How To Choose a Pest Control Company
It's important to choose the best pest control professionalfor you. You might take into consideration a pest control 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 explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and those that supervise them must be licensed at the state level. The EPA maintains minimum competency standards, and the Arkansas regulatory agencies handle the granting, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that may be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to obtain this certification, a pest control company needs to both show that its practices are more eco-friendly and maintain certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can also obtain other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up their work.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. A pest control company can join both state-level organizations and national organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). While not mandatory, membership in these organizations helps prove a company's reputability and gives it access to resources, education, and a network of professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a pest control company's level of pest management experience by seeing how many years it has been in business. The company's website and local reviews can also tell you whether the company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests that are afflicting your home. You can reach out to a representative directly to learn this information if it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can be used to verify a company's legitimacy include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), local review sites, and social media. Additionally, you can verify the status of a company's license through the Arkansas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is probably high on your list of priorities when hiring a pest control company. Cost can be influenced by the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
Often, companies will offer free on-site estimates before starting work, to help you determine 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
When it comes to choosing a pest control provider, you want to choose one that will help keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer a provider that is eco-friendly.
Safety
Ask your pest control expert if they are going to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides—if not, ask about what precautionary measures will be in place. Any pesticide that has been deemed above minimum risk should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to supply information about all pesticides that will be used in your home, and how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now exploring cleaner and greener 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:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and provide additional pest control as needed.
