Pest control is something homeowners can’t live with out and pest control professionals get a spring in their step every time they hear the phone ring and are asked for pest control inspection. But the ‘professionals’ who get that dollar sign rush and cartoon evil-eyebrow look after hanging up the phone with you, will try to take every opportunity to get as much money from you as they can.
There are some who will try to make you believe anything and everything to carry out their mission and some are just plain ignorant about figuring out your pest problem. It seems like many are just trained to get your hard-earned money.
To be honest, the average homeowner really has no clue about pest control and properly safe-guarding their home from intrusive of vermin or insects. In fact, 52 – 54 % of home owners attempted pest control on their own. While two-thirds of those were unable to completely resolve their pest issue.
My name is Mark Sanders. I am the owner and operator of Nature King Pest Management, Inc. in the next few paragraphs I want to bring to light what is happening in the big business of pest control these days and how it is evolving very quickly into a corrupt industry.
As the owner of Nature King Pest management, I have heard from countless homeowners about the crazy prices, the absurd inspection reports and the complete misdiagnosis of pest problems. Some of which homeowners already paid for but they were just too busy in their own worlds to call within the warranty period. So many problems could have been prevented if the first inspection had been correct.
This is a story that goes pretty much the same way every time. Seems the only difference is the customers. But, the story is always the same. Jaw dropping estimates and hard-to-believe inspection reports.
I got a call recently about a possible squirrel infestation. These fine folks found my company on nextdoor.com. but they had another pest control professional come out to inspect and give an estimate before I showed up. It is a good thing that they were wise enough to get more than one estimate.
I showed up and quickly started my inspection which consists first of asking the homeowner questions.
How long have they had the problem.
When do they hear the noise in the attic?
Is it fast feet running or hopping like sounds?
Have they ever dealt with an infestation before?
Before I go up in the attic I walk around the house and get a visual.
Entrance areas of squirrel are very different then that of rats. Rats are like criminals. They are opportunistic and will find an area already wide enough to enter. They don’t want to risk the danger of being noticed so they don’t sit there for a time and gnaw up the entrance area. Squirrel will gnaw around the entrance area and this is quite visibly noticeable. These indicative traits of the two are but just a few.
As I walked around the structure a screen vent was half way open but there were no scratch marks around it at all. And then I came upon the coolant pipe that goes from the A.C. unit outside to the attic. At the bottom of the pipe duct, the insulation was scratched as though traveled upon. They are called “rub marks” or “Sway or scratch marks”. 99.9% of the time this is the work of the rat. They simply enter from the ground level, follow the pipe up the wall of the house and in they go. Squirrel always enter from eve area up, period.
I inspected their roof. Nothing concerned me there, then went up in the attic. Having known where the pipe enters, that was my area of focus. As I entered the attic I saw rat droppings.
I made my way around to the area where the pipe comes up and saw that some insulation had been chewed off. Rats did this to get moisture. There were rat droppings all around it.
Rat feces and squirrel feces are very different in appearance. Rat droppings always look like rat droppings but squirrel droppings can sometimes resemble rat droppings. In this attic there was nothing but rat droppings. Squirrel feces are roundish and bunch together. Rat is always oblong in shape.
As I finished up my inspection I knew that this was a rat infestation and not a squirrel problem. And that diagnosis would save the homeowner a lot of money. I let the homeowner know that. I told her all that I inspected and what I think the problem is. I brought the homeowner outside and made clear the area of intrusion. Showing that there is noticeable marking deposits on the A.C. pipe and nothing on the screen vent. I closed the screen vent. I let her know what my method of operation was and the cost and she accepted my estimate.
The homeowner told me that the other guy that came out did NOT get on the roof, did NOT look at or spot the A.C. pipe entrance, did NOT spot or discover the insulation gnaw in attic. But he did say that an area where they can get in is about a 1/4 inch. Also the alleged pest control professional said that rats are cartilage based and that they can squeeze through that small an area.
See there folks! That’s what I mean about misdiagnosis, absurd statements, and to top it off, those crazy prices! The homeowner told me the first inspector reported it was a squirrel infestation and would cost $4600.00 to fix.
It’s a good thing they found Nature King Pest Management, Inc. My bid was $270.62. And, It included sealing up the area of entrance. They saved $4,300 by seeking a 2nd opinion and finding me. If you want honest, knowledgeable, reasonable priced pest control service I encourage you to call me! Thank You!!
You’ll be glad you did!!
Nature King Pest Management, Inc.
WE WILL SHUT-OUT RODENTS ONCE AND FOR ALL!!
Call Us Today! Office 214-827-0090 or Cell 214-791-7414