How To Choose a Pest Control Company
There are a number of factors that you can weigh when selecting the right pest control professionalfor you. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and price of services.
Below, we discuss each factor in more detail.
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 their supervisors need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA maintains 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?
Pest control companies can earn the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are more eco-friendly and that its employees receive up-to-date training. Trade organizations such as QualityPro offer other certifications. These are not required, but can help show that a company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also become members of various professional organizations. While not mandatory, membership in organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations help verify a company's reputability. After joining an organization like the NPMA, a company receives access to education, resources, and a network of professionals with whom to share best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a company's experience level by looking into how long it has been in business. The company's website and local reviews can also clue you in as to whether a certain company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests that are afflicting your home. You can contact a representative directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, look up a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status through 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 type of pest being treated, the size of your house, your location, and other factors.
Certain pest control companies 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
When it comes to picking a pest control provider, you want to choose a company that will help keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You may also prefer an environmentally-conscious provider.
Safety
You want to ensure that you understand the precautions for the pesticides being used in your house, for the sake of your family, your pets, and yourself. Your pest control provider should be able to provide information about the pesticides they plan on using, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be in place. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now exploring more environmentally friendly pest management that can be implemented before (or in place of) chemical pesticides. Many follow the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if 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.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
