How to Choose the Right
Pest Management Company
What do you do when your dream home is invaded by foraging termites or other pests?
How do you choose the right pest controller to help you? Here are some tips on how to choose the right pest management company to take care of your pest problem.
There are at least 15 areas that every consumer should be aware of before engaging the services of any pest management company.
| Areas to Look Out For | Implication |
| Membership with Malaysia Pest Management Association (MPMA) | This will ensure that the company will uphold the code of ethics and standards set forth by MPMA |
| Full commitment to the business | This will be shown in the following areas:
|
| Minimum usage of chemicals | You have to check with the pest management company whether they have an alternative treatment besides the use of chemicals. An example of one such alternative is the use of baiting technology. |
| Chemicals used must pose no risk to humans and the environment | Chemicals used must be approved by the Pesticides Board to ensure water sources/wells and plants, etc. are not affected |
| Termite Field Inspector must be trained | He must have undergone a minimum of 30 hours of classroom training which covers the following topics:
He must have passed an examination conducted by the Pesticides Board, Ministry of Agriculture who will then grant him a Pesticides Applicator Licence This would ensure that the inspector is knowledgeable enough to detect and identify the termite species and to recommend the appropriate action to customers They must also undergo a medical check-up at least once a year to ensure that they arenot disease carriers |
| Have an in-house Entomologist | A qualified Entomologist will enhance the quality of termite and pest elimination by correctly identifying the termite/pest species |
| The solution provided must not only be able to control but to eliminate the whole termite colony | The termite colony must be totally eliminated or the problem will persist and cause further damage to the property. Only by eliminating the whole colony will the root of the termite problem be addressed. |
| The solution should be less intrusive to state of the property | The solution should not involve any drilling inside or outside the premises and not leave any odour |
| The treatment is aided by the usage of a termite detector which requires no drilling or prodding | Termite detectors will give timely information in detecting the presence of termites; ensuring quick action to arrest the termite problem. The Ridpest team uses a state-of-the-art Thermal Imaging Camera to detect hidden pests! |
| Method used must have been scientifically proven and documented | This is to ensure that you do not fall prey to exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims by any pest management company |
| There must be standard operating procedures that the termite treatment must adhere to in accordance with the specifications and instructions laid down | Having a full checklist of the whole procedure for the termite treatment will help you be certain that the pest management company that you’ve engaged strictly adheres to any specifications and instructions that are required for an effective treatment. |
| In the event that the treatment is unsuccessful, a guarantee should be given that doesn’t just cover the retreatment but to cover for any termite damage | Worker termites work non-stop 24/7 and they will consume and destroy wood structures should any survive; furthermore queen termites multiply quickly– laying a few thousands eggs a day. As such, the damage can be substantial as a result of an unsuccessful treatment. |
| It should be a totally RISK-FREE buying decision. Should the product/treatment fail to perform the intended purpose and expectation, you must know that a recourses is available | Being a consumer, your interests must be protected at all times. You can then engage the services of a pest management company with peace of mind. |
| Price has to be measured against the total value | You have to study the total package offered by the pest management company. Do not compare two quotations based on the surface price alone – you need to make an apple to apple comparison. The lowest priced package may not give you the highest value. |
| Fees have to be calculated scientifically | You want to ensure that the fee charged by the pest management company is fair. |
These 15 tips are not exhaustive but they should be enough to help you evaluate a pest management company before engaging them.
If you need assistance with your termite problem, get in touch with us for a quote!
