Three branches of pest work in California
California's Structural Pest Control Board licenses three branches of work. Branch 1 is control of household and wood-destroying pests by fumigation with poisonous or lethal gases. Branch 2 is control of household pests, excluding fumigation. Branch 3 is control of wood-destroying pests by insecticides or structural repairs and corrections, excluding fumigation.
The Board's license types
The Structural Pest Control Board issues three license types. Applicators and Field Representatives may work only for a registered structural pest control company, while an Operator may own and operate a company or act as qualifying manager for another owner.
The question to put to every company in El Centro
Before anyone schedules a visit, ask: "Which Structural Pest Control Board branch covers this work, and what is your license number and the registered company you work for?" Note the answer, the date and the name of the person who gave it. If the person who comes to the house is not the one you spoke with on the phone, put the same question to that person too.
Ask each company for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation before work begins.
A drinking-water note
Total hardness (as CaCO3) of 340 and 350 mg/L at the city's two sources, from a February 25, 2021 sample, is what El Centro's 2022 water quality report lists.
Start with what you have seen
A company can shape its proposal around what you show it. Before the first visit, gather a few plain details: the rooms where you see activity, the time of day, whether it is a live insect, droppings, damaged wood or something else, and how long it has been going on. A sharp photo or a specimen sealed in a jar can save a round of guessing.
If fumigation comes up
A fumigation proposal deserves its own set of questions:
- Why does the company recommend fumigation over a local treatment for what it found?
- How long would the house need to stay empty, and who decides when it is ready to enter again?
- What should be removed, bagged or left in place, including food, medicine, plants and pets?
- How will the company secure the house while it is empty?
- What happens to the roof, plants beside the walls and any outdoor fixtures during the work?
Get every answer in writing. If a second company proposes a local treatment instead, ask each to explain what it saw that led it there.
Reading an inspection report
A wood-destroying insect inspection may end in a written report, and the words matter. Read it for:
- each finding, with the place in the house where it was seen;
- what the company recommends for each finding, and whether it is a treatment, a repair or both;
- areas the inspector could not get to, and what it would take to look there;
- any condition noted as likely to draw insects later, such as wood touching soil or a plumbing leak.
Ask the company to walk you through any item you do not follow. A report that only says "evidence found" without saying where leaves you little to compare.
Who comes to the door
The person who sells the job and the person who does it may not be the same. Ask on the phone who will carry out the work, whether the same technician returns for follow-up visits, and how to reach the company if a question comes up while the technician is in the house.
Comparing written estimates
Line two or more estimates up and check that each one names:
- the pest it targets;
- the rooms and outside areas it covers;
- the method and the products, by name;
- the number of trips and the total price;
- what the company does if activity continues after the work.
If one estimate leaves an item out, ask that company to add it before you choose.
Preparing the house
Clear the space under sinks and along walls where the technician needs to reach. Move pet bowls, toys and food prep items out of the way. Tell the company about aquariums, birds, a garden you eat from and anyone at home you want kept in mind, and ask what each product label says about re-entry for people and pets.
The days after a treatment
Follow the re-entry time from the label. Ask how long before you should expect to see a change, whether to hold off on cleaning treated areas, and what would justify a callback. Keep writing down any activity you notice, with the date and place, so a follow-up call starts from facts rather than memory.
Put the estimate, the inspection report, the product names, the license answer and the receipt in one folder. That file can tell the next technician what was found and what was done.