How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to be sure to find the best one for you. You may consider a pest control company's qualifications and treatment methods as well as its customer reviews and years of experience. And of course, there's 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 maintains minimum standards of competency, and the Wisconsin regulatory agencies handle the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One certification that pest control companies can earn is the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires a company to show that its practices are more environmentally 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 demonstrate that a company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also belong to professional organizations. Membership in an organization such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization grants a pest control company access to education and resources, plus a network of professionals with whom to compare best practices. Joining one of these organizations is not required, but it can help show that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A pest control company's website can tell you how long it has been in operation and what species of pests it specializes in eliminating. Local reviews can also offer some insight into a company's experience dealing with a certain type of pest. If you can't find this information online, you can try reaching out to the company directly.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look at a company's rating and reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), check out local review sites and social media to learn what others in your area have to say, or verify its license standing through the Wisconsin licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, your location, and other factors can all affect the price of pest control.
You can look into whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what kind of guarantees it has. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not resolve your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be affected by how eco-friendly a company's pest control management solutionsare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
You want to ensure that you understand the precautions for the pesticides used around your house, for the sake of you, your family, and your pets. Your pest control provider should be capable of providing information about any pesticides they will be using, whether they are low toxicity or non-toxic, and (if not) what safety measures will be used. All pesticides (except minimum-risk ones) need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Nowadays, many companies are exploring greener and cleaner 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 determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and continue with additional pest control as needed.
