How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Hiring the best company for you is the most important step in the pest control process. You might consider a pest control company's qualifications and treatment methods as well as its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, there is also the cost of services to consider.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
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 sets minimum competency standards, and the Wisconsin regulatory agencies take care of the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies also have the option to obtain additional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is granted once a company has proven that its treatment methods are more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also maintains certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support its methods and practices.
Pest control professionals can also belong to professional organizations. Becoming a member of an organization like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization grants a pest control company access to resources and education, in addition to a network of professionals with whom to compare best practices. Belonging to 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 pest control company has been in business can give you some insight into its experience dealing with various pests. Customer reviews or the company's website itself can also inform you whether it has the experience needed to eliminate the particular pests that are plaguing you. If the answers to your questions aren't available online, speaking with a representative is a great way to learn about the company's areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources you can use to check a company's reputation include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), social media, and local review sites. You can also check the status of a company's license via the Wisconsin licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is often a deciding factor when picking a pest control company. Cost may be determined by your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors.
Certain pest control companies offer a free on-site estimate to help you determine if it fits into your budget. You can also look at whether it offers a guarantee of satisfaction.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Safety is an important consideration when selecting a pest control company. You might also prefer a provider who employs more natural, eco-friendly treatment plans.
Safety
Ask your pest control technician if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what sort of precautionary measures they will have in place. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should be able to provide you with information about all of the pesticides that they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your technician will begin with more natural and lower-toxicity methods before trying harsher chemicals.
Many companies now use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce personal or environmental risk when treating pest infestations. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control as needed.
