How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When picking a pest control company, you want to find the right one to meet your needs. The qualifications of and treatment methods used by a company are important to consider, as are its years of experience and reputation in customer reviews. Of course, you also want to think about cost.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators (and those that supervise them) are required to be certified at the state level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators working in the state of Ohio must be licensed via the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can also obtain optional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is given once a company has shown that its treatment methods are more eco-friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up its practices and methods.
Pest control companies can also join various professional organizations. When a company obtains membership in an organization such as the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gets access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control 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
Looking at how long a pest control company has been in business can help determine how much experience it has handling various pests. You can also explore its website or read customer reviews to determine whether it has adequate experience with the species of pests you are dealing with. If this information is not available online, speaking with a company representative is a good way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using social media or local review sites 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
Pest control costs can vary based on things like the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, your location, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should try to determine whether a company provides free on-site estimates as part of its process. This can help determine whether the company fits into your budget. Also take into account a company's guarantees: If the problem is not resolved, or if it returns, does the company promise to offer additional treatments until the problem is handled satisfactorily?
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be affected by how eco-friendly a company's pest control management solutionsare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control expert if they are going to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides—if not, ask what precautionary measures will be in place. Any pesticide that has been deemed above minimum risk needs to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to provide information about all pesticides to be used, in addition to 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 more eco-friendly is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
