How To Choose a Pest Control Company
It's important to choose the right pest control companyfor you. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as are its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you also want to think about cost.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, but licensure is overseen at the state level. All pesticide applicators and supervisors in Virginia must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is awarded once a company has proven that its treatment methods are more eco-friendly and demonstrated that it also maintains certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up its practices and methods.
Pest control companies can also belong to certain 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. When a pest control company joins the NPMA, it gains access to education, resources, and a network of pest professionals with whom to discuss practices and methods.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a pest control company's experience level by seeing how many years it has been in operation. The company's website and local reviews can also inform you whether a company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can contact the company directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and social media or local review sites. You can also check with Virginia's licensing board to verify 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 think about whether a specific company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), and what sort of guarantees are provided. 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
Your choice of pest control company might be affected by how eco-friendly a provider's pest control servicesare, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
You should ask your pest control expert if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what precautionary measures they will have in place. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider will be able to provide information about all of the pesticides they plan to use.
Treatment Methods
Many pest control companies are now exploring cleaner and greener pest control solutions that can be used before (or in place of) chemical pesticides. Many follow the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and assess whether immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
