How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. Important decision-making 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 those that supervise them need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA maintains minimum competency standards, and the Texas regulatory agencies handle the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations. These certifications can help you evaluate 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 belong to certain professional organizations. While not required, membership in organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help verify a company's reputability. Organizations like the NPMA provide access to education, resources, and a network of professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how many years it has been in business and what kind of pests it specializes in exterminating. Local 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 reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can browse reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, verify a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or check its licensure status through the Texas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is often a deciding factor when choosing a pest control company. Cost may be determined by the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, your location, and other factors.
Certain pest control companies offer a free on-site estimate to help you match services to your budget. You can also check to see if it offers a guarantee of satisfaction.
Safety and Treatment Methods
It's important to consider safety when deciding on a pest control expert. You might also prefer a provider who employs more natural, environmentally friendly treatment methods.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control expert if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what sort of precautionary measures they will have in place. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider will be able to supply information about all pesticides that they plan to use.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now exploring greener and cleaner pest management that can be implemented before (or instead of) chemical pesticides. Many follow the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always along with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and provide additional pest control as needed.
