How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When picking a pest control company, you want to find the best one to meet your needs. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as well as its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you also want to consider 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?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, must be licensed via the appropriate California regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets minimum standards of competency, while issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensure is handled at the state level.
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Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
An optional certification that might be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. To obtain this certification, a pest control company needs to both demonstrate that its practices are more environmentally friendly and maintain certain technician training standards. Companies can obtain other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further support their work.
A pest control company can also hold membership in various professional organizations. Joining an organization such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) or a state-level organization grants a pest control company access to resources and education, plus a professional network to compare best practices with. Joining organizations like these is not mandatory, but it can help indicate that a company follows industry best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
A company's years in business can indicate how much experience it has dealing with pests in your area. You can also explore its website or read customer reviews to decide whether it has the right kind of experience handling the type of pests you are looking to get rid of. If this information is not available online, contacting a representative directly is a good way to learn more.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), look for reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the California licensing board.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Pest control costs can vary based on things like the size of your house, your location, the type of pest being treated, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should try to determine whether a company provides free on-site estimates as part of its services. This can help determine whether the company fits into your budget. Also take into account what guarantees a company offers: If the problem is not fixed, or if it returns, does the company provide additional treatment until the problem is handled satisfactorily?
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.
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Safety
You can ask your pest control technician if they plan on using low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides--if not, ask about what precautionary measures they plan to use. Any pesticide that has been deemed above minimum risk should be registered with the EPA. Your pest control company should supply information about all of the pesticides used, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
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Treatment Methods
Organizations looking to reduce their use of chemical pesticides often implement procedures such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM involves a series of steps:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem and assess whether immediate action is required.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls.
- Employ chemical controls only when required, and always with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
