How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Hiring the best company for you is the most important step in the pest control process. Important factors can include the company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
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 need to be certified at the state level. The EPA does set minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Ohio should 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 granted once a company has shown its methods to be more eco-friendly and demonstrated that it also maintains certain other standards, such as up-to-date employee training. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up its methods and practices.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain professional organizations. When a company obtains membership in an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gets access to resources, education, and a network of other pest professionals with whom to compare methods. This can give you added peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a pest company's experience level by looking into how many years it has been in operation. Local reviews and the company's own website can also tell you whether the 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 it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using local review sites or social media as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Ohio's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the main deciding factors when picking a company for pest control. Cost can be determined by factors like the type of pest being treated, your location, and the size of your house.
You can consider whether a certain company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), and what kind of guarantees are provided. Often, a company will guarantee that if your pest problem isn't fixed by its treatment, it will continue to treat until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important consideration when picking a pest control provider. You may also prefer a provider that offers eco-friendly solutions.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what sort of precautionary measures they are going to use. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should be able to supply information about all pesticides they plan on using.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now trialing options for more eco-friendly methods of pest control before jumping into using harsh pesticides.
One popular way of making pest control safer and more eco-friendly is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- 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 if needed, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and provide additional pest control as needed.
