How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to make sure that you find the right one to meet your needs. You might take into consideration a pest control company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its customer reviews and years of experience. 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?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and those that supervise them must be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, and the Texas regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that could be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To get this certification, a pest control company must both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain technician training standards. Companies can obtain other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up their work.
Pest control experts can also hold membership in professional organizations. Being a member of organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not mandatory, but helps show that a company is reputable. The NPMA gives companies access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to discuss practices and methods.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can look at a company's years in business to help determine how much experience it has taking care of pests in your area. You can also look at its website or read customer reviews to determine whether it has adequate experience with the species of pests you are looking to get rid of. If you cannot find this information online, contacting a representative directly is a great way to learn more.
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. You can also check the status of a company's license via 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 size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
A pest control company may offer a free on-site estimate to help you decide if it fits into your budget. You can also see if it offers a guarantee of satisfaction.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be affected by how environmentally friendly a provider's practicesare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Ask your pest control provider if they will be using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask what precautionary measures they will take. Any pesticide that presents above a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should be able to supply information about all of the pesticides that will be used in your home, and how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Many pest control companies have begun using more natural and environmentally friendly treatment methods before (or in place of) harsh chemical pesticides. Some follow a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control treatments as needed.
