|
Client Services |
|
|
This page is for our existing clients. If you need to get an estimate or
request an inspection, please click the button below titled "Click Here for an
Estimate". We honor our warranties - even at significant cost or loss to us.
Please read through this information before calling us for a service or warranty
call. |
|
|
|
|
Warranty and Service Calls
|
|
|
One of the things that sets our company apart from many of our
competitors is the fact we honor our warranties and service calls.
However, it is important to understand what we are promising to do - and what
might end up resulting in further charges.
Approximately one of out
fifteen jobs we do we get a call back. More than half of these calls are
false alarms. Identifying whether or not your situation is a false alarm
can save you time, anxiety and money.
Why do we get legitimate calls
back? Bats are wild animals. They don't need much of an opening to
squeeze through. Sometimes we miss a spot and the bats find it.
Other times something changes - maybe a wind storm or heavy rain dislodges some
of our bat proofing before it has a chance to fully dry/set up or cure.
How can you tell if the bats are back?
Bat in the House - A bat in your house may be a sign the
colony has re-infested your home or building. However, in many cases
we find the homeowner has left a door open (perhaps while grilling, unloading
the car, or entertaining?). Sometimes it is a window left open without
suitable screening. The bat colony wants back in to their old roost.
This is where they were born and raised. They will aggressively exploit open doors and
windows - especially in the evening or very early mornings. Our warranties
and service agreements do not cover this sort of problem. Please honestly
evaluate the past couple days before calling us out to visit. Did you
leave the patio door open a couple nights ago while grilling? Is it
possible the bat flew in and has been hiding? Now it is thirsty and
desperate to find a way back outside?
Of course, the bat in the house may
be an indication there is a problem we need to address. Once you can
confidently rule out the bat coming in through a door or window and/or you find
other evidence of infestation (noise in the walls, consistent guano outside,
observe them leaving in the evening) we are more than happy to come out and
honor our warranty.
Noise in the Walls, Attic or Ceiling
- Hearing the bats squeaking or scratching is a solid sign you have bats back
and we need to come out. Of course, bats are not the only thing that make
noise. Some have mistaken the noise of a tree branch scratching the house
in the wind, or other pests in the walls. What do bats sound like?
Bats typically are heard around dusk leaving the roost as they scratch and crawl
their way to the outside. At or just before dawn you can often hear them
returning to their roost. In some cases you can get them to move around or
even squeak if you bang on the wall or ceiling in close proximity to the roost.
It would not be typical to hear noise during the day when the bats are in a
state of torpor, nor would it be typical to hear the bats at random times
through the night. These types of noises are more often sign of a pack
rat, squirrel, or some other animal.
Guano Inside or Outside the
House - Fresh guano (soft and squishy - not dry and crumbly) is a sure
sign of recent bat activity. Sometimes old and dry guano will fall down
from the rafters during a significant storm or sonic boom - but if you have
fresh guano in the house please call us right away.
Guano outside is a
little more complicated. The bats likely are hunting around your house.
They may also still be landing on the house throughout the night and are
possibly even still trying to find a way back in. So what do we look for?
We are looking for a consistent pattern of guano. Fresh guano in the
same place everyday means one of two things:
1) The bats have found a way
back in and are marking their territory each morning as they return to the
roost, or;
2) One or more bats has found a sheltered spot it uses each
night to "rest". We call this a "hanging spot".
How can you tell
the difference? There are two primary ways to figure this out. One
is to put a ladder up and look directly and exactly above the guano. Is
there a hole in the wall? The second method is to stand outside and watch
this spot of the house as the sun sets.
Bat Watch - If
you are still unsure if the bats have re-infested, one of the quickest ways to
get firm evidence is to do a bat watch. Simply watch the exterior of your
house as the sun begins to set until it is almost dark. Of course the
excluded colony is likely still living in the area and hunting around your
house. So seeing bats flying around outside should be expected.
However, seeing a colony of bats leaving the house is sure evidence we need to
come back!
What is a Service Agreement or a Warranty? -
Think of our warranty and service agreement like the warranty that comes with
your car. Odds are you will not have any problems during your warranty
period. We do our best work to try and make that happen - as this is in
our best interest too. However, for the times a problem does arise,
just like with the warranty on the car, you have the security of knowing we will
solve the problem at our cost.
Getting bats back in your house during the
warranty period doesn't mean didn't satisfy the contract. It means it is our turn to step up
again and repeat the process - as many times as it takes. Bats are wild
animals with very strong instincts. If they have lived with you for a long
time, it may take a long time before they quit trying to get back in. No
one can guarantee the behavior of these wild animals - but we can guarantee we
will be there to assist you through the entire period.
What
Things May Void the Warranty or Service Agreement? - Simply put, things
completely out of our control void the warranty. These things fall into
several general categories:
Work Done on the
House: If you hire someone to replace your roof, siding or some
other exterior work - and they leave your house open enough for the bats to
return, this is not our responsibility. Even an external power wash may
remove some of our bat proofing. What should you do if you need work done
on the house?
Your best option is to explain the situation to your
contractor and have them include in their contract they will seal up their work
in such a way as to guarantee or warrant the bats won't get back in. In
other words - put it on the contractor to do a good & thorough job. A
second option is to hire us (or someone else) to come back out and touch up the
bat proofing around the new work.
Acts of God:
This term refers to things generally covered by your home owners insurance
policy. A lightening strike, a fire, a tree falling on your house, wind or
ice damage are all things that may let the bats back in. If this happens
to you, be sure to include in your claim to your insurance company the cost to
have us come back and reseal your home or building.
Other Pest Problems: We specialize in
bats. If you also have a problem with squirrels, woodpeckers, pack rats,
raccoons, or other animals that cause damage to the exterior of your home - and
they let the bats back in - we are not responsible. This is completely out
of our control. If this is your situation, it is important to get the
appropriate animal or pest control company involved.
Fortunately,
most "other" pest damage will be in just one spot on the house and will not
require a complete reproofing of the house. However, it may require an
exclusion if the bats do find and exploit the damaged spot before it is sealed
up.
Non
Payment: Failure to meet the agreed upon payment terms voids your
warranty. If you have some sort of financial reversal and can't meet the
terms you agreed to, at least communicate with us. We are reasonable and
at times can be flexible.
Renewing Your Service Agreement or
Warranty - We offer most of our clients the opportunity to renew or
extend their service agreement or warranty on a year to year basis. Why
might you want to do this?
Bats are persistent. Houses and
buildings sustain damage, wear and tear as the seasons pass. If you are
concerned the bats are still in the area and may eventually find a way back in,
extending your warranty is a good idea. How many years should you keep
doing this? There is no set answer to this question, however here are a
few factors to weigh:
First, the longer the bats lived in the home
- the longer they will keep trying get back in. For each additional year
the bats lived in the building, there is a higher percentage of the colony that
was born in your house or building. When it is time for them to raise
their young - they will try "home" first.
A second factor is the general
condition of the exterior of your home. When you walk around the house,
are you confident it is weathered the past year well?
Finally you should
consider your maintenance program. Do you regularly paint the house?
Do you have someone get on the roof after winter and inspect for damage?
If your maintenance program is lacking, renewing your warranty or service
agreement is a good idea.
After Your Service Agreement or Warranty Has Expired - For some
reason the bats chose your house or building as an ideal place to roost. A
combination of food source, water source, location, temperature and other made
factors made your home appealing to the bats. These factors still exist -
however the bats have not been able to find a way back in.
Best case
scenario is the bat colony has found a place they like as much or more than your
home and they eventually quit trying to get back to their old roost as more and
more of them are born and raised in the new roost. However, this is not
always the case and even if it is, the situation may change in their new roost
forcing them to once again look for a place to live.
For these reasons we
highly recommend you stay vigilant with regard to your exterior maintenance.
This could be as simple a matter as hiring a painter each spring to come spend a
day caulking and weather proofing your soffits, fascia, eaves, etc.
Some
of our clients have been disappointed when they have to repeat the entire cost
and process because they've let time go by and relaxed their guard. Please
don't make this mistake! |
|
|
|
 |
Articles |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
