How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to be sure to find the best one for you. You might consider a company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its customer reviews and years of experience. And of course, there's the cost of services to consider.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and their supervisors must be licensed at the state level. The EPA maintains minimum competency standards, and the Oregon 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 earn the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are eco-friendly and that its employee training is up to date. QualityPro and similar trade organizations also offer additional certifications. While not required, these can help demonstrate that a pest control company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also hold 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 education and resources, plus a professional network to compare best practices with. Joining one of these organizations is not mandatory, but it can help indicate that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A company's years in business can indicate how much experience it has taking care of various pests. You can also browse its website or look through customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the species of pests you are dealing with. If you cannot find this information online, contacting a representative directly is a good way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and local review sites or social media. You can also check with Oregon'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 affected by factors like your location, the type of pest being treated, and the size of your house.
You can think about whether a certain company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), and what kind of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if its treatment doesn't resolve your pest problem, it will continue to come back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important consideration when picking a pest control provider. You might also prefer one that uses eco-friendly pest management treatment methods.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control technician if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what precautionary measures they will have in place. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to supply you with information about all of the pesticides that they plan to use.
Treatment Methods
Many companies will start with more eco-friendly treatment methods before employing harsh pesticides, using a framework called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control as needed.
