All Guard Pest Control on how to choose a safe pest control firm:
First of all, you want a pest control firm that has been in business for awhile - pick your own standard.
You should probably make sure he / she belongs to a pest control association such as the International Pest Control Association, and if they belong to an organisation such as HIA, that's a plus.
The ideal kind of inspector for termite inspections would be an Accredited Timber Pest Inspector with units 8 and 10. This inspector has been trained, through special courses, to recognise problems of this sort.
If you make your pick from the Yellow Pages, be sure to check your choice with your local Department of Fair Trading.
They can tell you if they have had any complaints on the one you propose to use. Listen to them. They know the best and the worst. Instead of using their website for communication, phone the local office and talk to a live person. There are still many instances where personal contact is much better than the Internet.
The pest control firm's vehicle should be lettered professionally (No magnetic signs!)
Make sure they are local
Make sure your pest control firm has a physical office in your geographical area. Many falsely advertise that they are local, and these are the ones to be wary of, as this is one of the first lies to you as a potential client.
A good way to check is to visit their premises when confirming the booking or ask for the local address over the phone. You might get a surprise if you check. You would be wise to make sure it is a full-time pest control firm and not working out of the back of his private car or truck after his regular job.
Obtain more than one quote
Get several quotes after weeding out the ones that are short of information on the phone. Ask how long the business has been established. Disregard any that have only been around for a year or so as they have a good chance of going bust.
Ask questions about the different treatment options the company uses, and the toxicity of the pesticides. Always make sure the firm has professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Your pest control firm should guarantee to use the methods specified in the Australian Standards, and not use, charge for, or propose any unapproved, duplicate or dubious methods.
That is just about the minimum. It is always a good idea to get recommendations from your friends and relatives. The real estate agent that handled the sale of your house might also be able to give you a name or two.
If you have discovered a termite problem, you should definitely contact the pest control firm that supplied the original termite certificate for your settlement. He will have a history on the structure and might therefore supply a cheap alternative.
The man you will see, and the one that actually shows up to do the service will probably be someone else, the service technician, and he may, or he may not, have any idea of what the salesman told you.
Make sure he understands everything in the agreement you and the salesman worked out. You should make sure that this procedure is exactly what you need to do. A professional, ethical pest control firm will want to help you as economically as he can. A salesman would not always have the same work ethic, so you will almost always pay more.
A pest control technician often acts as a salesman, even profiting from his sales. That kind of pest control tech is a salesman first, and an pest controller second. A true, ethical pest controller, in All Guard Pest Control’s opinion, just gets the job done a efficient, economical way, using the least amount of chemicals.
It also helps to remember that pest control is an expertise, not an exact science, so each pest control firm will have its own way to do the job, and of course, a different price.
Be present during the job
On the occasion of the pest control firm's visit, to give you an estimate for any kind of pest control, make sure you are there, to talk with him face-to-face, and get the answers to all the questions you have regarding your pest problem.
Your final estimate will be higher if you don't deal directly with them, letting the wife, or husband, babysitter or house sitter do the job. Your relationship with this pest control firm will be a continuing one, make sure you are satisfied that they can answer your questions satisfactorily.
Naturally, if your pest control firm is called and comes to your home because you have a termite problem, you should expect a quotation, perhaps in person, immediately, certainly by normal mail or email.
