How To Choose a Pest Control Company
It's important to choose the best pest control company for you. Some things you might consider include licensing and qualifications, treatment methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and cost.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
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Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all pesticide applicators and their supervisors must be certified at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, but all pesticide applicators in Illinois must 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 earn the GreenPro Service Certification, which requires that a company show that its practices are environmentally friendly and that its employees receive up-to-date training. QualityPro and similar trade organizations also offer additional certifications. While not required, these can help show that a company is reputable.
There are certain professional organizations that a pest control company can be a member of. Joining an organization like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization gives companies access to resources and education, plus a professional network to compare best practices with. Belonging to one of these organizations is not required, but it can help indicate that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at a company's website can tell you how long it has been in operation and what type of pests it specializes in eliminating. Local reviews can also give you some insight into a company's experience dealing with specific pests. If this information isn't available online, you can try calling the company directly.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can look for reviews and recommendations on local review sites or social media, view a company's Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, or check its licensure status through the Illinois licensing board.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Things like the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors can all affect the price of pest control.
You can learn whether a company offers free on-site estimates (to determine if it fits in your budget), as well as what sort of guarantees it offers. Often, a company will provide a guarantee that if it does not resolve your pest problem, it will keep coming back until it does.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control provider might be influenced by how environmentally-friendly a provider's practices are, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
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Safety
You can ask your pest control provider if they are going to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that poses greater than minimum risk needs to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should be able to provide information about all pesticides that will be used in your home, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
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Treatment Methods
Many companies are making the switch to using more natural treatment methods before (or in place of) harsh chemical pesticides. Some follow a program called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Use a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls to manage the pest problem.
- Use chemical controls only when absolutely necessary, and always in combination with other solutions for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and provide additional pest control as needed.
