How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to find the best one for you. Some things you might consider include qualifications and licensing, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the minimum standards of competency for pesticide application, licensing is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Texas should be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro. These are not required, but can help you evaluate the quality of a company's products. For example, the GreenPro Service Certification indicates comprehensive and effective pest control methods that are safer for people and the environment.
There are certain professional organizations that a pest control company can belong to. Pest control companies can obtain membership in state-level organizations as well as national organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). By being a member of these optional organizations, a company helps support its reputability and gains access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can get some insight into a company's level of pest management experience by seeing how many years it has been in operation. Local reviews and the company's own website can also inform you whether a certain company has the experience needed to deal with the specific species of pests invading your home. You can reach out to a representative directly to learn this information if you can't find it online.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can read 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 Texas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is probably high on your list of priorities when hiring someone for pest control. Cost can be affected by the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, your location, and other factors.
Companies will often offer free on-site estimates before starting work, to help you decide whether it fits into your budget. You can also ask whether a provider offers a satisfaction guarantee, meaning that it will continue to treat your pest problem until it is solved.
Safety and Treatment Methods
It's important to consider safety when choosing a pest control professional, and you might prefer a provider who employs more natural, environmentally friendly pest control solutions.
Safety
Your pest technician should use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides whenever possible. If any pesticides they intend to use don't fall into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions they will put in place to protect you, your family, and your pets. All pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk need to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies have started offering options for more environmentally friendly pest control techniques before relying on 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 problem pests and determine if immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
