How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When picking a pest control company, you want to make sure that you find the right one to meet your needs. You might consider a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost of services.
Below, we dive into detail on each factor.
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Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and those that supervise them need to be certified at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, but all Virginia pesticide applicators need to be licensed through the proper state regulatory agencies.
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Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can optionally obtain additional certifications like the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is awarded once a company has proven 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 support its methods and practices.
A pest control company can also belong to certain professional organizations. A pest control company 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 with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
In general, a company provides information like years of experience and specialities on its website. Local reviews can also help you figure out if a company has experience dealing with a specific pest. If you're unable to find the information you need online, you can speak with a company representative directly to get the answers to your questions.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can look up 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 Virginia licensing board.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when choosing a pest control company. Cost may be determined by the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors.
Certain pest control companies offer a free on-site estimate to help you match services to your budget. You can also check to see if it offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Safety and Treatment Methods
It's important to consider safety when choosing a pest control provider. You might also prefer a provider who uses more natural, environmentally-friendly methods.
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Safety
Make sure to ask your pest control technician if the chemicals they're using are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not, what precautionary measures they are going to use. Any pesticides that are not minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician will be able to supply information about all pesticides they plan on using.
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Treatment Methods
Many companies will begin with more environmentally friendly options before using pesticides, following a framework called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). When using IPM, the following steps are taken:
- Identify problem pests and assess whether 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 when absolutely necessary, and always along with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and continue with additional pest control as needed.
