How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step in the pest control process is hiring the right company for you. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as are its years of experience and reputation in customer reviews. Of course, you will also want to consider cost.
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 (and those who supervise them) need to be certified at the state level. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators working in Nevada should be licensed via the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One certification that pest control companies can earn is the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are more eco-friendly and that its employee training is up to date. Trade organizations such as QualityPro offer additional certifications. While not required, these can help demonstrate that a company is reputable.
A pest control company can also belong to certain professional organizations. When a company obtains membership in an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it gains 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 follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can gain some insight into a pest control company's level of experience by finding out how many years it has been in business. Local reviews and the company's own website can also clue you in as to whether a company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can always contact the company directly to learn this information if it is not available online.
Reviews and Recommendations
Resources that can be used to verify a company's legitimacy include social media, local review sites, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also verify the status of a company's license through the Nevada 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 look into whether a company provides 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 guarantee that if it does not solve 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 which provider and treatment methods you choose.
Safety
Your pest control technician should be able to discuss the safety of the pesticides that they're going to use. They should be able to clarify whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not what safety precautions they will put in place to protect you, your family, and your pets. All pesticides that pose greater than a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your technician will start with lower-toxicity, more natural treatment methods before using harsher chemicals.
Many companies have started to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce personal or environmental risk when treating pest infestations. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine if immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of mechanical, physical, biological, and cultural controls.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
