How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The first step is choosing the best pest control professional for the job. You may consider a company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its years of experience and customer reviews. And of course, there's the cost of services to consider.
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) sets minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, but licensure is overseen at the state level. All pesticide applicators and their supervisors in Wisconsin must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can obtain optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to back up its standards and methods. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is given to any company that can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. A company that receives this certification also needs to maintain certain employee training standards.
Pest control experts can also hold membership in professional organizations. Pest control companies can join both state-level organizations and national organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). By being a member of these optional organizations, a company helps support its reputability and gains access to resources, education, and a network of professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at how long a pest control company has been in business can help determine how much experience it has taking care of pests in Racine. You can also browse its website or look through customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the type of pests you are looking to get rid of. If this information can't be found online, speaking with a company representative is a good way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can read reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, look up a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check the status of its license 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 offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what kind of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not eliminate your pest problem, it will continue treatment until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how eco-friendly a provider's pest control servicesare, in addition to 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 should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to supply information about all pesticides that they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your pest technician will begin with more eco-friendly and lower-toxicity methods before using harsher chemicals.
Many companies now use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to treat pest infestations with minimal personal or environmental risk. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and provide additional pest control as needed.
