Reputable Pest Control:
Termite Treatments Require Licensing
I hate to be the person who runs things into the ground, but when I see something that is clearly wrong I must speak out against it. This isn’t about trying to keep anyone from getting a job. This is about Public Health and Safety; it’s also about Law. Here is an ad that I found today on Craigslist:
We are looking for a termite service professional. On-the-job training is provided so exp. is not essential.
Qualifications:
* Current drivers license
* Read, speak and understand English and basic mathematics
* At least 18 yrs. of age
* Has high school diploma or general education degree
* Reliable transportation
Location: Richmond
Compensation: $20 an hour
Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
Notice that the advertisement is for a “Termite Service Professional” but then it goes on to say that experience is not necessary. According to the ad, all you need for the job is a driver’s license and a High School Diploma in order to make $20.00 per hour. You should also notice that the advertisement does not name the company that is hiring unlicensed, untrained “Termite Professionals” and there is a very good reason for that omission. If you look up Richmond and termite control you will find this ad on the first page of the Google search result. No pest control company wants to have their name associated with this ad.
I’ve worked in construction and had to handle chemicals which come with a very specific set of rules for material handling and disposal. Health and Safety is so important in the workplace that some companies have a safety meeting every single shift, before work can even start. That is professional. Hiring someone who is not trained or licensed and expecting them to live up to the word professional is absurd.
Please, whatever you do, when you hire someone to inspect your home for termites, make sure that they are indeed a licensed professional. I see reports every week about people who are not protected by their termite bond, and that is because the person who did their treatments was not a licensed professional. Last week a large group of people in North Carolina was fined for operating without licenses and some for not following the basic instructions for the chemical treatments that they used.
Those fines did not go to the home owners who were duped into using substandard services. Those were the fines imposed by the state. I also see, every week, stories of heartbroken home owners who have lost so much because they thought they hired a good company and they thought that they were protected. It takes a lot longer to settle a law suit than it does to verify the license in the first place.
Two weeks ago I read about a student at a University in India who died because of inhaling the fumigation chemicals that were used in their quarters. The unlicensed company gave the student bad information which resulted in poisoning and death. I didn’t write about it because I was too upset by it. I’m writing about it now because the economy is bad and desperate individuals see a pest control company as an easy start-up business. It is not an easy start-up business. No one should be inspecting your home for termites and applying chemicals to your property without the proper license.
Termite treatments in Phoenix are controlled by a strict set of health and safety laws; the chemicals are approved by the EPA for use by licensed professionals. Don’t settle for less. The initial termite inspection is free and you are under no obligation to follow through with the company. You are entitled to a second and third opinion if you choose. You can call around and check prices and get a variety of estimates. No matter what company you choose, make sure you do your due diligence, check their license.
Glendale AZ –
Termite Control Arizona
20118 N 67TH AVE, STE 300
GLENDALE, AZ 85308
(623) 388-4960