How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When picking a pest control company, there are a number of things that you can consider to make sure that you're choosing the best one for you. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as well as its years of experience and reputation in customer reviews. Of course, you also want to consider cost.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, must be licensed via the appropriate Illinois regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, while providing, maintaining, and revoking licensing is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can obtain optional certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro. These certifications can help you evaluate the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification indicates comprehensive and effective pest control treatment that is safer for humans and the environment.
Pest control companies can also join various professional organizations. When a company joins an organization such as the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gets access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control experts with whom to compare treatment methods. This can give you added peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The number of years that a company has been in business can tell you something about its experience dealing with various pests. Customer reviews or the company's website itself can also inform you whether it has the experience needed to handle your specific pest problem. If you can't find the information you need online, calling a representative is an easy way to learn about the company's areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, verify a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or check its licensure status through the Illinois licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when choosing a pest control company. Cost may be determined by your location, the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
A pest control company may offer a free on-site estimate to help you match services to your budget. You can also see if it offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be affected by how eco-friendly a provider's pest control management solutionsare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
All pesticides used by your company (except those that pose only a minimum risk) are required to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should provide information on all the pesticides that they are using. They should inform you whether these chemicals are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what safety precautions they plan to take.
Treatment Methods
Many companies have started making the switch to using more natural and environmentally friendly treatment methods before, or instead of, harsh chemical pesticides. Some use a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always along with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control services as needed.
