How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. You might consider a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we discuss each factor 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 their supervisors need to be certified at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Oklahoma must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that could be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to receive this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more eco-friendly and uphold certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can obtain other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up their work.
Pest control experts can also obtain membership in professional organizations. Membership in an organization like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization grants a pest control company access to resources and education, as well as a professional network to compare best practices with. Belonging to one of these organizations is not required, but it can help indicate that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a pest control company's experience level by looking into how long it has been in business. Local reviews and the company's own website can also tell you whether a certain company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can always contact a representative directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can browse reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, look up a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or check the status of its license through the Oklahoma licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors can all influence the price of pest control.
You can look into whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget) and what sort of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not solve your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when deciding on a pest control professional. You might also prefer a provider who uses more natural, eco-friendly pest control solutions.
Safety
You want to ensure that you understand the precautions around pesticides used in your home, for the sake of you, your family, and your pets. Your pest control technician should provide information about the pesticides they plan to use, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures they plan to take. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many pest control companies are making the switch to using more natural and environmentally friendly treatment methods before, or in place of, harsh chemical pesticides. Some utilize a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is required.
- 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 absolutely necessary, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control solutions as needed.
