How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Hiring the best company for you is the most important step in the pest control process. You might consider a company's qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost of services.
Below, we explore the details of each factor.
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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) sets the minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, licensure is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Illinois should be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
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Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that might be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to receive this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can obtain other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support their work.
Pest control companies can also belong to professional organizations. Joining an organization such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization gives companies access to resources and education, in addition to a professional network to compare best practices with. Membership in one of these organizations is not mandatory, but it can help show that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Typically, a company provides information like its specialities and years of experience on its website. Local reviews can also help you figure out if a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to locate the information you need online, you can contact a company representative directly to get the answers to your questions.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, browse reviews on local review sites or social media, or check the standing of its license via the Illinois licensing board.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is probably high on your list of priorities when hiring a pest control company. Cost can be affected influenced by your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors.
Often, companies will 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 if your pest problem is not solved by the initial treatment, it will continue returning until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important concern when choosing a pest control provider. You might also prefer a provider that employs environmentally-friendly practices.
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Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what precautionary measures they are going to use. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician will be able to supply you with information about all of the pesticides that they plan on using.
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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 popular method for making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, biological, mechanical, and cultural controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and provide additional pest control as needed.
