3 Background Checks You Should Run BEFORE You Hire a Pest Control Company

With the ability to quickly look up a pest control company on the Internet, you might think that any pest control company will get the job done. But do you really know who you're hiring? Do they carry insurance in case something gets broken? Are they properly licensed? The reality is that while there are many Seattle pest control companies, no two are alike - and by doing a quick check, you might save yourself some headache before calling "Man with a Can Pest Control".

Here's some things to consider the next time you see a trail of ants and do a quick search for a solution.

1. In the State of Washington, all pest control companies are managed through the Department of Agriculture.  Look the company up on the Dept. of Ag website.  Each pest control operator (PCO) should have a Commercial Applicator (CA) "master license", as well as have PCO General and PCO Structural licenses. A list of all of the individual operators (employees) will be displayed, as well as if the company has CA insurance, just in case something breaks! 
2. Look the company up on the Washington L & I website. Enter a part or all of the company name, and you can quickly verify business license, bonding and insurance. If you are hiring a company to also do "exclusion" - repair work to seal up access points made by rodents and/or wildlife - they should also have a construction license which will be displayed here as well.
3. Look the company up on the Washington Dept. of Revenue website. A legitimate business will be registered with the DOR.

Note that the links given are only applicable for pest control companies operating in Washington State. 




Once you've verified that the pest control company is legitimate, licensed and insured to do the work, be sure to look at some reviews to see how other customers were treated. Chances are if you see a lot of positive reviews, you'll get good service as well.




Doing these 3 background checks can save you a lot of time, money and aggravation!