How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Hiring the right company for you is the most important step in the pest control process. Important decision-making factors include a company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, need to be licensed via the appropriate Tennessee regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, while providing, maintaining, and revoking licensing is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
An optional certification that might be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to get this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more eco-friendly and maintain certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can obtain other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support their work.
Pest control companies can also join various professional organizations. Companies can obtain membership in the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), or state-level organizations. Membership in the NPMA provides companies with access to education, resources, and a network of other pest professionals. While not required, membership in professional organizations helps demonstrate a company's reputability.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in business and what type of pests it specializes in exterminating. Online reviews can also provide some insight into a company's experience dealing with specific pests. If you can't find this information online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can read reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, view a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check the status of its license through the Tennessee 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 services. Cost can be influenced by factors like the type of pest being treated, your location, and the size of your house.
You can take into consideration whether a particular company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), and what sort of guarantees are provided. 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
Safety is an important consideration when choosing a pest control provider, and you might prefer a provider who employs more natural, environmentally friendly treatment plans.
Safety
Make sure to ask your pest control provider if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what precautionary measures they are going to use. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider will be able to supply you with information about all pesticides that they plan to use.
Treatment Methods
Companies often start with more environmentally friendly treatment options before using pesticides, following a framework called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls.
- Use chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
