How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is selecting the right pest control company for the job. A company's qualifications and treatment methods are important to consider, as well as its years of experience and customer reviews. Of course, you will also want to think about 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 licensed at the state level. The EPA maintains minimum competency standards, and the Tennessee regulatory agencies handle the issuing, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
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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 granted once a company has proven its methods to be more environmentally friendly and demonstrated that it also maintains certain other standards, such as up-to-date training for employees. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further back up its methods and practices.
A pest control company can also hold membership in professional organizations. A pest control company can obtain membership in state-level organizations in addition to 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 education, resources, and a network of other professionals to compare best practices with.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Generally, a company provides information like its years of experience and specialities on its website. Online reviews can also help you determine if a company has experience dealing with a particular pest in your area. If you're unable to find the information you need online, you can contact a company representative directly to get your questions answered.
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Reviews and Recommendations
You can check a company's reputation using local review sites or social media as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You can also check with Tennessee's licensing board to see the status of a company's license.
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Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when choosing a pest control company. Cost may be determined by your location, the type of pest being treated, the size of your house, and other factors.
A pest control company may offer a free on-site estimate to help you match services to your budget. You can also see if it offers a guarantee of satisfaction.
Safety and Treatment Methods
When choosing a pest control provider, you want to select one that will keep you, your family, and your pets safe. You'll likely also prefer an environmentally-conscious provider.
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Safety
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 will be in place. Any pesticide that poses greater than minimum risk needs to be registered with the EPA. Your pest technician should be able to provide information about all of the pesticides used, in addition to how safe they are around people and pets.
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Treatment Methods
Many companies are now trialing options for more environmentally friendly methods of pest control before employing harsh pesticides.
One popular method for making pest control safer and greener is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify problem pests and determine whether immediate action is needed.
- Decide on the safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and mechanical controls.
- Use chemical controls only when required, and always with other controls for effective long-term pest management.
- Evaluate outcomes and implement additional pest control as needed.
