How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, there are a number of factors that you can consider to be sure that you're choosing the best one for you. You might consider a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we explore the details of 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 need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum competency standards, and the Ohio regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can obtain optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro. These are not required, but can help you evaluate the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification indicates comprehensive and effective pest control methods that are safer for humans and the environment.
Pest control experts can also belong to professional organizations. Membership in an organization such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization gives companies access to resources and education, in addition to a network of professionals with whom to compare best practices. Joining organizations like these is not mandatory, but it can help show that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
For the most part, a company displays information like specialities and years of experience 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 find the information you need online, you can reach out to the company directly to get the answers to your questions.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can view a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, browse reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the Ohio licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors can all affect 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 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
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important concern when selecting a pest control provider. You might also prefer a provider that offers eco-friendly solutions.
Safety
All pesticides (except those that are determined to be of minimal risk) are required to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should supply information on each pesticide they are using. They should inform you whether these chemicals are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions will be taken.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest technician will begin with more natural and lower-toxicity options before using harsher chemicals.
Many companies have begun to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce personal or environmental risk when treating pest infestations. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is required.
- 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 when absolutely necessary, and always with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control as needed.
