How To Choose a Pest Control Company
It's important to choose the best pest control company for you. Important factors include the company's qualifications, its treatment methods, experience and reviews, and of course the cost of services.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, should be licensed via the appropriate Nevada regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, but issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
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 get this certification, a pest control company needs to both show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and uphold certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further support their work.
Pest control companies can also belong to professional organizations. Being a member of organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or state-level organizations is not required, but helps show that a company is reputable. When a pest control company joins the NPMA, it gains access to resources, education, and a network of pest professionals with whom to discuss methods and practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at how long a company has been in business can help determine how much experience it has handling pests in your area. You can also look at its website or look through customer reviews to determine whether it has adequate experience with the species of pests you are struggling with. If you cannot find this information online, contacting a representative directly is a good way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can browse reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, view a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or check its licensure status through the Nevada licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like your location, the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, and other factors can all influence the price 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 type of guarantees it has. Often, a company will guarantee that if it does not resolve 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, as well as how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what sort of precautionary measures they will have in place. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to supply you with information about all of the pesticides they plan on using.
Treatment Methods
Organizations looking to reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides often follow practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM involves a series of steps:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Employ chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
