If you have recently noticed some uninvited guests streaming into your kitchen, living in your shed or buzzing in your attic, it may be time to select a pest control company to rid your space of those pesky, problematic creatures. However, while conducting an internet search such as “Maryland exterminators” is a good place to begin reviewing companies, there are plenty of other factors to consider before allowing a poison-wielding individual into the home that you share with your children and pets.
Addressing Your Initial Concerns
There are many important questions to ask before hiring a pest control professional, but first and foremost, ensure that they are willing to provide you with a list of references. Speaking of lists, exterminators should also be willing to provide you with a copy of the labels for any poison that they will be using on your property, as well as copies of their employees’ credentials. A good pest control company will not find such requests unreasonable, and homeowners are advised to steer clear of anyone who is unwilling to back up their business with paperwork.
Contracts, Special Formulas and the Law
Disreputable exterminators are far more likely to attempt to rope homeowners into an ironclad contract; just as you would not sign a loan without reviewing the repayment terms, it is smart to avoid a contract until you are certain that ongoing treatment is really necessary. Some exterminators hedge when asked how they treat a specific pest problem, smirking and telling clients that they use their own “special formula”. If you encounter someone who does this, find another pest control company; any chemical use by an exterminator must be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture or other governmental licensing agencies. Because of the dangerous nature of poisons used to remove pests from residential properties, extermination companies are required to follow a wide range of strict, specific laws; should you encounter someone who violates such laws, report that individual to the appropriate agency.
Taking the Time to do Your Homework
By asking friends for recommendations and posing the right questions to exterminators, you can avoid many of the issues that can be caused by an irresponsible person with access to commercial-grade poisons. Bad exterminators must be dealt with in order to avoid the risks associated with the poisons that they use.
