Do Pest Control Services in Your Home Make You Nervous?

DC is never in short supply of pests staging their latest attempts to enter homes to take advantage of your hard-earned food, water and shelter, not to mention creating sometimes irreparable damage to your home and belongings. Yet many DC residents are hesitant to pick up the phone to call a pest management professional to resolve their problem.

The biggest cause of apprehension for residents that won’t make the call is the common fear of pest control products being applied in their homes, which is a completely reasonable concern. Pest management professionals are well aware of the risks associated with pesticide misapplications, which is why the industry takes it upon itself to strictly adhere to state and federal regulations. Industry leaders also make sure to properly train employees to ensure the safety of technicians, families, pets and the environment. Finally, pest control companies have begun utilizing integrated pest management (IPM) in recent years to reduce the amount of pesticides required into everyday practice. Integrated Pest Management requires the blending of multiple control methods (exclusion, baiting, pesticide application, etc.) into a customized treatment plan to eliminate pests from the property.

Some residents feel that the philosophies of “living with a few pests” and “live & let live” are the most Zen approaches to living, but that isn’t always the case. In addition to being a nuisance, rodents can spread over 35 diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control. They also enjoy chewing on electrical wires, which presents a significant fire risk. Ticks can hide in lawns or unkempt grassy areas and could potentially transmit Lyme disease through a bite. And let’s not forget bed bugs, those infamous media darlings that have held the sweet dreams of many a District of Columbia resident hostage as they elevate nighttime levels of anxiety and paranoia.

If you are hesitant to call a pest management professional for fears of the impact of pesticides on the environment, know that pesticide sales and usage are regulated by the EPA. The agency ensures that products are properly labeled with detailed safety instructions and enforces bans on products that are no longer labeled for usage.  They are also continually conducting tests and research to evolve new best practices for the pest management industry with modern green and enviro-conscious initiatives in mind to ensure effective pest control can be practiced with the lowest impact on families and the environment possible.

Maybe you are concerned about the credentials of the technician providing the treatment for your home. That’s why you should research companies to see if they are QualityPro certified. QualityPro is the highest honor awarded by the National Pest Management Association that a pest control company can earn, which among other things, designates their commitment to hiring and training qualified candidates. Pest Control technicians are also required to be licensed by the state or states they practice in.

If you are still wary of pesticides being used in your home, you can ask your service provider to show you the MSDS labels of the products they intend to use on your property. They should be able to provide you a print copy or an electronic version on their website. These labels will offer clear and specific instructions for exactly how the product is intended to be used. Finally, you can call the customer service department of the provider you are considering to ask any questions you may still have. They will provide the answer or get you in touch with an entomologist or technical director that will offer the information you are looking for.

For more information about how we can help solve your pest problems or about pesticide application, contact American Pest today at 1-877-282-1886, or fill out our online contact form. You can also check us out on Facebook or Twitter!