How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When hiring a pest control company, you want to be sure to find the right one to meet your needs. You may take into consideration a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we discuss each factor 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 Texas 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 could be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To receive this certification, a pest control company must both show that its practices are more environmentally friendly and uphold certain training standards for its technicians. Companies can also earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support their work.
Pest control companies can also hold membership in professional organizations. When a company joins an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it receives access to resources, education, and a network of other pest control professionals with whom to compare methods. This can offer added peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at how long a company has been in business can help determine how much experience it has taking care of pests in your area. You can also browse its website or peruse customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the type of pests you are struggling with. If this information can't be found online, contacting a representative directly is a good way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, look for reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the Texas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
The cost of pest control can vary based on things like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should verify whether a company offers free on-site estimates as part of its services. This can inform you whether the company fits into your budget. Also look into what guarantees a company offers: If the problem is not resolved, or if it returns, will the company provide additional treatments until the problem is satisfactorily handled?
Safety and Treatment Methods
When picking a pest control provider, you want to choose one that will keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer an environmentally-conscious provider.
Safety
Your pest control provider should use pesticides that are low toxicity or non-toxic whenever possible. If any pesticides they intend to use don't fit into one of these categories, your technician should explain what safety precautions they will put in place to protect your family, your pets, and you. Any pesticides that pose more than a minimum risk are required to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies will begin with more environmentally friendly options before using pesticides, using a technique called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Determine the best and 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 in combination with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and provide additional pest control as needed.
