How To Choose a Pest Control Company
Choosing the best pest control company for you is important. The qualifications of and treatment methods used by a company are important to consider, as are its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you will also want to think about cost.
Below, we explore the details of each of these factors.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
While the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum competency standards for pesticide application, licensing is taken care of at the state level. All pesticide applicators (and their supervisors) in Virginia must be licensed by all the necessary state regulatory agencies.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
A pest control company can optionally apply for additional certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to back up its methods and standards. One particular certification is the GreenPro Service Certification, which is granted when a company can demonstrate that its methods are more environmentally friendly. A company that receives this certification also needs to maintain certain employee training standards.
There are various professional organizations that a pest control company can belong to. When a company joins an organization like the National Pest Management Association(NPMA) (or a state-level organization), it receives access to education, resources, and a network of other pest control professionals with whom to compare treatment methods. This can offer additional peace of mind that a company is following industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
How long a company has been in business can shed some light on its experience dealing with the pests that live in Lynchburg. Customer reviews or the company's website itself can also inform you whether it has the skills and experience needed to handle your specific pest problem. If the answers to your questions aren't available online, calling a representative is a great way to learn about the company's areas of expertise.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can verify a company's legitimacy using local review sites or social media as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Virginia's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
For many people, cost is one of the most important factors when hiring for pest control. Cost can be affected by factors like the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, and your location.
You can consider whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits your budget), and what kind of guarantees are provided. 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
It's important to consider safety when choosing a pest control provider, and you might prefer a provider who employs more natural, environmentally friendly methods.
Safety
Your pest control provider should be able to explain the safety precautions of any and all pesticides they plan to use. They should be able to answer questions about whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic, and if not what safety precautions will be used to protect you, your family, and your pets. All pesticides that pose greater than a minimum risk should be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Many companies are using 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 problem pests and assess whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of physical, cultural, biological, and mechanical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always in combination with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Assess the outcome and continue with additional pest control as needed.
