How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, there are a number of things you can consider to make sure that you're choosing the best one for you. Some things you might consider include licensing and qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost.
Below, we dive into detail on each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains minimum competency standards for pesticide applicators, but licensing is overseen at the state level. All pesticide applicators and supervisors in Texas must be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
An optional certification that might be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To receive this certification, a pest control company must both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support their work.
Pest control companies can also become members of certain professional organizations. Companies can obtain membership in the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), or state-level organizations. NPMA membership gives companies access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control companies. While not mandatory, membership in professional organizations helps demonstrate a company's reputability.
Professional Experience and Specialties
The amount of time that a company has been in business can give you some insight into its experience dealing with pests in your area. Customer reviews or the company's own website can also help you figure out whether it has the experience needed to handle your specific pest problem. If you cannot find the answers to your questions online, reaching out to the company directly is an easy way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on social media or local review sites, 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
For many people, cost is one of the main deciding factors when hiring for pest control. Cost can be influenced by factors like the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and your location.
You can look into whether a specific company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), and what kind of guarantees it provides. Often, a company will guarantee that if your pest problem isn't fixed by its treatment, it will continue to treat until it is.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be affected by how environmentally friendly a company's practices are, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Be sure to ask your pest control provider if they are going to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides—if not, ask what precautionary measures they will take. Any pesticide that presents above a minimum risk needs to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should supply information about all pesticides that will be used in your home, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are now trialing options for more environmentally friendly pest control techniques before moving to harsh pesticides.
One popular method for making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and determine if immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
