How To Choose a Pest Control Company
There are several factors that you can take into consideration when selecting the best pest control professionalfor you. You might take into consideration a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we explore the details of each factor.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and those that supervise them must be licensed at the state level. The EPA has established minimum competency standards, and the Texas regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can obtain optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to verify its standards and methods. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is given when a company can demonstrate that its methods are more eco-friendly. Companies that receive this certification also need to maintain certain training standards for employees.
Pest control companies can also be members of various professional organizations. Being a member of organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not required, but helps verify a company's reputability. The NPMA gives companies access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to discuss methods and practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in operation and what kind of pests it specializes in eliminating. Local reviews can also provide some insight into a company's experience dealing with a specific pest. If this information isn't available online, you can try calling the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using local review sites or social media as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Texas' licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
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 affected by factors like the size of your house, your location, and the type of pest being treated.
You can consider whether a particular 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 your pest problem isn't fixed by its treatment, it will continue to treat until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when selecting a pest control company, and you might prefer a provider who uses more natural, environmentally friendly pest control solutions.
Safety
You will want to understand the precautions around pesticides being used around your house, for the sake of you, your family, and your pets. Your pest control technician should be capable of providing information about all pesticides they intend to use, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be used. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) should be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies will start with more environmentally friendly solutions before employing pesticides, using a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
