How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. You may consider a company's qualifications and methods of treatment in addition to its years of experience and customer reviews. And of course, there's the cost of services to consider.
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, as well as those that supervise them, should be licensed via the appropriate Pennsylvania regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
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 people and the environment.
Pest control companies can also join various professional organizations. Companies can obtain membership in the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), or state-level organizations. NPMA membership gives companies access to education, resources, and a network of other pest professionals. While not mandatory, membership in professional organizations helps back up a company's reputability.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The number of years that a company has been in business can tell you something about its experience dealing with the pests that live in Wilkes-Barre. Online reviews or the company's website itself can also help you figure out whether it has the experience needed to eliminate the particular pests that are plaguing you. If the answers to your questions aren't available online, calling a representative is an easy way to learn about the company's areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can help you verify a company's reputation include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), social media, and local review sites. Additionally, you can check the status of a company's license through the Pennsylvania 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 affect the price of pest control.
You can learn whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what type of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not eliminate your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be affected by how environmentally friendly a company's pest control servicesare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Your pest technician should be using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides when possible. If they plan to use pesticides that don't fall into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions will be used to protect your family, your pets, and you. Any pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk are required to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest control expert will start with eco-friendly and lower-toxicity treatment methods before using harsher chemicals.
Many companies are now using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce personal or environmental risk when treating pest infestations. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and provide additional pest control as needed.
Common Household Pests in Wilkes-Barre
You might run into some pests more frequently in Wilkes-Barre. Some to keep an eye out for include these:
- Ticks: If your house is near a forest or area with dense vegetation, or near a body of water, you might be at greater risk of a tick infestation. Ticks can spread Lyme or other diseases to you or your pets.
- Ants: Ants can be found in just about every part of Pennsylvania. Large carpenter ants can be even more of a problem than regular soil ants, as they can cause structural damage to your house.
- Mice: If you have mice, you might start noticing droppings or things like chewed wires. Frequently, mice are found in places where food is kept or in attics.
- Bed bugs: Bed bug infestations can be very difficult to quash, so we strongly recommend calling a local exterminator as soon as possible. Bed bugs can be found throughout Pennsylvania, and can infest not just your bedsheets, but also other furniture and even wallpaper.
- Spiders: You may encounter spiders in your basement, attic, or other damp, dark areas. While most spiders are harmless and pose no threat to humans, you don't want an infestation of them in your home.
