Tips for Selecting a Pest Control Service
How do we select a competent pest control service?
First of all, many of us as homeowners, renters and landlords can control household pests through a combination of preventive measures, including proper sanitation and good home maintenance practices. However, some pest infestations may be extensive, or a particular pest may be difficult to control, requiring the services of a pest control company.
You should select a pest control technician the way you do any other service - Look for Quality and Value. Costs and competency are important. When selecting a pest control service, cost should not be the only factor that determines the company you pick.
It is important to make sure the pest control business entity you choose is competent. If pesticides are misused, both health and property can be damaged. Before contracting with a pest control professional, consider the following:
Take Your Time/Do Your Homework
When most people discover a pest problem, they want the problem eliminated immediately. However, most problems can wait a few days so you have time to select a competent, reasonably priced company.
It is wise to obtain several estimates from prospective companies. Most companies will provide free estimates.
Questions to Ask a Prospective Pest Control Firm
How many years have you been in business at your present address?
Contact organizations such as the Better Business Bureau, the States Departments of Agriculture, or the States Attorney General’s Office, or the EPA to determine if complaints have been filed against the company or its applicators for misusing pesticides.
Would you provide me with a list of references?
Contact several references to find out if they are satisfied with the service provided by the pest control company.
Will the person(s) performing the services be a certified, licensed pesticide applicator or a licensed technician?
Each company must have at least one certified, licensed commercial pesticide applicator in the proper service category. Other company applicators must be certified applicators or licensed technicians under the direct supervision of an certified applicator.
Licenses may be verified by calling the various State Departments of Agriculture.
Would you provide me with a copy of your pest control license, copies of the labels for all pesticides used and the rates at which they will be applied?
Reliable applicators will show you their credentials and will be able to provide you with copies of pesticide labels that indicate how the product should be applied, including the proper application rates, and the necessary precautions.
BEWARE OF COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS THAT.......
Want to do pest control as part of a package deal, such as general home repair or tree trimming or that will give you a special price if treatment is done immediately.
Don’t have a listed or working telephone number.
Sell services door-to-door or target the elderly or infirm persons who live alone.
CHECK THEIR IDENTIFICATION AND CREDENTIALS!!!
Arrive unexpectedly and show you pesky critters they have found in your neighbors house as evidence of a neighborhood problem.
Quote a per-gallon price. Termite control can require several hundred gallons of diluted insecticide.
Claim to have a secret formula. All pesticide products must be registered by the U.S. EPA and the States Departments of Agriculture. Registered pesticide labels contain a list of active ingredients.
Try to pressure you into immediately signing a contract by suggesting your house is structurally unsound and may collapse if not treated.
Claim to have excess material left over from a previous job and offer a reduced price for immediate treatment.
Claim to be endorsed by the States Departments of Agriculture, the U.S. EPA or other government agency. Government agencies DO NOT endorse any service company or specific pesticide product.
Robert Zax Discusses More Points to Consider
Some pest control companies offer service contracts in which structures are routinely treated for a particular pest. Contracts may be necessary in some situations such as warehouses that receive crates often infested with cockroaches.
In general, routine pesticide applications in and around your home are not good unless there is a constant infestation by a pest and non-chemical methods have failed to control the pest. Zaxxia Pest Control, LLC service contracts for the homeowner should include periodic inspections, but pesticides should not be applied unless the pests are actually present and cannot be controlled by other means.
Generally, it is customary for termite control work to be guaranteed from one to five years. Make sure you know what the guarantee covers and determine if there is a yearly inspection charge. In addition, find out if the pest control company is responsible for structural damage if the treatment fails to control the termite infestation. The guarantee is only as reliable as the company that offers it.
If the service person asks you to do certain things before, during or after the pesticide application, cooperate and follow instructions. For example:
If the service person asks you to remove personal items from the floor, empty kitchen cabinets and remove pets, make sure you have done this before they arrive.
Do not allow children or pets into treated areas until the pesticide spray has dried.
Aquariums should be removed from the treatment site or covered with heavy plastic and the air pump turned off.
Remove all other household pets from the treatment area.
If the service person suggests non-chemical methods of pest control in addition to the pesticides, be sure to follow the instructions.
Good cooperation between you and the pest control company will help eliminate pests and reduce pesticide use.
Pesticides are inherently toxic and may cause health problems and/or damage to the environment if used in a manner inconsistent with the label directions. Certain pesticides may pose greater risks than others. To determine the pesticide that best fits your needs, contact your local University Extension Service.
Before allowing the pest control provider to enter your home, ask to see his or her identification, license, and certification, and check to ensure it is current. Almost every state requires that technicians be certified and that they participate in annual training to keep the license current.
The Company
Is the company bonded and insured? This can be important to both protect your property and protect against liability. Visit the company's website. Does it appear professional? Is it knowledgeable? Do its value correspond with your own? Does the pest control or exterminator service rental properties, condominiums and apartments?
Knowledge
The technician, or sales representative, should be knowledgeable enough to answer your pest control questions. There may be a question or two that he does not know off-hand, and, if so, he should be willing to say he will find out and let you know. It is better to hear an honest "I don't know, but I'll find out," than to be given a wrong or made-up answer.
Professional Appearance
When the technician comes to your door, her uniform and overall appearance should be clean and professional. The truck, equipment, and chemicals should also provide you with a secure feeling of professionalism.
References
Before calling a pest control company, ask friends and neighbors for referrals. Check with your state pest control association, or visit www.npma.com for a state-by-state list of providers. It is always wise to check any company with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org). If you did not receive any personal recommendations, you may want to ask the provider for references—and follow up with calls to the customers provided.
Price
The lowest price is not always the best deal. If a company says it will solve your problem in one service for $X, and your problem still exists after you've paid for that service, you haven't saved any money. Instead, you will most likely need to start over with another service provider and end up paying a great deal more than if you had chosen quality over price the first time.
Before signing anything with a pest control business or service, make sure you know what the costs and prices for your pest control services that need to be done will cost and find out if there will be ongoing monthly charges or if it's just a flat one-time fee to correct your infestation problem!
Contract
If you are hiring a company for ongoing service, discuss your options with the technician, or sales representative. Will quarterly service take care of the problem? Or do you need monthly service? Perhaps you will start with monthly, or more frequent, service to eliminate the infestation problem, then drop to a less frequent maintenance schedule once it is solved. Be sure to read the contract carefully, understand all fine print, and ask questions before you sign on the line.
Service
Before attempting any service, the technician should talk with you to discuss exactly what the problem is, find out where and what you've seen or heard, and ask probing questions to ensure she fully understands the pest problem. Following that discussion, the pest control technician should inspect your home or building through a professional eye, identify the pest or pests, and set a treatment plan.
Chemicals
In many cases, the technician will use chemicals for elimination, but he should be willing to discuss the chemicals he expects to use, any possible adverse effects and any non-chemical options. All chemical containers should be labeled and have a clean, professional appearance. Upon request, the technician should be able to provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and specimen label for each chemical used. In any case make sure your exterminator is only using the best pest control chemicals available and meet EPA standards.
Documentation
After completing service, the technician should provide a report detailing the service performed, any necessary follow-up action, and any customer advice. The report should also detail the service costs.
Consultation
At some point during service, the technician should make recommendations for future prevention. Depending on the service being performed, it is possible that this could come before, during, or after service. For example, if the inspection reveals a potential pest harborage area, the technician should inform you and recommend immediate pesticide clean-up. If a structural issue is found, the technician may wait until the end and recommend maintenance, such as screen replacement or repairing of holes.
Guarantee
Many pest control companies offer guarantees, even if it is as simple as "Guaranteed satisfaction." Be sure to read the fine print of this as well, know what your responsibilities are and how to invoke the guarantee if needed.
