How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When picking a pest control professional, there are several factors that you can consider to be sure that you're choosing the right one for you. Important decision-making factors include a company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we discuss each of these factors 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 those that supervise them need to be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, and the Washington regulatory agencies handle the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can optionally apply for certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations in order to back up its methods and standards. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is awarded to any company that can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. These companies also need to maintain certain employee training standards.
Pest control companies can also join certain professional organizations. Membership in an organization like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization grants a pest control company access to education and resources, plus a professional network to compare best practices with. Membership in organizations like these is not required, but it can help indicate that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The amount of time that a company has been in business can give you some insight into its experience dealing with various pests. Online reviews or the company's own website can also inform you whether it has the experience necessary to eliminate the particular pests that are plaguing you. If the answers to your questions aren't available online, calling a representative is a great way to learn about the company's areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, look up a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status through the Washington licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
It's important to think about cost when hiring a pest control company. Cost can be affected by the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors.
Companies will often offer free on-site estimates before starting work, to help you determine whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether if your company has a satisfaction guarantee, meaning that it will continue to treat your pest problem until it is solved.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, your children, your pets, and the environment may affect which provider and treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Your pest control expert should use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides whenever possible. If they plan to use pesticides that don't fit into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions will be in place to protect you, your family, and your pets. Any pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are using options for more environmentally friendly pest control solutions before moving to harsh pesticides.
One common method for making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
