|
GENERAL INFORMATION
A to Z
BONDING AND INSURANCE Every company
registered by the Structural Pest Control Board
must maintain a bond of $4,000, as well as general
liability insurance with a minimum of $25,000 for
bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage per
loss. The bond covers financial injury due to fraud,
dishonesty, or damage sustained by any person as
a result of a violation of a statute. The liability
insurance covers financial loss due to property
damage as well as public injury and/or illness as a
result of actions by the pest control company.
BRANCH 1: Fumigation License/Registration
Companies or individuals with this classification
can perform fumigation of structures. Tarps are put
over the entire building and a lethal gas is released
inside the structure to eradicate wood-destroying
pests.
BRANCH 2: General Household Pest License/
Registration Branch 2 covers identification and
treatment of household pests such as spiders,
rodents, cockroaches, weevils, ants and bees,
carpenter ants, and carpenter bees, etc.
BRANCH 3: Wood-Destroying Pest and
Organisms License/Registration Individuals or
companies within this category are licensed to
perform inspections for wood-destroying pests and
organisms, issue the inspection report and completion
notices, conduct treatments, and perform any
repairs recommended on the inspection report.
CELLULOSE DEBRIS Scattered remains of something
that originated from a plant (e.g. wood,
paper) found in the subarea crawl space.
CERTIFICATION A statement by a pest control
company that indicates the property is free of
infestation or infection in the visible and accessible
areas. Any signs of infestation or infection
which have not been corrected will be added as
disclaimers to the certification. The certification
can be included on an inspection report,
reinspection, or completion notice.
COMPLAINT HISTORY The Board maintains a
two-year history of complaints against pest control
companies. The Board also has information on
company registrations, qualifying managers, and
the company’s bond and insurance.
COMPLETION TAG After a pest control company
has completed treatment or repairs, a completion
tag is placed next to the inspection tag in the subarea,
attic, or garage. This tag is required by law
and will display the name of the company, date of
completion, and the name of any chemical(s)
used.
CONTROL SERVICE AGREEMENT A contract
between a pest control company and a
consumer that covers the treatment of wooddestroying
pests and provides for regular
reinspection of a property after an inspection
report has been performed and agreed-upon corrections
have been made. The written contract
shall be signed by both parties, and addresses:
- Wood-destroying pests and organisms that
could infest and infect the structure, the wooddestroying
pest(s) and organism(s) that are
covered by the control service policy, and any
wood-destroying pest(s) and organism(s) that
are not covered by the contract.
- The type of treatment to be used to correct the
infestations or infections.
- The structures covered by the agreement,
with specific exclusions of any structure(s)
inspected on the original report.
- Reference to the original report an
agreement.
- Frequency of the inspections to be provided
and the duration of the agreement.
- Fee for each renewal and information as to
whether the fee includes structural repairs.
- Whether any guarantees are provided, and the
terms of the guarantee(s).
- A statement that all corrections of infestation
or infection covered by the agreement shall be
completed within six months of discovery,
unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both
parties.
Inspections made pursuant to a control service
agreement shall be conducted by a Branch 3
licensee. A full inspection of the property covered
by the contract shall be conducted at least
once every three years from the date of the agreement
unless the consumer cancels the contract
within three years.
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER
On behalf of the Board, the County Agricultural
Commissioners investigate complaints about
pest control companies applying chemicals and
pesticides in an unsafe or illegal manner.
DAMPWOOD TERMITES Termites that live in
and feed on wood that has a high moisture
content.
DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES Door-to-door sales of
pest control services by unlicensed individuals
are not permissible. Any individuals going doorto-
door may only leave flyers or set up appointments.
Every licensee is issued a license. Consumers
should ask to see it.
DRYWOOD TERMITES Termites that establish
colonies in wood, feed on the wood, and drop
fecal pellets.
EARTH-WOOD CONTACTS Wooden members
of the structure that are in contact with the soil.
This condition can contribute to fungus infection
and infestation by subterranean termites.
EXCESSIVE MOISTURE Excessive moisture, if
not controlled, can foster the growth of a fungus
infection, materially damaging wood.
FAULTY GRADE LEVEL A condition that occurs
when the top of any foundation is even with or
below the adjacent earth.
FUNGUS/DRY ROT Moisture-induced infection
in wood which causes rot and reduces the
strength of the wood.
FURTHER INSPECTION When an area is inaccessible
or not visible for inspection purposes, a
recommendation is made to open the area to
reveal the enclosed space for inspection.
HEALTH HAZARDS If anyone experiences
flu-like symptoms after a licensee has applied
pesticides or chemicals at your property, contact
the County Agricultural Commissioner or the
Board and your physician immediately.
INACCESSIBLE AREAS Areas of a structure that
cannot be readily viewed for inspection purposes
without opening up or defacing the areas.
INSPECTION FEE Pest control companies usually
charge a fee for inspections. These fees can
vary widely, as there are no laws which regulate
pricing. Therefore, consumers may want to discuss
the fee before hiring a company to perform
an inspection.
INSPECTION REPORT Every time a pest control
licensee inspects any structure on a property, a
report entitled “Wood-Destroying Pests and
Organisms Inspection Report” must be issued.
Inspection reports are maintained by the pest
control company for three years.
INSPECTION TAG Regulation requires that a
pest control company post a tag in the attic,
subarea, or garage after an inspection has been
made. The tag shall contain the firm’s name and
date of inspection.
LIMITED REPORT An inspection report limited
to a specific portion(s) of a structure shall be
labeled as “limited.” It must include a diagram of
the inspected area, a notation indicating the
person/entity requesting the limited report, and
recommendations for further inspection.
MECHANICS LIEN LAW Under the California
Mechanics Lien Law, any structural pest control
company which contracts to do work for you,
and any contractor, subcontractor, laborer, supplier,
or other person who helps to improve your
property, but is not paid for his or her work or
supplies, has a right to enforce a claim against
your property. To protect yourself and your property
against a possible mechanics lien, you may
want to:
- Require that your contractor supply you with
a payment and performance bond (a guarantee
that all work and proper payments will be
completed), and file it with a copy of the
contract at the County Recorder’s Office.
- Require your contractor to provide you with
unconditional lien releases signed by each
material supplier, subcontractor, and laborer
involved before making payment on any
completed phase of the project. To protect
yourself under this option, you must be
certain that all material suppliers, subcontractors,
and laborers have signed.
ORIGINAL REPORT The first report prepared on
a structure by a registered company and any
follow-up reports issued more than four months
after the date of the first report.
OTHER WOOD PESTS Infestations such as
wood-boring beetles, carpenter ants, and carpenter
bees are included under this category.
REINSPECTION REPORT A report on the inspection
of items completed as recommended on the
original report (or subsequent reports). It may be
limited to the items requested by the person
ordering the report and must clearly refer to the
original report.
SECTION 1 ITEMS Visible evidence of infestation
(termites, wood-boring beetles, carpenter
ants, etc.) or infection (fungus).
SECTION 2 ITEMS Conditions present that are
deemed likely to lead to an infestation or infection
(moisture conditions, faulty grade, etc.).
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS The Board has a
two-year time frame within which to take action
against a company. Therefore, complaints must
be filed with the Board within two years of the
date of the inspection report or completion
notice.
SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES Termites that live in
underground colonies and enter structures
through mud tubes.
SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT A report on an inspection
conducted after areas have been opened up
for further inspection as recommended on previous
reports, or to correct, add, or modify information
in a previous report. A supplemental
report must clearly refer to any previous report.
WOOD ROOF CLEANING AND TREATMENT
Wood roof cleaning and treatment licensees
inspect wood shake or shingle roofs to determine
the presence or absence of wood-destroying
organisms.
Serving cities in and around Orange County, including:
- Huntington Beach
- Westminster
- Fountain Valley
- Garden Grove
- Orange
- Santa Ana
- Irvine
- Costa Mesa
|
