How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. Important factors can include the company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, but licensure is handled at the state level. All pesticide applicators and their supervisors in California must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can receive optional certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to verify its methods and standards. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is given when a company can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. A company that receives this certification also needs to maintain certain training standards for employees.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in various professional organizations. When a company obtains membership in an organization such as the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gets access to education, resources, and a network of other pest professionals with whom to compare methods. This can offer added peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
For the most part, a company displays information like years of experience and specialities on its website. Online reviews can also help you figure out if a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to find the information you need online, you can contact a company representative directly to get your questions answered.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can browse reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, look up a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status through the California licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
It's important to think about cost when hiring someone for pest control. Cost can be affected by the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors.
Companies will often offer free on-site estimates as part 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 it will continue to treat your pest problem until it is solved.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, any children or pets, and the environment might influence which provider and treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that poses greater than minimum risk needs to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should be able to supply information about all pesticides that will be used in your home, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Pest control professionals looking to reduce their use of chemical pesticides often implement procedures such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM involves a series of steps:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
