How To Choose a Pest Control Company
The most important step is hiring the best pest control professional for the job. Along with a company's qualifications and treatment methods, you may also consider how long it has been in business and what the reviews look like. Finally, you'll likely want to look at the cost of services.
Below, we discuss each of these factors in more detail.
Does the company have a valid license and permits to perform pest control?
All pesticide applicators, as well as those that supervise them, should be licensed via the appropriate Texas regulatory agencies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established minimum standards of competency, while issuing, maintaining, and revoking licensing is handled at the state level.
Is the company a member of any professional organizations?
One optional certification that might be worth looking for is the GreenPro Service Certification. In order to earn this certification, a pest control company needs to both show that its practices are more eco-friendly and uphold certain technician training standards. Companies can earn other certifications from trade organizations like QualityPro to further back up their work.
Pest control companies can also become members of professional organizations. A pest control company can join both state-level organizations and national organizations like the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). By being a member of these optional organizations, a company helps support its reputability and gains access to resources, education, and a network of other professionals with whom to compare best practices.
Professional Experience and Specialties
Looking at how long a pest control company has been in business can help determine how much experience it has dealing with pests in Austin. You can also look at its website or read customer reviews to decide whether it has the right kind of experience handling the type of pests you are struggling with. If you cannot find this information online, getting in touch with a company representative is a good way to learn more.
Reviews and Recommendations
You can look at a company's reviews and rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), explore local review sites and social media to find out what homeowners near you think, or verify its license standing through the Texas licensing board.
Cost of Services and Guarantees
Cost is important when picking a pest control company. Cost may be determined by the size of your house, the type of pest being treated, your location, and other factors.
Certain pest control companies offer a free on-site estimate to help you match services to your budget. You can also look at whether it offers a guarantee of satisfaction.
Safety and Treatment Methods
Your choice of pest control company might be influenced by how eco-friendly a provider's pest control management solutionsare, in addition to how safe its methods are around your family and pets.
Safety
Your pest control provider should be able to explain the safety precautions of the pesticides that they're going to use. They should be able to answer questions about whether the pesticides are low toxicity or non-toxic; if they are not, they should explain what safety precautions will be used to protect you, your family, and your pets. All pesticides that pose greater than a minimum risk are required to be registered with the EPA.
Treatment Methods
Nowadays, many companies are exploring greener and cleaner pest control solutions that can be used before (or instead of) chemical pesticides. Many follow the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which goes as follows:
- Figure out what pests are causing the problem 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.
- Employ chemical controls only if needed, and always in combination with other techniques for effective long-term pest management.
- Observe the results and implement additional pest control as needed.
