How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to find the best one for you. Important factors include the company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we explore the details of 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 must be licensed at the state level. The EPA has established minimum standards of competency, and the Texas regulatory agencies handle the issuing, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can obtain optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro. While not required, they can help you assess the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification recognizes comprehensive and effective pest control methods that are safer for people and the environment.
Pest control companies can also obtain membership in professional organizations. A pest control company can join both state-level organizations and national organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). While not mandatory, membership in these organizations helps prove a company's reputability and gives it access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Browsing a pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in operation and what type of pests it specializes in eliminating. Online reviews can also provide some insight into a company's experience dealing with a specific pest. If you can't find this information online, you can try calling the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can be used to verify a company's legitimacy include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), social media, and local review sites. Additionally, you can verify the status of a company's license via the Texas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the most important factors when hiring for pest control services. Cost can be affected by factors like the type of pest being treated, your location, and the size of your house.
You can think about whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what sort 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
When it comes to choosing a pest control provider, you want to choose one that will keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer an eco-friendly provider.
Safety
Your pest control expert should be able to explain the safety precautions of all pesticides that they're going to use. They should be able to explain whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not what safety precautions will be used to protect your family, your pets, and you. All pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now trialing options for more eco-friendly solutions before moving to harsh pesticides.
One popular way of making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always along with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and implement additional pest control as needed.
