Are pesky rodents running you out of your house? Are termites gnawing your wood trims out? For homeowners, rental attendants, and commercial property owners that have never dealt with a pest infestation before, you will need all the help you can get. If you don’t have the time to tackle pests yourself, you may want to hire a pest control company. Going for a great pest control company will offer you lots of benefits .
Here are some tips so you will know what you should be looking for:
Check their experience.
You want a pest control company that has experience with controlling the type of pests you have. They must know what chemicals to apply and how many doses are safe. They must also know precisely when to apply them.
Research their company website and see if it looks credible and professional. Check if they offer the pest control services that you need and if they are insured.
You can check their tenure, but it doesn’t always mean that the longer they are in the business, the more suitable they are for you. In fact, many upstart businesses offer high-quality pest control and extermination services that may potentially outrank older companies. When you choose Solve Pest Control Richmond VA, customization is exactly what you get!
Do some research so you can be able to test whether the salesperson is knowledgeable. Don’t be shy about asking questions, and ask to speak to a technician. You also may want to have a list of questions prepared when you talk to them. When interviewing, ask them if they have experience treating the type of pest you have before and what was their strategy for getting rid of them. You can sense the knowledge of skills they have through an interview.
If you have people with allergies or asthma, ask if the commercial pest management company can do everything to limit the use of harsh chemicals.
See if they are licensed.
Besides looking for their experience, one of the crucial things to check when hiring a pest control company is whether the company is licensed or not. Some companies may offer you attractive prices with low charges only to dupe you later. So, you must be sure if the company you’re considering is appropriately licensed to provide pest control services.
Be direct when asking if they are licensed, and check if it’s current. Also, confirm if their technicians carry the proper identification or verification documentation when they visit customers. Ask their license number – if they hesitate, take it as a red flag. If they give one and want to be extra thorough, check online and see if it checks out.
Look for recommendations and reviews.
Before hiring any pest control service, always ask your family, friends, or co-workers for recommendations. Ask about their experience and the effectiveness of their service. Ask if they were professional and punctual and if they experienced unexpected extra charges.
If you don’t know anyone who recently hired a pest control service, go online and research. Read reviews and look for patterns. The same feedback that appears more than once is something to keep in mind.
Customer reviews featured on the company’s website are not always organic. Many companies hire individuals to write reviews that are favorable for them to attract customers. It’s better to find comments on review websites that offer unbiased feedback.
Check out their rates and charges.
The amount the companies charge must matter to you. If the rates of a company you like are too high, you must try to find why they have higher rates. The charges of pest control services vary depending on the kind of pest problem, the extent of the damage, and several other factors.
For example, ant infestation is cheaper compared to bed bug treatments. The price will also vary depending on how many pests have taken up residence at your place and also in your geographical area.
While everyone likes to save money, going for cheaply-priced services may be tempting but think about what they might probably compromise just to offer that low price. Perhaps their pesticides are not that efficient, their equipment is not upgraded, or they don’t have the efficiency needed for the job you need. It’s always wiser to get the best you can afford – a company that offers reasonable rates but offers quality services.
The pest control company you choose must also be willing to give a written description of the fees they would charge to ensure that there would be no surprises along the way. If you have questions, a good company will be ready and able to explain them to you.
Ask if the company has insurance for their workers.
It’s important for pest control workers to have worker’s compensation insurance to ensure they get benefits if they suffer work-related injuries. It’s essential because of the hazardous chemicals they work with every day. If the pest control company you’re considering doesn’t have insurance, you might be held liable if an accident happens while employees are working at your home or business. Make sure the employees have insurance so you won’t have problems in the future.
Research about pesticides and pest control tools.
It’s best to have a bit of background knowledge about the pesticides you need and the pest control tools used to treat the type of pests you have. In most cases, the company has to use different types of pesticides to get rid of pests completely, which is fine, but you must know about them in advance to have an idea about the service you’ll be employing from them. Here’s a quick guide about basic pest control methods.
These are some of the tools often used by pest control companies:
- Respirators – Pest control technicians are required to use respirators in some situations. Labels on pesticides and chemicals have instructions about health risks, and safety measures include wearing a respirator. If the technician must wear a respirator, ask if you need to vacate the area.
- UV Flashlights – Professional technicians often use UV flashlights to track down pests. It makes it easier to follow droppings and urine stains to find and exterminate pests.
- Bait systems – For large termite infestations, a chemical barrier treatment may not solve the problem. Basic bait systems use some slow-acting killing poison that’s often infused with paper, cardboard, or other substances that termites love to eat. They will ingest the poison while bringing some to the colony, which then kills the entire colony.
- Duster – Some pesticides come in powder form, so a duster allows the technician to pump the powders into the cracks and crevices where pests live. This is used for crawling and flying pests like bees and scorpions.
- Foamer – Pests and rodents often hide in tight spaces, making it difficult to reach them. Famer pesticide solutions allow pest control to spray into these hard-to-reach areas.
A good pest control company must discuss its treatment option proposal. They should go over the pros and costs of different options that can work for your particular pest situation, and they should give a recommended course of action to consider. They should also ask you if you have preferences, such as alternative non-chemical options and environmentally-friendly solutions.
Understand service agreements.
If you need to hire a pest control company for ongoing services, then you must discuss the available options with technicians or sales representatives at the beginning. For instance, whether you want a monthly or quarterly service to eradicate the pests completely.
A reputable pest control company will provide formal quotes and contracts with a clear validity period if any promotions or discounts are offered. And before you sign any contract, make sure you read it correctly and go through every detail like payment terms and kind of treatments they intend to offer in the subsequent services. If anything is unclear, ask them questions, so you are fully informed and confident about what you’re signing and agreeing to. Also, confirm if they can offer a guarantee and have them explain it, especially the terms and conditions.
Review their overall presentation.
The professional approach and appearance of the service provider matter a lot as it reflects the company’s overall image. Judge it yourself if they provide you exceptional customer service from start to finish. Whether speaking with a customer service representative or a pest control technician from the quoting stage to the post-service, a good company will make you feel that they:
- Listened to you.
- Addressed your concerns with respect.
- Are visibly knowledgeable and skilled.
- Makes you feel at ease and confident that they can do their job.
- Did what they said they would (or even exceed your expectations).