How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
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) has established minimum competency standards for pesticide application, licensing is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and those who supervise them) in Indiana need to be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
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Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can optionally apply for certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro in order to back up its methods and standards. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is given to any company that can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. These companies also need to maintain certain employee training standards.
There are several professional organizations that pest control companies can be members of. Joining an organization like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization gives companies access to education and resources, in addition to a network of professionals with whom to compare best practices. Joining one of these organizations is not mandatory, but it can help show that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A company's years in business can indicate how much experience it has taking care of various pests. You can also explore its website or look through customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the type of pests you are struggling with. If this information is not available online, calling the company directly is a great way to learn more.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and social media or local review sites. You can also check with Indiana's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
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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), as well as 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 keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how environmentally friendly a provider's practices are, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
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Safety
Ask your pest control provider if they will be using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that presents above a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should provide 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 started offering options for more environmentally friendly pest control techniques before moving to harsh pesticides.
One popular way of making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls.
- Use chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.