How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The first step is hiring the best pest control professional for the job. You may consider a company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, there is also 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?
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 does set minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Oregon should be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
An optional certification that may be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To receive this certification, a pest control company must both show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can obtain other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up their work.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. While not required, membership in organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help demonstrate a company's reputability. In the NPMA and other organizations, pest control companies have access to education, resources, and a network of professionals with whom to discuss best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in business and what kind of pests it specializes in exterminating. Local reviews can also offer some insight into a company's experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to find this information online, you can try calling the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, look for reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the Oregon licensing board.
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 influenced by factors like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, and your location.
You can consider whether a certain company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what sort 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
Your choice of pest control provider might be influenced by how eco-friendly a provider's practicesare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
All pesticides that will be used (except those that are determined to be of minimal risk) are required to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control expert should supply information on all the pesticides that they plan to use. They should inform you whether these chemicals are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions they plan to take.
Treatment Methods
Companies often start with more environmentally friendly treatment options before using harsh pesticides, using a framework called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control as needed.
