How To Choose a Pest Control Company
When selecting a pest control company, there are a number of factors you can consider to make sure that you're choosing the right one for you. You might take into consideration a company's qualifications, methods, years of experience, customer reviews, and service prices.
Below, we explore the details of each factor.
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 those that supervise them must be licensed at the state level. The EPA sets minimum standards of competency, and the Ohio regulatory agencies handle the issuing, maintaining, and revoking of licenses.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
Pest control companies can also obtain optional certifications such as the GreenPro Service Certification. This certification is given 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 employee training. A pest control company can also earn other certifications from QualityPro or similar trade organizations to further support its practices and methods.
Pest control professionals can also belong to professional organizations. Pest control companies can obtain membership in both state-level organizations and national organizations such as the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). While not mandatory, membership in these organizations helps prove a company's reputability and gives it access to education, resources, and a network of other professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
You can look at a pest control company's years in business to help determine how much experience it has dealing with pests in Orange. You can also explore its website or peruse customer reviews to figure out whether it has experience eliminating the species of pests you are dealing with. If this information is not available online, speaking with a company representative is a great way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look up a company's rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), explore reviews on social media or local review sites, or check the standing of its license via the Ohio licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Pest control costs can vary based on things like the type of pest being treated, your location, the size of your house, and other factors.
When thinking about the cost of services, you should try to determine whether a company offers free on-site estimates as part of its process. This can inform you whether the company fits into your budget. Also look into a company's guarantees: If the problem is not fixed, or if it returns, will the company provide additional treatments until the problem is satisfactorily resolved?
Safety and Treatment Methods
Keeping yourself, your family and your pets safe is an important consideration when picking a pest control provider. You may also prefer one that employes eco-friendly practices.
Safety
Ask your pest control provider if they plan to use low toxicity or non-toxic pesticides, and if not, what kind of precautionary measures they plan to take. All pesticides that are not considered minimum-risk chemicals need to be registered with the EPA. Your pest control provider should be able to provide you with information about all chemicals that they are going to use.
Treatment Methods
You can ask if your technician will begin with lower-toxicity and more eco-friendly treatment methods before employing harsher chemicals.
Many companies have started to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to eliminate pests while reducing personal and environmental risks. The steps of IPM are as follows:
- Identify the source of the pest problem and assess whether immediate action is needed.
- Determine the best and safest course of action.
- Manage the pest problem using a combination of biological, cultural, mechanical, and physical controls.
- Use chemical controls only if needed, and always along with other methods for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and continue with additional pest control as needed.
