Tips to selecting a pest control professional
Considering professional pest control help? Tips on selecting a professional.
Pick a pro and be in the know! Selecting a pest control professional will not take long if you are prepared to look for the right attributes.
First-who is coming.
A pest control professional is going to be a person you never met, sent to your home to apply materials designed to kill. Check out the standards they follow to hire and train the service team. Look for the QualityPro logo on the company website. This means they have an application and interview standards. The company runs motor vehicle record checks, criminal background checks and do drug testing. Once an employee joins the team, QualityPro company technicians must pass certification tests.
Earned by less than 3% of companies in the United States, the QualityPro designation demonstrates a commitment to excellence and provides consumers with an easy way to identify and be confident in their selection of a quality pest management provider.
Second-local or national.
Do you like local businesses or do you prefer a national organization? Make sure you know where the office of the company you are hiring is located. Do they have a support team in Eastern Massachusetts? Do they team members work for the company or are they subcontractors?
Third-check reviews and references.
Ask your neighbors who they use. Check out online reviews. Look at several review sites and see how local businesses stack up against each other. Do they have references they can share?
Fourth-check to see if they are licensed and in what category.
Many pesticides are not restricted use. In Massachusetts you must have category certification to apply restricted use pesticides. Category certification is similar to supervisory licensing in other states. An applicator needs to show time in the industry or educational courses completed to take a category certification exam. Passing the exam proves knowledge about the specific pests and integrated pest management methods.
Many companies in Massachusetts do not have categories in services they provide because it is not required. Even though it is not required, would you trust an operator who treats for mosquitoes without certification? Or doesn’t employ anyone with the training or experience to pass the state commercial certification for mosquitoes?
The EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship page on hiring a professional is an additional resource. Take the time to select the right company. Learn more about the Greenhow Difference.