All posts in “Office of Pest Management”

Is hiring a unlicensed Pest Control company a good choice?

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My list and answer could go on forever on this subject but I ran into a rather good article from Texas on this very topic and thought I would share it.

Texas has an updated online tool to help people make intellegient choices on who they pick to perform pest control services for their homes, families and businesses. Now if you are in Texas here is the link TexasAgriculture.gov, here are just a few of the remarks mentioned in the article.

Unlicensed pest control applicators might work cheaper but their work can be deadly to families and business employees, officials said Tuesday.

“Unlicensed people may potentially run a higher risk of being unfamiliar with laws and safety precautions and training and practices,”

“Safety and security are important factors when letting someone in your home,”

In Arizona the Office of Pest Management regulates the pest control industry and provides a Consumer link to various and very useful information. They also provide Termite Action Report Forms (TARFs) or a tool to see what termite work was done on a home.

Rainy season brings the termites, are you ready?

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When your home was built the contractor probably was required to pretreat the soil before pouring the concrete slab. By AZ law a final grade was to be performed within a certain period, if you look in the electrical box you may find the two required stickers. One should be the original pretreat and the second is the final grade. Now that’s if they haven’t fallen off or are not legible. You can also visit the Office of Pest Management site at http://tarf.sb.state.az.us/index.php?ckset=ok – they started keeping track in 1990 I think.

Back in the day termiticides like Chlordane could last for 50 years, but in my opinion today I think it is closer to 15 years. Especially when placed under concrete without things that would break down the chemical. The outside of the home or that final grade is another completely different story. If nothing messes it up it might last 7 years but that doesn’t happen very often. Water, rodents, sun and the heat, people installing pipes or wires often disrupt that barrier. It is my opinion that you shouldn’t plant anything under the eaves of the roof line, roots and water may affect the home and you don’t need anything else to worry about.

So keep checking your foundation, clear away rocks or soil from the stucco area – you need to be able to see that foundation. Don’t stack firewood against the home or for that matter any other debris. As always if you need an inspection give ProBest Pest Management a call at 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176.

Why is a termite inspection important?

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Termites are one of those things that I’ll bet most people don’t ever think about. Over 5 billion dollars are spent on damage every year, so I think it is important. The Office of Pest Management offers this article on termites and Wood-Destroying Insect Inspection Report here in Arizona. If I was spending my hard earned money, I think I would like an opinion about something I may or may not know much about.

Thanks to Univar Environmental Solutions for the picture.

What makes up a TRUE – Pest Management Professional?

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What makes up a TRUE – Pest Management Professional?

What do you look for in a Service Professional? Do they come dressed in an uniform, visibly marked. Do they have an I.D. badge? Are they in a company vehicle? Did they give you an estimate on the back of their business card or was it on a complete form with all pertinent information?

All ProBest field personnel have uniforms, clearly marked.
We use Crime Free Circle, all employee’s carry I.D’s .
All field employee’s have company truck clearly marked.
Office of Pest Management (OPM) requires termite estimates to be on a form approved by them. We also provide pest estimates via written reports.

ProBest Pest Management is QualityPro and abides by additional Standards of Professionalism .

So what’s on your mind?

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So what’s on your mind?

So I was thinking the other day that we should discuss a few Arizona Department of Agriculture – Office of Pest Management terms:

“Pest” means a vertebrate or invertebrate insect, bird, mammal, organism, or a weed or plant pathogen that is in an undesirable location. I bet you really didn’t think a weed was a pest, did you? I’m sure we have called a few people we might know – “a pest”? I’m equally convinced that all politicians are pests, the necessary evil.

“Pesticide,” as defined in A.R.S. § 32-2301, includes an insecticide, fungicide, rodenticide, termiticide, fumigant, larvacide, adulticide, herbicide, avicide, or molluscicide.

So just a few terms to get you thinking what pest control or pest management is all about.

It’s scary out there! Bugs, criminals or who knows what?

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It’s scary out there! Bugs, criminals or who knows what?

Office of Pest Management (OPM) LIMITS BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Effective September 07, 2012 the Office of Pest Management (OPM) has limited background investigations they are completing to the minimum required by the rules.

– Applicants will be asked about whether they have EVER been convicted of a felony.

– A class 6 undesignated offense is a felony until set aside, expunged, undesignated, or reduced to a misdemeanor.

– Businesses are RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EMPLOYEES THEY HIRE AND ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT THEIR OWN BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES.

– A consumer alert will be added to the OPM website stressing to customers that they should know who they are hiring and some questions they may want to ask.

Scott Richardson (JaburgWilk) can help your pest control company prosper and guide you through legal or regulatory challenges. Contact Scott at 602-248-1012 or [email protected] for more information on pest control law and representation.

Since 2008 ProBest Pest Management has been certified by Crime Free Circle. ProBest through Crimshield runs background checks yearly on all field employees.

Welcome to CrimeFreeCircle.com, We are dedicated to bringing every home owner and business owner a safe in-home or on-premises contractor services. We are your one stop shop for quality Crimshield Certified crime free companies, offering thousands of services. Why blindly pick a company and gamble with your safety? Studies show that 1 out of 6 service providers entering your home or business are criminals. Let Crime Free Circle give you certified crime free alternatives.

Congrats to Seth! 6 years with ProBest Pest Management

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Congrats to Seth! 6 years with ProBest Pest Management

Seth is the hardest worker in the field and is the one I turn to to solve and handle those rough cases. Seth doesn’t care if its a crawlspace or 2nd story roof, he will take care of it. Glad to have you here Seth!!!!!

Tips for Finding A Pest Control Pro

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Tips for Finding A Pest Control Pro

Always deal with a qualified and licensed pest management company. Consider asking to see the license or other credentials of the pest control professional that comes to solve your pest problem.
Evaluate pest control companies that are members of national, state or local pest management associations.
Consider an NPMA QualityPro company. Visit www.npmaqualitypro.com for more information.
Ask friends and neighbors to recommend pest control companies they have used successfully and how satisfied they were with the service.
Be wary of the exterminator who comes to your home uninvited and offers to give your house a free inspection for pests. He or she may try to scare you into authorizing immediate and costly treatments.
If a sizable amount of money is involved, get bids from several pest management companies.
Don’t rush a decision. Since you are paying for professional knowledge as well as skillful application of pesticides, look for someone whose judgment you can trust.
Before signing a contract, be sure to fully understand the nature of the household pest to be exterminated, the extent of the infestation, and the work necessary to solve the problem.
Find out if the pest control company has liability insurance to cover any damages to your house or furnishings during treatment.
If a guarantee is given, know what it covers, how long it lasts, what you must do to keep it in force, and what kind of continuing control, prevention and management are necessary.
Buy value, not price. Beware of exterminators that offer bargains that sound too good to be true.
Homeowners can call state pest control regulatory agencies for information regarding the status of pest management companies. In most states the regulatory agency is the State Department of Agriculture.

ProBest Pest Management 425 W. Guadalupe Road Gilbert, AZ 85233 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176

When is a PEST a Pest?

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When is a PEST a Pest?

The Arizona Office of Pest Management defines as “Pest” means a vertebrate or invertebrate insect, bird, mammal, organism, or a weed or plant pathogen that is in an undesirable location.

So what does that mean, let’s say you have Bahia Grass growing in your driveway and that it doesn’t belong there or you don’t want it there = pest. Or you have roof rats in your attic, obviously you don’t want them there = pest.

It really isn’t the fault of the weed or bug, it is just doing what its supposed to do. Live and breed, I know as long as it doesn’t happend in your home. So keep up with the pest, keep the weeds down and home seal to prevent the pest or wildlife from getting into your home.