How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is choosing the right pest control company for the job. You may consider a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we explore the details of each factor.
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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 must be certified at the state level. The EPA does set minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Alabama must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
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Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is granted once a company has shown that its treatment methods are more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support its methods and practices.
There are certain professional organizations that pest control companies can be members of. When a company joins an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it receives access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control experts with whom to compare methods. This can offer additional peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's level of pest management experience by looking into how long it has been in business. Local reviews and the company's own website can also clue you in as to whether the company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can call the company directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
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Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can help you verify a company's reputation include social media, local review sites, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Additionally, you can confirm the status of a company's license through the Alabama licensing board.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is probably high on your list of priorities when hiring a pest control company. Cost can be affected influenced by your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors.
Many companies offer free on-site estimates at the beginning of their process, to help you decide whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether a company offers a satisfaction guarantees, meaning that if your pest problem is not solved by the initial treatment, it will continue returning until it is.
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.
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Safety
Ask your pest control technician if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they will have in place. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals must be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to provide information about all pesticides they plan on using.
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Treatment Methods
Nowadays, many companies are exploring cleaner and greener pest management that can be implemented before (or in place of) chemical pesticides. Many follow the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine if 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 when absolutely necessary, and always along with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and provide additional pest control as needed.