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 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.
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Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators (and those who supervise them) need to be certified at the state level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, but any pesticide applicators working in the state of California should be licensed via the necessary state regulatory agencies.
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Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can earn the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires a company to show that its practices are environmentally friendly and that its employee training is up to date. Trade organizations such as QualityPro offer additional certifications. These are not required, but can help show that a company is reputable.
Pest control companies can also belong to various professional organizations. When a company joins an organization such as the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gains access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control experts with whom to compare treatment methods. This can give you extra peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
For the most part, a company will list information like specialities and years of experience on its website. Online reviews can also tell you whether a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to locate the information you need online, you can reach out to the company directly to get your questions answered.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using local review sites or social media as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with California's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, 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 type of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not take care of your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When it comes to choosing a pest control provider, you want to choose a company that will help keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You might also prefer an environmentally-conscious provider.
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Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if they plan on using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that has been deemed above minimum risk should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should supply information about all pesticides used, and how safe they are around people and pets.
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Treatment Methods
Many companies are now trialing options for more environmentally friendly methods of pest control before moving to harsh pesticides.
One common way of making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and continue with additional pest control as needed.