How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When choosing a pest control company, you want to find the right one to meet your needs. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as well as its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you also want to think about cost.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
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Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, licensure is handled at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and those who supervise them) in Connecticut need to be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
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Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
An optional certification that may be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To get this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and uphold certain technician training standards. Companies can also obtain other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up their work.
There are certain professional organizations that a pest control company can belong to. When a company becomes a member of 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 professionals with whom to compare methods. This can give you additional peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at how long a company has been in business can help determine how much experience it has taking care of pests in your area. You can also look at its website or peruse customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the type of pests you are struggling with. If you cannot find this information online, calling the company directly is a good way to learn more.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can view a company's reviews and rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), explore social media and local review sites to learn what other people are saying, or verify its license standing through the Connecticut licensing board.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors can all influence the cost of pest control.
You can learn whether a company provides free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget) and what kind of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not take care of 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 environmentally friendly a company's practices are, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
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Safety
Ask your pest control provider if they plan to use 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 of the pesticides that will be used in your home, as well as how safe they are around people and pets.
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Treatment Methods
Many companies have begun using more natural treatment methods before, or in place of, harsh chemical pesticides. Some employ a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, cultural, biological, and physical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and implement additional pest control as needed.