaller counterparts by causing damage to your home.
- Bed bugs: Bed bugs may be found throughout North Dakota and can cause major problems if left untreated. Because infestations of bed bugs can be hard to get rid of, we recommend hiring a professional exterminator as soon as you discover the problem. Bed bugs can infest furniture, wallpaper, bedsheets, and more.
- Spiders: Spiders usually prefer dark and damp places and are commonly found in basements or attics.
