How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Hiring the right company for you is the most important step in the pest control process. You may consider a company's qualifications and treatment methods in addition to its customer reviews and years of experience. Of course, there is also the cost of services to consider.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and those that supervise them must be certified at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Oklahoma need to be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is awarded once a company has shown that its treatment methods are more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also holds itself up to certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further verify its practices and methods.
A pest control company can also obtain membership in professional organizations. When a company becomes a member of 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 offer extra peace of mind that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's experience level by looking into how long it has been in business. Local reviews and the company's own website can also tell you whether a company has experience dealing with the specific species of pests that are afflicting your home. You can always call the company directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using social media or local review sites as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Oklahoma's licensing board to verify the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when picking a pest control company. Cost may be determined by the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors.
A pest control company may offer a free on-site estimate to help you decide if it fits into your budget. You can also see if it offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important concern when selecting a pest control provider. You may also prefer one that uses environmentally friendly methods.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control technician if they will be using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that presents above a minimum risk needs to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to provide information about all of the pesticides to be used, as well as how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Many companies have started offering options for more environmentally friendly methods of pest control before relying on harsh pesticides.
One common method for 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 determine if immediate action is needed.
- 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 if needed, and always along with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and implement additional pest control as needed.
