How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to be sure to find the right one to meet your needs. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we discuss each factor in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, should be licensed via the appropriate Texas regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that could be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To receive this certification, a pest control company must both show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and uphold certain technician training standards. Companies can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up their work.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. When a company joins an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it receives access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control professionals with whom to compare methods. This can offer added peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at a pest control company's website can tell you how many years it has been in operation and what species of pests it specializes in exterminating. 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 contacting the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, look for reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the Texas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
The cost of pest control can vary based on things like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should verify whether a company offers free on-site estimates as part of its services. This can inform you whether the company fits into your budget. Also look into what guarantees a company offers: If the problem is not resolved, or if it returns, will the company provide additional treatments until the problem is satisfactorily handled?
Safety and Treatment Methods
When picking a pest control provider, you want to choose one that will keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer a provider that is eco-friendly.
Safety
Your pest control provider should be using pesticides that are low toxicity or non-toxic any time they can. If they plan to use pesticides that don't fall into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions will be in place to protect your family, your pets, and you. Pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk must be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are using options for more eco-friendly methods of pest control before jumping into using harsh pesticides.
One popular way of making pest control safer and more eco-friendly is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and provide additional pest control as needed.