How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Choosing the best pest control treatment for you is important. Important factors can 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?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, licensing is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Texas should be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Obtaining additional optional certifications can help demonstrate that a pest control company is reputable. One example is the GreenPro Service Certification. For this certification, a company must show that its methods are more eco-friendly and that its employees receive up-to-date training. Other certifications can be earned through trade organizations like QualityPro.
Pest control companies can also become members of certain professional organizations. A pest control company can obtain membership in 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 education, resources, and a network of other professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Browsing a pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in business and what species of pests it specializes in exterminating. Online reviews can also offer some insight into a company's experience dealing with a certain type of pest. If you're unable to find this information online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using social media or local review sites as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Texas' licensing board to verify the status of a company's license.
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 cost of pest control.
You can learn whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget) and what sort of guarantees it has. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not eliminate your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, any children or pets, and the environment might influence which provider and treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Your pest control expert should use pesticides that are low toxicity or non-toxic any time they can. If any pesticides used don't fit into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions will be in place 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
Many companies are now exploring more environmentally friendly pest management that can be implemented before (or instead of) chemical pesticides. Many are following the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and provide additional pest control as needed.
