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Not all pest control companies provide Integrated Pest Management (IPM) services. The guidance below is intended to help homeowners, landlords, and property management identify and hire pest management services that meet the criteria for Medi-Cal’s Asthma Remediation coverage of IPM.
If you have a current pest control company, find out if they are using an IPM approach at your property. Signs that they are using IPM include:
- They do not spray pesticides on a regular schedule, whether pests are present or not.
- They conduct regular inspections or use monitoring tools and then make treatment decisions based on their findings.
- They provide recommendations for preventing pest infestations such as sealing cracks and crevices or improving sanitation.
- When chemical control methods are needed, they use less toxic materials such as containerized baits, gel baits and reduced risk pesticides.
If not currently doing so, can your existing pest control company provide IPM services?
- Can they provide a service that routinely monitors for pests, identifies the underlying causes of pest infestations, and recommends simple pest proofing strategies such as fixing leaks and holes and managing garbage to deprive pests of food, water, shelter and access into the building?
- Can they agree to only use reduced-risk chemical controls such as self-contained bait stations or gel baits, and only when non-chemical methods are insufficient to solve the pest problem in an effective and affordable manner?
- Some pest control companies assume their customers want routine spraying, so make sure your service provider knows you don’t want them to conduct perimeter spraying or other broadcast applications of liquid or aerosol pesticides.
If your existing pest control company cannot provide IPM services, seek a new company that can. Below are some steps you can take to identify and hire IPM services:
- Identify pest control companies with experience in IPM
- Look for local companies with 3rd party IPM certification. IPM certifications include:
- Make sure the company is licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board (verify a license) for structural pest control, or by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (verify a license) for landscape pest control services.
- IPM services should include:
- Thorough inspection of the facility, indoors and outdoors
- Written recommendations that show ways to exclude pests from entering the facility and how to prevent pests from becoming problems
- Periodic monitoring
- Use of traps and reduced-risk pesticides when prevention has failed
- Written service reports
- Ask whether they use indoor or outdoor sprays as part of their IPM services. Routine spraying of pesticides is not part of IPM. Avoid perimeter sprays altogether except for emergency situations, and only with your permission.
- Ask about the qualifications, experience and training of anyone who will work on your site. All personnel should be trained in IPM practices.
- Ask for references from facilities that are similar to your own.
- Check for positive online reviews (Yelp, Better Business Bureau, etc.)
The guidance in this document is adapted from the following sources:
“Hiring a Pest Control Company” from UC IPM (https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/hiring-a-pest-control-company/#gsc.tab=0)
“The EcoWise IPM Contracting Tool Kit for Developing a Structural IPM Program and Contracting for Structural IPM Services” from EcoWise (https://www.ecowisecertified.com/toolkit/toolkit.pdf)
“How to Hire a Pest Management Professional (PMP) Who Does IPM”, UCSF/Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (https://cchp.ucsf.edu/sites/g/files/tkssra181/f/How-to-hire-pest-management-professional.pdf)
“Selecting and Working with a Pest Management Professional”, New York City Health Department (https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/pesticide/select-mgmt-prof.pdf)