How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is choosing the right pest control professional for the job. You may consider a company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, there is also the cost of services to consider.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators (and those who supervise them) are required to be certified at the state level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators working in Texas must be licensed via the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One certification that pest control companies can earn is the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and that its employees receive up-to-date training. Trade organizations such as QualityPro offer additional certifications. These are not required, but can help demonstrate that a pest control company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also become members of various professional organizations. When a company joins an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gets access to resources, education, and a network of other pest professionals with whom to compare methods. This can give you added peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's level of experience by finding out how many years it has been in operation. Local reviews and the company's own website can also clue you in as to whether the company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests that are afflicting your home. You can always contact a representative directly to learn this information if it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), read reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the Texas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors can all influence the cost of pest control.
You can look into 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 provide a guarantee that if it does not solve your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When choosing a pest control provider, you want to choose a company that will keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer a provider that is eco-friendly.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control technician if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that has been deemed above minimum risk should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should be able to supply information about all of the pesticides used, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Companies often start with more environmentally friendly options before employing harsh pesticides, following a framework called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
