How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to be sure to find the right one for you. You might take into consideration a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we explore the details of each factor.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency for pesticide applicators, but licensure is overseen at the state level. All pesticide applicators and supervisors in Florida must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can optionally apply for additional certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations in order to support its standards and methods. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is granted to any company that can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. These companies also need to maintain certain training standards for employees.
There are various professional organizations that pest control companies can be members of. 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 control professionals with whom to compare treatment methods. This can give you extra 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 experience by finding out how many years it has been in business. The company's website and local reviews can also clue you in as to whether a company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests that are afflicting your home. You can contact a representative directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can view a company's rating and reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), explore social media and local review sites to see what others in your area have to say, or verify its license standing through the Florida licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors can all affect the cost of pest control.
You can find out 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 provide a guarantee that if it does not resolve your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your preferences regarding safety for yourself, your children, your pets, and the environment can influence the provider and the treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Ask your pest control provider if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they plan to take. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to supply information about all of the pesticides they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your technician will start with lower-toxicity, more natural options before using harsher chemicals.
Many companies now use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to eliminate pests while reducing personal and environmental risks. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
