ProBest Pest Management

[redacted] ,Since we did not cause the smell/odor and have done evrything within our means to correct or investigate the smell - we can not solve this complaintRegards [redacted] ProBest Pest Management

I'm attaching the entire series of events leading to the complaint, my response is at the end.Details oftreatment at [redacted] Black (regular events), Green(home owner), Red (ProBest file notes) – Post Construction treatment (no idea of who didpretreat prior) This included angle drilling, down drilling all slabsincluding garage and trenching of all dirt adjacent to house foundation withPremise (water soluble).5/21/retreat3/27/retreat4/3/retreat8/6/retreat7/11/retreat7/118/retreat 12/7/retreat4/23/retreat 5/2/retreat5/25/retreat9/6/retreat12/19/retreat 3/7/retreat5/12/retreat10/3/retreat - termite tubes in ceiling in the bedroomon left hand side of home, necessary to angle drill because tubes were notvisible from outsideTermidor HE10/15/whole house retreatment, brought to attention ofmanagement numerous retreats – decision made to treat entire exterior of home.Termidor HE (water based)11/6/– [redacted] sent back to investigate odor.11/10/ [redacted] responded to odor complaint – smelled ofsolvent/petroleum, advised owner that I would contact BASF11/20/ [redacted] responded to home, with [redacted] BASF - Meeting with Freder Medina BASF on odor issueHe thought it might berelated to A/c unit but we inspected atticHe wasgoing to call some folks at BASF, Both premise which was used in was watersoluable and Termidor HE water based he advised wouldn't put off an odor likethisI advised him I was looking into a neuralizerHe called back thinking itmight have been an issue when home was built and the onslaught of water overthe last few months and our injection of water might had brought the issue intothe mix(Notes from file)12/2/– letter from Owner, I have spent the last few days thinking aboutour phone conversation last Wednesday and your email referencing [redacted] request to do an "experiment" In my opinion, this experiment has already be done and no answers orsolutions have been offeredWhen you and [redacted] werehere Thursday, November 20, [redacted] went up in the attic to inspect the areafor leaks, and at that time you both indicated there were no sign ofleaks Additionally, you both inspectedthe exterior of my home and found no signs of leakage Airing out the room for two daysseems redundant and pointless in coming to an explanation or solution I have been airing that room out with an openwindow and fans for two months to no avail - two additional days will not makea differenceThis overpowering chemical odorhas been present since [redacted] treated that corner of my home on October3rd [redacted] treated the entire exteriorof my home on October Due to theodor from [redacted] 's treatment, I asked [redacted] to treat the ground only and notto drill into the house After [redacted] treatment, there was no odor in the house (except for the room where [redacted] hadtreated previously) or anywhere around the exterior If in fact there was leakage of some kind orsome subterranean substance interacting with the surfactant in the Termidor, asyou and [redacted] surmised, it would seem that there would have been somelevel of odor somewhere after [redacted] treated the entire house My thought is the wrong chemical waserroneously used for the treatmentWhen you were here on November20, I told you I was to have out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving and had tocancel those plans due to the chemical odor in the guest room Due to the persistent odor, I have put my plansfor guests over the holidays on holdAdditionally, everything in that room is permeated with the chemicalodor - some of which cannot be cleaned or replaced It will be a loss of some things and a largeexpense to clean or replace other things As I told you on your firstvisit, I have breathing problems and in the past several weeks find myselfhaving to use my rescue inhaler much more frequentlyThe room is closed offwith a towel under the door, however there are times when the odor is presentin the hallway and in my bedroom - not a healthy or pleasant sleeping environment***, I feel I have beenpatient in attempting to arrive at an explanation and resolution of thissituation [redacted] is scheduled toinspect the attic on December As Istated above, I do not see the purpose of this as you and [redacted] alreadyindicated there were no leaks I wouldlike to see more proactive and concrete action taken on resolving this issue ina more timely manner I look forward to hearing from you [redacted] 12/8/retreatment - Met [redacted] at house here is ourplan: Re-drill previous holes and insert Epolean odor neutralizer 2.Use Restorator to neutralize odor in that bedroom12/9/- We pulled baseboardand found 1/to 1/gap from the interior stemwallWe pulled all grouting andcaulking from the inside corner about feet used Epolean as foam in that crackand wall (there were termite tubes), recaulked pushed the caulk as deep as wecould we did notice that the crack went on against the exterior outer cornerwallUsed the restorator to remove the smell from the room, it did appear aswe were leaving that the smell dissipatedWe injected foam from the outsideangle drill holesWe mixed ounces of Epolean, 1/2gal water with a small amount of Termidor HE (Notes from file) 12/12/left message12/15/left message12/16/– Made appointment with General Contractor [redacted] – [redacted] ***, owner turned off Restorator machine.12/23/– Met with GC1/7/– decided we should caulk the other wall***, As follto your visit onDecember 23, with a building contractor, we still have no answers or solutionsto the toxic chemical odor in my home Iam beyond frustrated I heard nothingfrom you for six days after that visit, and then only from [redacted] to set upanother appointment with [redacted] to come out and recaulk the west side of theroom Even after the building contractorpointed out two areas in my living room, concerned that they were termitetrails, I did not hear back from you to address and/or treat them ***, we both know the retreatment,neutralizing and recaulking inside the south wall of the room did nothing toalleviate the odor As it stands now,nothing is being done to determine the cause of the chemical odor or to treatpotential tubes in my homeIn addition to causing unduestress, health issues, and having to put holidays guests up in a hotel, I havehad to spend unnecessary amounts of time washing items that could be washed,moving books to the patio hoping to eliminate the odor and wondering how toeliminate this odor from numerous items that cannot be cleaned orreplaced The chemical odor continues towaft throughout the house, which is neither pleasant nor healthyYour web site states: "You can trust our service professionalsto treat your home and business with the same level of dedication andprofessionalism as they would their own" I am having difficulty findingthe truth in that statement Far toomuch time has been spent mulling the cause with no real action to find thecause While I appreciated your attemptsto mask the odor be pulling baseboards and recaulking, it was only a Band-Aid Neither of these things solve the problem, itonly prolongs it ***, I need a proactive planto have this taken care of This hasbeen going on for three months (a quarter of a year) - far too long I suggest you contact a professional toobtain a soil sample to determine what the cause of the odor is and how it canbe remedied I would like the soilsample completed by the end of the week and the remediation completed no laterthan Friday, January I look forward to hearing fromyou to sdates and times to complete these items [redacted] email sent from [redacted] 1/5/- still waiting on letter from GC talked with [redacted] *** - where do wego from hereWe called [redacted] to set apt for caulking of that other wall, willcall her again1/7/– left message***,I spoke with a few of contractorbuddies and discussed with them the property I visited with you in [redacted] After much thought and discussion,we can't think of anything other than a pre-existing soil conditionThe factthat the odor "comes and goes" alsolends to this opinion.Hope this helps, although I believethis is not a big revelation [redacted] , President [redacted] *** (notesfrom file) 1/15/2015Dear [redacted] , This will reply to your email datedJanuary 5, wherein you are demanding a response by January 15, No business owner is happy norsatisfied when a client is dissatisfiedI am no different I hate that you have a recurring issue thatis causing you distressHowever, I have made every effort, at my own expense,to identify the cause of the petroleum smell you experienced and I believe itis unrelated to the products and efforts ProBest used in your homeI also feeluncomfortable doing any further treatment at your residenceAs you know, I requested the productmanufacturer from BASF, [redacted] , in addition to a General Contractor [redacted] to personallyinvestigate your complaints to determine the sourceThey did so and determinedthe offending odor is not believed to be related to the products ProBest usedas they are water-based/water soluble and not petroleum basedI don't know thecause of the offensive smells you are experiencingSincerely,***1/19/complaint filed with Revdex.com Reply tocomplaint filed with Revdex.com I’ve been inthe Pest Control business for over years and never have I run into a smellthat is causing issues like thisSome of the older type termiticides did havesmells or odors but these newer pesticides have low to no odorTermidor HE iswater based and really shouldn’t have any notable lingering odorsAfter givingit time to dissipate, I called upon various people in my industry, includingBASF (the manufacturer of Termidor HE) and a General ContractorNo one I havespoken with has seen an issue similar to thisMy opinion (actually stated fromthe beginning) is that something was under that home and due to conditionsincluding heavy rains etc are causing the issuesIt was purely coincidental ormaybe the water aggravated the preexisting conditionIn my opinion it hadnothing to do with the termiticideMyconclusions:· Eventhough I knew we hadn’t caused the issue based on the petroleum smell, I triedto help – we caulked the stemwall, tried using a neutralizer both under homeand inside roomNothing I used had petroleum inert ingredients to myknowledge, based on solubility and water based formulations.· Calledin experts, to assist with smell – BASF and General Contactor – they alsoresponded that this wasn’t caused by the products used.· Myconcern with [redacted] remark about continuing treatment – I’m hesitant touse any product because at this stage of the work – the smell might move intoother parts of the home.· Thissmell is not a result of any termiticide or work performed by ProBest PestManagement*** [redacted] Owner ProBest Pest Management [redacted]

[redacted],Since we did not cause the smell/odor and have done evrything within our means to correct or investigate the smell - we can not solve this complaint. Regards[redacted]ProBest Pest Management

I'm attaching the entire series of events leading to the complaint, my response is at the end.Details oftreatment at [redacted]Black (regular events), Green(home owner), Red (ProBest file notes) 1999 – Post Construction treatment (no idea of who didpretreat prior)....

This included angle drilling, down drilling all slabsincluding garage and trenching of all dirt adjacent to house foundation withPremise (water soluble).5/21/2001 retreat3/27/2006 retreat4/3/2007 retreat8/6/2007 retreat7/11/2008 retreat7/118/2008 retreat 12/7/2009 retreat4/23/2012 retreat 5/2/2012 retreat5/25/2012 retreat9/6/2012 retreat12/19/2012 retreat 3/7/2014 retreat5/12/2014 retreat10/3/2014 retreat - termite tubes in ceiling in the bedroomon left hand side of home, necessary to angle drill because tubes were notvisible from outside. Termidor HE10/15/2014 whole house retreatment, brought to attention ofmanagement numerous retreats – decision made to treat entire exterior of home.Termidor HE (water based)11/6/2014 – [redacted] sent back to investigate odor.11/10/2014 [redacted] responded to odor complaint – smelled ofsolvent/petroleum, advised owner that I would contact BASF11/20/2014 [redacted] responded to home, with [redacted]BASF - Meeting with Freder Medina BASF on odor issue. He thought it might berelated to A/c unit but we inspected attic. He wasgoing to call some folks at BASF, Both premise which was used in 1999 was watersoluable and Termidor HE water based he advised wouldn't put off an odor likethis. I advised him I was looking into a neuralizer. He called back thinking itmight have been an issue when home was built and the onslaught of water overthe last few months and our injection of water might had brought the issue intothe mix. (Notes from file)12/2/2014 – letter from Owner, I have spent the last few days thinking aboutour phone conversation last Wednesday and your email referencing [redacted]request to do an "experiment".  In my opinion, this experiment has already be done and no answers orsolutions have been offered. When you and [redacted] werehere Thursday, November 20, [redacted] went up in the attic to inspect the areafor leaks, and at that time you both indicated there were no sign ofleaks.  Additionally, you both inspectedthe exterior of my home and found no signs of leakage.   Airing out the room for two daysseems redundant and pointless in coming to an explanation or solution.  I have been airing that room out with an openwindow and fans for two months to no avail - two additional days will not makea difference. This overpowering chemical odorhas been present since [redacted] treated that corner of my home on October3rd.  [redacted] treated the entire exteriorof my home on October 15.  Due to theodor from [redacted]'s treatment, I asked [redacted] to treat the ground only and notto drill into the house.  After [redacted]treatment, there was no odor in the house (except for the room where [redacted] hadtreated previously) or anywhere around the exterior.  If in fact there was leakage of some kind orsome subterranean substance interacting with the surfactant in the Termidor, asyou and [redacted] surmised, it would seem that there would have been somelevel of odor somewhere after [redacted] treated the entire house.  My thought is the wrong chemical waserroneously used for the treatment. When you were here on November20, I told you I was to have out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving and had tocancel those plans due to the chemical odor in the guest room.  Due to the persistent odor, I have put my plansfor guests over the holidays on hold. Additionally, everything in that room is permeated with the chemicalodor - some of which cannot be cleaned or replaced.  It will be a loss of some things and a largeexpense to clean or replace other things.  As I told you on your firstvisit, I have breathing problems and in the past several weeks find myselfhaving to use my rescue inhaler much more frequently. The room is closed offwith a towel under the door, however there are times when the odor is presentin the hallway and in my bedroom - not a healthy or pleasant  sleeping environment. [redacted], I feel I have beenpatient in attempting to arrive at an explanation and resolution of thissituation.  [redacted] is scheduled toinspect the attic on December 8.  As Istated above, I do not see the purpose of this as you and [redacted] alreadyindicated there were no leaks.  I wouldlike to see more proactive and concrete action taken on resolving this issue ina more timely manner.                    I look forward to hearing from you. [redacted]12/8/2014 retreatment - Met [redacted] at house here is ourplan: 1. Re-drill previous holes and insert Epolean odor neutralizer 2.Use Restorator to neutralize odor in that bedroom12/9/2014 - 1. We pulled baseboardand found 1/4 to 1/2 gap from the interior stemwall. We pulled all grouting andcaulking from the inside corner about 8 feet used Epolean as foam in that crackand wall (there were 2 termite tubes), recaulked pushed the caulk as deep as wecould we did notice that the crack went on against the exterior outer cornerwall. Used the restorator to remove the smell from the room, it did appear aswe were leaving that the smell dissipated. 2. We injected foam from the outside3 angle drill holes3. We mixed 4 ounces of Epolean, 1/2gal water with a small amount of Termidor HE (Notes from file) 12/12/2014 left message12/15/2014 left message12/16/2014 – Made appointment with General Contractor [redacted]
[redacted] – [redacted], owner turned off Restorator machine.12/23/2014 – Met with GC1/7/2015 – decided we should caulk the other wall[redacted], As follow-up to your visit onDecember 23, with a building contractor, we still have no answers or solutionsto the toxic chemical odor in my home.  Iam beyond frustrated.  I heard nothingfrom you for six days after that visit, and then only from [redacted] to set upanother appointment with [redacted] to come out and recaulk the west side of theroom.  Even after the building contractorpointed out two areas in my living room, concerned that they were termitetrails, I did not hear back from you to address and/or treat them.  [redacted], we both know the retreatment,neutralizing and recaulking inside the south wall of the room did nothing toalleviate the odor.  As it stands now,nothing is being done to determine the cause of the chemical odor or to treatpotential tubes in my home. In addition to causing unduestress, health issues, and having to put holidays guests up in a hotel, I havehad to spend unnecessary amounts of time washing items that could be washed,moving books to the patio hoping to eliminate the odor and wondering how toeliminate this odor from numerous items that cannot be cleaned orreplaced.  The chemical odor continues towaft throughout the house, which is neither pleasant nor healthy. Your web site states:  "You can trust our service professionalsto treat your home and business with the same level of dedication andprofessionalism as they would their own".  I am having difficulty findingthe truth in that statement.  Far toomuch time has been spent mulling the cause with no real action to find thecause.  While I appreciated your attemptsto mask the odor be pulling baseboards and recaulking, it was only a Band-Aid.  Neither of these things solve the problem, itonly prolongs it.   [redacted], I need a proactive planto have this taken care of.  This hasbeen going on for three months (a quarter of a year)  - far too long.  I suggest you contact a professional toobtain a soil sample to determine what the cause of the odor is and how it canbe remedied.  I would like the soilsample completed by the end of the week and the remediation completed no laterthan Friday, January 16. I look forward to hearing fromyou to set-up dates and times to complete these items.. [redacted] email sent from [redacted]1/5/2015 - still waiting on letter from GC talked with [redacted] - where do wego from here. We called [redacted] to set apt for caulking of that other wall, willcall her again. 1/7/2015 – left message[redacted],I spoke with a few of contractorbuddies and discussed with them the property I visited with you in [redacted]
[redacted]After much thought and discussion,we can't think of anything other than a pre-existing soil condition. The factthat the odor "comes and goes" alsolends to this opinion.Hope this helps, although I believethis is not a big revelation. [redacted], President[redacted] (notesfrom file) 1/15/2015Dear [redacted], This will reply to your email datedJanuary 5, 2015 wherein you are demanding a response by January 15, 2015. No business owner is happy norsatisfied when a client is dissatisfied. I am no different.  I hate that you have a recurring issue thatis causing you distress. However, I have made every effort, at my own expense,to identify the cause of the petroleum smell you experienced and I believe itis unrelated to the products and efforts ProBest used in your home. I also feeluncomfortable doing any further treatment at your residence. As you know, I requested the productmanufacturer from BASF, [redacted], in addition to a General Contractor [redacted] to personallyinvestigate your complaints to determine the source. They did so and determinedthe offending odor is not believed to be related to the products ProBest usedas they are water-based/water soluble and not petroleum based. I don't know thecause of the offensive smells you are experiencing. Sincerely,[redacted]1/19/2015 complaint filed with Revdex.com  Reply tocomplaint filed with Revdex.com  I’ve been inthe Pest Control business for over 23 years and never have I run into a smellthat is causing issues like this. Some of the older type termiticides did havesmells or odors but these newer pesticides have low to no odor. Termidor HE iswater based and really shouldn’t have any notable lingering odors. After givingit time to dissipate, I called upon various people in my industry, includingBASF (the manufacturer of Termidor HE) and a General Contractor. No one I havespoken with has seen an issue similar to this. My opinion (actually stated fromthe beginning) is that something was under that home and due to conditionsincluding heavy rains etc are causing the issues. It was purely coincidental ormaybe the water aggravated the preexisting condition. In my opinion it hadnothing to do with the termiticide. Myconclusions:·        Eventhough I knew we hadn’t caused the issue based on the petroleum smell, I triedto help – we caulked the stemwall, tried using a neutralizer both under homeand inside room. Nothing I used had petroleum inert ingredients to myknowledge, based on solubility and water based formulations.·        Calledin experts, to assist with smell – BASF and General Contactor – they alsoresponded that this wasn’t caused by the products used.·        Myconcern with [redacted] remark about continuing treatment – I’m hesitant touse any product because at this stage of the work – the smell might move intoother parts of the home.·        Thissmell is not a result of any termiticide or work performed by ProBest PestManagement. [redacted]Owner ProBest Pest Management [redacted]

We are very happy with ProBest Pest Mgmt. The office staff are great and easy to work with. The technicians are certified professionals and the company enjoys little or no employee turnover, so our technician is the same month after month.

Excellent. We have used Pro- Best for more than 15 years. They address any concerns we have immediately.

I'm attaching the entire series of events leading to the complaint, my response is at the end.Details oftreatment at [redacted]Black (regular events), Green(home owner), Red (ProBest file notes) 1999 – Post...

Construction treatment (no idea of who didpretreat prior). This included angle drilling, down drilling all slabsincluding garage and trenching of all dirt adjacent to house foundation withPremise (water soluble).5/21/2001 retreat3/27/2006 retreat4/3/2007 retreat8/6/2007 retreat7/11/2008 retreat7/118/2008 retreat 12/7/2009 retreat4/23/2012 retreat 5/2/2012 retreat5/25/2012 retreat9/6/2012 retreat12/19/2012 retreat 3/7/2014 retreat5/12/2014 retreat10/3/2014 retreat - termite tubes in ceiling in the bedroomon left hand side of home, necessary to angle drill because tubes were notvisible from outside. Termidor HE10/15/2014 whole house retreatment, brought to attention ofmanagement numerous retreats – decision made to treat entire exterior of home.Termidor HE (water based)11/6/2014 – [redacted] sent back to investigate odor.11/10/2014 [redacted] responded to odor complaint – smelled ofsolvent/petroleum, advised owner that I would contact BASF11/20/2014 [redacted] responded to home, with [redacted]BASF - Meeting with Freder Medina BASF on odor issue. He thought it might berelated to A/c unit but we inspected attic. He wasgoing to call some folks at BASF, Both premise which was used in 1999 was watersoluable and Termidor HE water based he advised wouldn't put off an odor likethis. I advised him I was looking into a neuralizer. He called back thinking itmight have been an issue when home was built and the onslaught of water overthe last few months and our injection of water might had brought the issue intothe mix. (Notes from file)12/2/2014 – letter from Owner, I have spent the last few days thinking aboutour phone conversation last Wednesday and your email referencing [redacted]request to do an "experiment".  In my opinion, this experiment has already be done and no answers orsolutions have been offered. When you and [redacted] werehere Thursday, November 20, [redacted] went up in the attic to inspect the areafor leaks, and at that time you both indicated there were no sign ofleaks.  Additionally, you both inspectedthe exterior of my home and found no signs of leakage.   Airing out the room for two daysseems redundant and pointless in coming to an explanation or solution.  I have been airing that room out with an openwindow and fans for two months to no avail - two additional days will not makea difference. This overpowering chemical odorhas been present since [redacted] treated that corner of my home on October3rd.  [redacted] treated the entire exteriorof my home on October 15.  Due to theodor from [redacted]'s treatment, I asked [redacted] to treat the ground only and notto drill into the house.  After [redacted]treatment, there was no odor in the house (except for the room where [redacted] hadtreated previously) or anywhere around the exterior.  If in fact there was leakage of some kind orsome subterranean substance interacting with the surfactant in the Termidor, asyou and [redacted] surmised, it would seem that there would have been somelevel of odor somewhere after [redacted] treated the entire house.  My thought is the wrong chemical waserroneously used for the treatment. When you were here on November20, I told you I was to have out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving and had tocancel those plans due to the chemical odor in the guest room.  Due to the persistent odor, I have put my plansfor guests over the holidays on hold. Additionally, everything in that room is permeated with the chemicalodor - some of which cannot be cleaned or replaced.  It will be a loss of some things and a largeexpense to clean or replace other things.  As I told you on your firstvisit, I have breathing problems and in the past several weeks find myselfhaving to use my rescue inhaler much more frequently. The room is closed offwith a towel under the door, however there are times when the odor is presentin the hallway and in my bedroom - not a healthy or pleasant  sleeping environment. [redacted], I feel I have beenpatient in attempting to arrive at an explanation and resolution of thissituation.  [redacted] is scheduled toinspect the attic on December 8.  As Istated above, I do not see the purpose of this as you and [redacted] alreadyindicated there were no leaks.  I wouldlike to see more proactive and concrete action taken on resolving this issue ina more timely manner.                    I look forward to hearing from you. [redacted]12/8/2014 retreatment - Met [redacted] at house here is ourplan: 1. Re-drill previous holes and insert Epolean odor neutralizer 2.Use Restorator to neutralize odor in that bedroom12/9/2014 - 1. We pulled baseboardand found 1/4 to 1/2 gap from the interior stemwall. We pulled all grouting andcaulking from the inside corner about 8 feet used Epolean as foam in that crackand wall (there were 2 termite tubes), recaulked pushed the caulk as deep as wecould we did notice that the crack went on against the exterior outer cornerwall. Used the restorator to remove the smell from the room, it did appear aswe were leaving that the smell dissipated. 2. We injected foam from the outside3 angle drill holes3. We mixed 4 ounces of Epolean, 1/2gal water with a small amount of Termidor HE (Notes from file) 12/12/2014 left message12/15/2014 left message12/16/2014 – Made appointment with General Contractor [redacted] – [redacted], owner turned off Restorator machine.12/23/2014 – Met with GC1/7/2015 – decided we should caulk the other wall[redacted], As follow-up to your visit onDecember 23, with a building contractor, we still have no answers or solutionsto the toxic chemical odor in my home.  Iam beyond frustrated.  I heard nothingfrom you for six days after that visit, and then only from [redacted] to set upanother appointment with [redacted] to come out and recaulk the west side of theroom.  Even after the building contractorpointed out two areas in my living room, concerned that they were termitetrails, I did not hear back from you to address and/or treat them.  [redacted], we both know the retreatment,neutralizing and recaulking inside the south wall of the room did nothing toalleviate the odor.  As it stands now,nothing is being done to determine the cause of the chemical odor or to treatpotential tubes in my home. In addition to causing unduestress, health issues, and having to put holidays guests up in a hotel, I havehad to spend unnecessary amounts of time washing items that could be washed,moving books to the patio hoping to eliminate the odor and wondering how toeliminate this odor from numerous items that cannot be cleaned orreplaced.  The chemical odor continues towaft throughout the house, which is neither pleasant nor healthy. Your web site states:  "You can trust our service professionalsto treat your home and business with the same level of dedication andprofessionalism as they would their own".  I am having difficulty findingthe truth in that statement.  Far toomuch time has been spent mulling the cause with no real action to find thecause.  While I appreciated your attemptsto mask the odor be pulling baseboards and recaulking, it was only a Band-Aid.  Neither of these things solve the problem, itonly prolongs it.   [redacted], I need a proactive planto have this taken care of.  This hasbeen going on for three months (a quarter of a year)  - far too long.  I suggest you contact a professional toobtain a soil sample to determine what the cause of the odor is and how it canbe remedied.  I would like the soilsample completed by the end of the week and the remediation completed no laterthan Friday, January 16. I look forward to hearing fromyou to set-up dates and times to complete these items.. [redacted] email sent from [redacted]1/5/2015 - still waiting on letter from GC talked with [redacted] - where do wego from here. We called [redacted] to set apt for caulking of that other wall, willcall her again. 1/7/2015 – left message[redacted],I spoke with a few of contractorbuddies and discussed with them the property I visited with you in [redacted]After much thought and discussion,we can't think of anything other than a pre-existing soil condition. The factthat the odor "comes and goes" alsolends to this opinion.Hope this helps, although I believethis is not a big revelation. [redacted], President[redacted] (notesfrom file) 1/15/2015Dear [redacted], This will reply to your email datedJanuary 5, 2015 wherein you are demanding a response by January 15, 2015. No business owner is happy norsatisfied when a client is dissatisfied. I am no different.  I hate that you have a recurring issue thatis causing you distress. However, I have made every effort, at my own expense,to identify the cause of the petroleum smell you experienced and I believe itis unrelated to the products and efforts ProBest used in your home. I also feeluncomfortable doing any further treatment at your residence. As you know, I requested the productmanufacturer from BASF, [redacted], in addition to a General Contractor [redacted] to personallyinvestigate your complaints to determine the source. They did so and determinedthe offending odor is not believed to be related to the products ProBest usedas they are water-based/water soluble and not petroleum based. I don't know thecause of the offensive smells you are experiencing. Sincerely,[redacted]1/19/2015 complaint filed with Revdex.com  Reply tocomplaint filed with Revdex.com  I’ve been inthe Pest Control business for over 23 years and never have I run into a smellthat is causing issues like this. Some of the older type termiticides did havesmells or odors but these newer pesticides have low to no odor. Termidor HE iswater based and really shouldn’t have any notable lingering odors. After givingit time to dissipate, I called upon various people in my industry, includingBASF (the manufacturer of Termidor HE) and a General Contractor. No one I havespoken with has seen an issue similar to this. My opinion (actually stated fromthe beginning) is that something was under that home and due to conditionsincluding heavy rains etc are causing the issues. It was purely coincidental ormaybe the water aggravated the preexisting condition. In my opinion it hadnothing to do with the termiticide. Myconclusions:·        Eventhough I knew we hadn’t caused the issue based on the petroleum smell, I triedto help – we caulked the stemwall, tried using a neutralizer both under homeand inside room. Nothing I used had petroleum inert ingredients to myknowledge, based on solubility and water based formulations.·        Calledin experts, to assist with smell – BASF and General Contactor – they alsoresponded that this wasn’t caused by the products used.·        Myconcern with [redacted] remark about continuing treatment – I’m hesitant touse any product because at this stage of the work – the smell might move intoother parts of the home.·        Thissmell is not a result of any termiticide or work performed by ProBest PestManagement. [redacted]Owner ProBest Pest Management [redacted]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
In response to my complaint, [redacted] states:  “This smell is not a result of anytermiticide or work performed by ProBest Management.” Istrongly disagree with this statement evidenced by the following actions andsubsequent results of the company, and statements made by [redacted],throughout this prolonged situation: -         1999treated entire house w/ Premise:  Therewas no odor from this treatment.  Itwould seem that if there was something under the house that a reaction wouldhave taken place at that time. -         FromMay 2001 to May 2014 they treated my home 14 times for termite tubes sited invarious areas of the home and garage. All of these treatments were as a result of my contacting them fortreatment.  Each of these treatments wassite specific – injection of chemical in ceiling or interior wall; and otherswere treated by drilling into the floor or exterior wall and injectingchemicals.  Again, there was no odorfrom these treatments. -         October3, 2014 ProBest treated the southwest corner of my home by angle drilling onthe exterior wall and injecting Termidor HE. Immediately after the treatment, the room was filled with a toxicchemical odor.  I thought the odor woulddissipate.  When it did not, I calledProBest to investigate it. -         October15, 2014 – After 15 years and 14 site-specific treatments ProBest decided toretreat the entire house.  I requestedthat the Tech who was doing this treatment not drill into my home but to do thetreatment into the ground.  After theentire house treatment, there was no chemical odor inside or outside of myhome.  Again, if there was somethingunder or around the house that would cause the chemical to react, it would seemthis would have been the time for it to do so. -         November10, 2014 – [redacted] came to my home to verify chemical odor.  At that time, he agreed it was a strongchemical smell but he did not know what it was from.  He said:  “Termitechemical treatment had no odor.”  Hespeculated the surfactant additive in the chemical might have caused it.  At that time, he placed two small odorabsorbing pillows in the room hoping to eliminate the odor.  The pillows did nothing to alleviate thetoxic odor. -         November17, 2014 – In a phone conversation with [redacted] regarding his visit with[redacted] scheduled for November 20, [redacted] shared a thought he had,“Possibly there was a reaction between the chemicals used in 1999 and thesurfactant in the new treatment.” -         November20, 2014 – In [redacted]’s response to my complaint he indicates that boththe Premise, which was used in 1999, and the Termidor HE, used most recently,were water soluble and water based, respectively.  He then states:  “He ([redacted]) called back thinking it might have been an issue when home was builtand the onslaught of water over the last few months and our injection of watermight had brought the issue into the mix.”Since 1999 we have had many monsoon rains and therehave been 14 treatments with no resulting chemical odor.  Why now? -         November26, 2014 – Called [redacted] regarding [redacted]’s follow-up report andsteps they planned to take to detect and eliminate the toxic odor.  [redacted] thought the odor was from the airconditioning unit and suggested that the room and a/c vent be sealed and theroom be aired out for two days.  [redacted] stated he didn’t think the odor had anything to do with the a/cunit, but airing out the room would help. I had been airing that room out with an open window and fan sinceOctober 3 to no avail and in an e-mail to [redacted] stated two days werenot going to eliminate the odor.  Atthis time, I also asked [redacted] what the surfactant in Termidor HE wasand what it did – He said:  “The companydoesn’t tell him what is in the surfactant. It helps chemicals move to make a circular pattern to spread thechemicals.”   It would seem ProBestshould know what the chemicals they are using are comprised of and whatdetrimental reactions they can have with other chemicals.  As [redacted] stated on November 17, thesurfactant could have reacted with the chemicals used in 1999. -         December2, 2014 – Sent e-mail regarding status of odor and a request for a moreproactive solution to determining the cause of the toxic odor and resolution ofit. -         December8, 2014 – As [redacted]’s response indicated, he and his technicianattempted to neutralize the odor by removing the south wall baseboard, treatingthat area and recauking as well as placing a restorator in the room.  A concern of mine at that time was, if infact, they had treated with Termidor HE on October 3, why did they find activetermite tubes?  As they were leaving,[redacted] stated:  “. . . it didappear as we were leaving that the smell dissipated.”  I did not feel it had and it may have been because the door tothat room was open and the smell wafted into the rest of the home.    -         December23, 2014 – [redacted] arrived with [redacted], a general contractor.  I did not understand what a generalcontractor had to do with the chemical odor but thought perhaps [redacted]did.  [redacted] did not have much tosay about the situation.  He said theslab may have shifted  - I still did notknow what that had to do with the chemical odor.  He did point out two areas in the living room – one on the west walland one on the west side of the ceiling indicating he thought they may betermite trails (tubes behind the wall). [redacted] agreed but said nothing about getting a ladder toinvestigate or about treating them. Inconclusion:-         Afteralmost four months the toxic chemical odor persists.-         [redacted] disagreed with [redacted] about the a/c unit contributing to theodor.  (November 26, 2014)-         [redacted] thought the odor might have come from a reaction between thesurfactant and the Premise used in 1999. (November 10, 2014 and November 17,2014)-         Attemptingto cover up or neutralize the odor has not resulted in a solution and onlyprolonged the issue.  We need todetermine the CAUSE of the problem to come up with a viable, permanentsolution.-         Torefute [redacted]’s suggestion that the onslaught of rain caused the problemand reiterate an above statement – Since 1999 we have had many monsoon rainsand there have been 14 treatments with no resulting odors – Why now?-         Myconcerns continue to be:o       Was the wrong chemicaladministered on October 3, 2014?o       If Termidor HE has no odor,what caused the intense chemical odor permeating the room and everything in it?o       After treating that portionof the house and then the entire exterior of the house, why were there activetubes under the baseboard in that room, and possibly two active tubes in theliving room two months later?o       What are the consequences tomy health and that of my pets’?o       How does ProBest plan tocompensate me for the damage to the contents of the room and the time andeffort expended as a result of the occurrence. Icontinue to hold ProBest Pest Management responsible for this situation.  I want to know the cause of the toxic smellresulting from their October 3, 2014 treatment and what their plans are toremedy the situation.

Regards,

[redacted]

[redacted],
Since we did not cause the smell/odor and have done evrything within our means to correct or investigate the smell - we can not solve this complaint.
 
Regards[redacted]

ProBest Pest Management

I'm attaching the entire series of events leading to the complaint, my response is at the end.Details oftreatment at [redacted]Black (regular events), Green(home owner), Red (ProBest file notes) 1999 – Post...

Construction treatment (no idea of who didpretreat prior). This included angle drilling, down drilling all slabsincluding garage and trenching of all dirt adjacent to house foundation withPremise (water soluble).5/21/2001 retreat3/27/2006 retreat4/3/2007 retreat8/6/2007 retreat7/11/2008 retreat7/118/2008 retreat 12/7/2009 retreat4/23/2012 retreat 5/2/2012 retreat5/25/2012 retreat9/6/2012 retreat12/19/2012 retreat 3/7/2014 retreat5/12/2014 retreat10/3/2014 retreat - termite tubes in ceiling in the bedroomon left hand side of home, necessary to angle drill because tubes were notvisible from outside. Termidor HE10/15/2014 whole house retreatment, brought to attention ofmanagement numerous retreats – decision made to treat entire exterior of home.Termidor HE (water based)11/6/2014 – [redacted] sent back to investigate odor.11/10/2014 [redacted] responded to odor complaint – smelled ofsolvent/petroleum, advised owner that I would contact BASF11/20/2014 [redacted] responded to home, with [redacted]BASF - Meeting with Freder Medina BASF on odor issue. He thought it might berelated to A/c unit but we inspected attic. He wasgoing to call some folks at BASF, Both premise which was used in 1999 was watersoluable and Termidor HE water based he advised wouldn't put off an odor likethis. I advised him I was looking into a neuralizer. He called back thinking itmight have been an issue when home was built and the onslaught of water overthe last few months and our injection of water might had brought the issue intothe mix. (Notes from file)12/2/2014 – letter from Owner, I have spent the last few days thinking aboutour phone conversation last Wednesday and your email referencing [redacted]request to do an "experiment".  In my opinion, this experiment has already be done and no answers orsolutions have been offered. When you and [redacted] werehere Thursday, November 20, [redacted] went up in the attic to inspect the areafor leaks, and at that time you both indicated there were no sign ofleaks.  Additionally, you both inspectedthe exterior of my home and found no signs of leakage.   Airing out the room for two daysseems redundant and pointless in coming to an explanation or solution.  I have been airing that room out with an openwindow and fans for two months to no avail - two additional days will not makea difference. This overpowering chemical odorhas been present since [redacted] treated that corner of my home on October3rd.  [redacted] treated the entire exteriorof my home on October 15.  Due to theodor from [redacted]'s treatment, I asked [redacted] to treat the ground only and notto drill into the house.  After [redacted]treatment, there was no odor in the house (except for the room where [redacted] hadtreated previously) or anywhere around the exterior.  If in fact there was leakage of some kind orsome subterranean substance interacting with the surfactant in the Termidor, asyou and [redacted] surmised, it would seem that there would have been somelevel of odor somewhere after [redacted] treated the entire house.  My thought is the wrong chemical waserroneously used for the treatment. When you were here on November20, I told you I was to have out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving and had tocancel those plans due to the chemical odor in the guest room.  Due to the persistent odor, I have put my plansfor guests over the holidays on hold. Additionally, everything in that room is permeated with the chemicalodor - some of which cannot be cleaned or replaced.  It will be a loss of some things and a largeexpense to clean or replace other things.  As I told you on your firstvisit, I have breathing problems and in the past several weeks find myselfhaving to use my rescue inhaler much more frequently. The room is closed offwith a towel under the door, however there are times when the odor is presentin the hallway and in my bedroom - not a healthy or pleasant  sleeping environment. [redacted], I feel I have beenpatient in attempting to arrive at an explanation and resolution of thissituation.  [redacted] is scheduled toinspect the attic on December 8.  As Istated above, I do not see the purpose of this as you and [redacted] alreadyindicated there were no leaks.  I wouldlike to see more proactive and concrete action taken on resolving this issue ina more timely manner.                    I look forward to hearing from you. [redacted]12/8/2014 retreatment - Met [redacted] at house here is ourplan: 1. Re-drill previous holes and insert Epolean odor neutralizer 2.Use Restorator to neutralize odor in that bedroom12/9/2014 - 1. We pulled baseboardand found 1/4 to 1/2 gap from the interior stemwall. We pulled all grouting andcaulking from the inside corner about 8 feet used Epolean as foam in that crackand wall (there were 2 termite tubes), recaulked pushed the caulk as deep as wecould we did notice that the crack went on against the exterior outer cornerwall. Used the restorator to remove the smell from the room, it did appear aswe were leaving that the smell dissipated. 2. We injected foam from the outside3 angle drill holes3. We mixed 4 ounces of Epolean, 1/2gal water with a small amount of Termidor HE (Notes from file) 12/12/2014 left message12/15/2014 left message12/16/2014 – Made appointment with General Contractor [redacted]

[redacted] – [redacted], owner turned off Restorator machine.12/23/2014 – Met with GC1/7/2015 – decided we should caulk the other wall[redacted], As follow-up to your visit onDecember 23, with a building contractor, we still have no answers or solutionsto the toxic chemical odor in my home.  Iam beyond frustrated.  I heard nothingfrom you for six days after that visit, and then only from [redacted] to set upanother appointment with [redacted] to come out and recaulk the west side of theroom.  Even after the building contractorpointed out two areas in my living room, concerned that they were termitetrails, I did not hear back from you to address and/or treat them.  [redacted], we both know the retreatment,neutralizing and recaulking inside the south wall of the room did nothing toalleviate the odor.  As it stands now,nothing is being done to determine the cause of the chemical odor or to treatpotential tubes in my home. In addition to causing unduestress, health issues, and having to put holidays guests up in a hotel, I havehad to spend unnecessary amounts of time washing items that could be washed,moving books to the patio hoping to eliminate the odor and wondering how toeliminate this odor from numerous items that cannot be cleaned orreplaced.  The chemical odor continues towaft throughout the house, which is neither pleasant nor healthy. Your web site states:  "You can trust our service professionalsto treat your home and business with the same level of dedication andprofessionalism as they would their own".  I am having difficulty findingthe truth in that statement.  Far toomuch time has been spent mulling the cause with no real action to find thecause.  While I appreciated your attemptsto mask the odor be pulling baseboards and recaulking, it was only a Band-Aid.  Neither of these things solve the problem, itonly prolongs it.   [redacted], I need a proactive planto have this taken care of.  This hasbeen going on for three months (a quarter of a year)  - far too long.  I suggest you contact a professional toobtain a soil sample to determine what the cause of the odor is and how it canbe remedied.  I would like the soilsample completed by the end of the week and the remediation completed no laterthan Friday, January 16. I look forward to hearing fromyou to set-up dates and times to complete these items.. [redacted] email sent from [redacted]1/5/2015 - still waiting on letter from GC talked with [redacted] - where do wego from here. We called [redacted] to set apt for caulking of that other wall, willcall her again. 1/7/2015 – left message[redacted],I spoke with a few of contractorbuddies and discussed with them the property I visited with you in [redacted]

[redacted]After much thought and discussion,we can't think of anything other than a pre-existing soil condition. The factthat the odor "comes and goes" alsolends to this opinion.Hope this helps, although I believethis is not a big revelation. [redacted], President[redacted] (notesfrom file) 1/15/2015Dear [redacted], This will reply to your email datedJanuary 5, 2015 wherein you are demanding a response by January 15, 2015. No business owner is happy norsatisfied when a client is dissatisfied. I am no different.  I hate that you have a recurring issue thatis causing you distress. However, I have made every effort, at my own expense,to identify the cause of the petroleum smell you experienced and I believe itis unrelated to the products and efforts ProBest used in your home. I also feeluncomfortable doing any further treatment at your residence. As you know, I requested the productmanufacturer from BASF, [redacted], in addition to a General Contractor [redacted] to personallyinvestigate your complaints to determine the source. They did so and determinedthe offending odor is not believed to be related to the products ProBest usedas they are water-based/water soluble and not petroleum based. I don't know thecause of the offensive smells you are experiencing. Sincerely,[redacted]1/19/2015 complaint filed with Revdex.com  Reply tocomplaint filed with Revdex.com  I’ve been inthe Pest Control business for over 23 years and never have I run into a smellthat is causing issues like this. Some of the older type termiticides did havesmells or odors but these newer pesticides have low to no odor. Termidor HE iswater based and really shouldn’t have any notable lingering odors. After givingit time to dissipate, I called upon various people in my industry, includingBASF (the manufacturer of Termidor HE) and a General Contractor. No one I havespoken with has seen an issue similar to this. My opinion (actually stated fromthe beginning) is that something was under that home and due to conditionsincluding heavy rains etc are causing the issues. It was purely coincidental ormaybe the water aggravated the preexisting condition. In my opinion it hadnothing to do with the termiticide. Myconclusions:·        Eventhough I knew we hadn’t caused the issue based on the petroleum smell, I triedto help – we caulked the stemwall, tried using a neutralizer both under homeand inside room. Nothing I used had petroleum inert ingredients to myknowledge, based on solubility and water based formulations.·        Calledin experts, to assist with smell – BASF and General Contactor – they alsoresponded that this wasn’t caused by the products used.·        Myconcern with [redacted] remark about continuing treatment – I’m hesitant touse any product because at this stage of the work – the smell might move intoother parts of the home.·        Thissmell is not a result of any termiticide or work performed by ProBest PestManagement. [redacted]Owner ProBest Pest Management [redacted]

I really like the team at ProBest. They listen to you on the phone and take care of you onsite at your house. They have experienced techs and the office personal are all terrific and pleasant, and do their absolute best to accommodate your schedule. They are a busy business because they are very good at what they do! I run a locksmith service called, The Lock Lady, and as another small business A+ rated company, I know what it takes to create and run a 5 star service company. I am very picky about who services my personal property and I have trusted ProBest for years. Rock on killing our Arizona nasty bugs, guys!

I have been going to ProBest for their convenient and easy Post Office Services. One day I dropped my wallet with everything in it outside these offices. One of the employees found it and gave it to someone to contact me. I was so thankful that they took the time to do that. It is nice to know there are people with high integrity in the world! Thanks ProBest!

Amazing service! [redacted] ,their termite specialist, came out several times during our home renovation to treat foundation cracks before laying tile. Now I can rest assured those critters will never come back. Professional, courteous, caring and reasonable...Truly the best!

I have used every service ProBest offers - exterminating, shredding, and their contract post office. All are outstanding. Every employee bends over backwards to be helpful, to save me money, and to get the job done in the fastest, most efficient manner. They have responded promptly to any and all "bug disasters" - bee swarms, scorpions, & ant invasions. I've employed them to treat my elderly parents' home, too, and their kindness, professionalism, and concern for their safety is greatly appreciated. I highly recommend ProBest.

As a result of a sudden leak under my kitchen sink, I discovered roof rats had caused substantial damages to the pipes, hoses, electrical cord and my dishwasher. I asked Superstition Plumbing for the name of a reputable and reliable company to help me address this unwelcomed problem. They recommended Probest Pest Management. I immediately called Probest who inspected the situation the very next day. I was alarmed and very freaked out about the intrusion of roof rats into my home. Probest was wonderful. They were extremely focused on my many concerns and immediately put me at ease. They were polite and very thorough. They assessed the situation quickly and implemented an action plan. Most impressive was the owner personally came to my house on Saturday to ensure all was in order. He also stopped by Monday morning to dispose of the roof rat. This was a job well done by a caring company with reasonable rates. I have done a lot off work in my home over the years and am exhausted by contractors that are not customer centric. I now make it a point to only hire contractors that are recommended by trusted sources. It is refreshing to find a reliable, efficient, fair and professional contractor. I highly recommend ProBest to anyone. Thanks Probest!
[redacted], Scottsdale

I am a property manager in the valley managing over 300 single family residential homes. ProBest Pest Management is my go-to company for any of our pest management needs for our business location, the rental homes we manage, and our personal home. I have worked with Pro Best for almost a decade and appreciate their prompt, professional service. They bill honestly and fairly and best of all - they truly resolve the pest issues. We have contracted them to resolve every pest infestation imaginable - bee hives, roof rats, termites, scorpions, ants, spiders, crickets, cockroaches, pigeons - you name it! ProBest is the BEST!!!

Review: ProBest treated my home for termites on October 3, 2014. They claim the chemicals they use for eliminating termites has no odor; however, since that date, the room and its contents are consumed with a toxic chemical odor which sometimes drifts to other areas of my home. They attempted to neutralize the odor with deodorizing pillows and then a compact deodorizing machine - neither took away the chemical smell. They then removed a baseboard and old caulking and found active termites tubes which they then treated with more chemicals as well as a chemical neutralizer. Still the chemical odor persists. On Friday, January 15, 2015 I received an E-mail from the owner, [redacted], stating he feels he has made every effort to identify the cause and is no longer comfortable doing any further treatment at my home. I do not feel he has made every effort to identify the cause of the odor or resolving it, and by not treating my home he is violating a contract that goes through May of this year. My feeling is the technician may have mistakenly administered the wrong chemical and this is where the strong toxic odor is coming from. The room has been uninhabitable for over three months and the odor is unhealthyDesired Settlement: I want the toxic chemical odor identified and removed from the room. I also want compensation for the cleaning and replacement of the contents of them room.

Business

Response:

I'm attaching the entire series of events leading to the complaint, my response is at the end.Details oftreatment at [redacted]Black (regular events), Green(home owner), Red (ProBest file notes) 1999 – Post Construction treatment (no idea of who didpretreat prior). This included angle drilling, down drilling all slabsincluding garage and trenching of all dirt adjacent to house foundation withPremise (water soluble).5/21/2001 retreat3/27/2006 retreat4/3/2007 retreat8/6/2007 retreat7/11/2008 retreat7/118/2008 retreat 12/7/2009 retreat4/23/2012 retreat 5/2/2012 retreat5/25/2012 retreat9/6/2012 retreat12/19/2012 retreat 3/7/2014 retreat5/12/2014 retreat10/3/2014 retreat - termite tubes in ceiling in the bedroomon left hand side of home, necessary to angle drill because tubes were notvisible from outside. Termidor HE10/15/2014 whole house retreatment, brought to attention ofmanagement numerous retreats – decision made to treat entire exterior of home.Termidor HE (water based)11/6/2014 – [redacted] sent back to investigate odor.11/10/2014 [redacted] responded to odor complaint – smelled ofsolvent/petroleum, advised owner that I would contact BASF11/20/2014 [redacted] responded to home, with [redacted]BASF - Meeting with Freder Medina BASF on odor issue. He thought it might berelated to A/c unit but we inspected attic. He wasgoing to call some folks at BASF, Both premise which was used in 1999 was watersoluable and Termidor HE water based he advised wouldn't put off an odor likethis. I advised him I was looking into a neuralizer. He called back thinking itmight have been an issue when home was built and the onslaught of water overthe last few months and our injection of water might had brought the issue intothe mix. (Notes from file)12/2/2014 – letter from Owner, I have spent the last few days thinking aboutour phone conversation last Wednesday and your email referencing [redacted]request to do an "experiment". In my opinion, this experiment has already be done and no answers orsolutions have been offered. When you and [redacted] werehere Thursday, November 20, [redacted] went up in the attic to inspect the areafor leaks, and at that time you both indicated there were no sign ofleaks. Additionally, you both inspectedthe exterior of my home and found no signs of leakage. Airing out the room for two daysseems redundant and pointless in coming to an explanation or solution. I have been airing that room out with an openwindow and fans for two months to no avail - two additional days will not makea difference. This overpowering chemical odorhas been present since [redacted] treated that corner of my home on October3rd. [redacted] treated the entire exteriorof my home on October 15. Due to theodor from [redacted]'s treatment, I asked [redacted] to treat the ground only and notto drill into the house. After [redacted]treatment, there was no odor in the house (except for the room where [redacted] hadtreated previously) or anywhere around the exterior. If in fact there was leakage of some kind orsome subterranean substance interacting with the surfactant in the Termidor, asyou and [redacted] surmised, it would seem that there would have been somelevel of odor somewhere after [redacted] treated the entire house. My thought is the wrong chemical waserroneously used for the treatment. When you were here on November20, I told you I was to have out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving and had tocancel those plans due to the chemical odor in the guest room. Due to the persistent odor, I have put my plansfor guests over the holidays on hold. Additionally, everything in that room is permeated with the chemicalodor - some of which cannot be cleaned or replaced. It will be a loss of some things and a largeexpense to clean or replace other things. As I told you on your firstvisit, I have breathing problems and in the past several weeks find myselfhaving to use my rescue inhaler much more frequently. The room is closed offwith a towel under the door, however there are times when the odor is presentin the hallway and in my bedroom - not a healthy or pleasant sleeping environment. [redacted], I feel I have beenpatient in attempting to arrive at an explanation and resolution of thissituation. [redacted] is scheduled toinspect the attic on December 8. As Istated above, I do not see the purpose of this as you and [redacted] alreadyindicated there were no leaks. I wouldlike to see more proactive and concrete action taken on resolving this issue ina more timely manner. I look forward to hearing from you. [redacted]12/8/2014 retreatment - Met [redacted] at house here is ourplan: 1. Re-drill previous holes and insert Epolean odor neutralizer 2.Use Restorator to neutralize odor in that bedroom12/9/2014 - 1. We pulled baseboardand found 1/4 to 1/2 gap from the interior stemwall. We pulled all grouting andcaulking from the inside corner about 8 feet used Epolean as foam in that crackand wall (there were 2 termite tubes), recaulked pushed the caulk as deep as wecould we did notice that the crack went on against the exterior outer cornerwall. Used the restorator to remove the smell from the room, it did appear aswe were leaving that the smell dissipated. 2. We injected foam from the outside3 angle drill holes3. We mixed 4 ounces of Epolean, 1/2gal water with a small amount of Termidor HE (Notes from file) 12/12/2014 left message12/15/2014 left message12/16/2014 – Made appointment with General Contractor [redacted]

[redacted] – [redacted], owner turned off Restorator machine.12/23/2014 – Met with GC1/7/2015 – decided we should caulk the other wall[redacted], As follow-up to your visit onDecember 23, with a building contractor, we still have no answers or solutionsto the toxic chemical odor in my home. Iam beyond frustrated. I heard nothingfrom you for six days after that visit, and then only from [redacted] to set upanother appointment with [redacted] to come out and recaulk the west side of theroom. Even after the building contractorpointed out two areas in my living room, concerned that they were termitetrails, I did not hear back from you to address and/or treat them. [redacted], we both know the retreatment,neutralizing and recaulking inside the south wall of the room did nothing toalleviate the odor. As it stands now,nothing is being done to determine the cause of the chemical odor or to treatpotential tubes in my home. In addition to causing unduestress, health issues, and having to put holidays guests up in a hotel, I havehad to spend unnecessary amounts of time washing items that could be washed,moving books to the patio hoping to eliminate the odor and wondering how toeliminate this odor from numerous items that cannot be cleaned orreplaced. The chemical odor continues towaft throughout the house, which is neither pleasant nor healthy. Your web site states: "You can trust our service professionalsto treat your home and business with the same level of dedication andprofessionalism as they would their own". I am having difficulty findingthe truth in that statement. Far toomuch time has been spent mulling the cause with no real action to find thecause. While I appreciated your attemptsto mask the odor be pulling baseboards and recaulking, it was only a Band-Aid. Neither of these things solve the problem, itonly prolongs it. [redacted], I need a proactive planto have this taken care of. This hasbeen going on for three months (a quarter of a year) - far too long. I suggest you contact a professional toobtain a soil sample to determine what the cause of the odor is and how it canbe remedied. I would like the soilsample completed by the end of the week and the remediation completed no laterthan Friday, January 16. I look forward to hearing fromyou to set-up dates and times to complete these items.. [redacted] email sent from [redacted]1/5/2015 - still waiting on letter from GC talked with [redacted] - where do wego from here. We called [redacted] to set apt for caulking of that other wall, willcall her again. 1/7/2015 – left message[redacted],I spoke with a few of contractorbuddies and discussed with them the property I visited with you in [redacted]

[redacted]After much thought and discussion,we can't think of anything other than a pre-existing soil condition. The factthat the odor "comes and goes" alsolends to this opinion.Hope this helps, although I believethis is not a big revelation. [redacted], President[redacted] (notesfrom file) 1/15/2015Dear [redacted], This will reply to your email datedJanuary 5, 2015 wherein you are demanding a response by January 15, 2015. No business owner is happy norsatisfied when a client is dissatisfied. I am no different. I hate that you have a recurring issue thatis causing you distress. However, I have made every effort, at my own expense,to identify the cause of the petroleum smell you experienced and I believe itis unrelated to the products and efforts ProBest used in your home. I also feeluncomfortable doing any further treatment at your residence. As you know, I requested the productmanufacturer from BASF, [redacted], in addition to a General Contractor [redacted] to personallyinvestigate your complaints to determine the source. They did so and determinedthe offending odor is not believed to be related to the products ProBest usedas they are water-based/water soluble and not petroleum based. I don't know thecause of the offensive smells you are experiencing. Sincerely,[redacted]1/19/2015 complaint filed with Revdex.com Reply tocomplaint filed with Revdex.com I’ve been inthe Pest Control business for over 23 years and never have I run into a smellthat is causing issues like this. Some of the older type termiticides did havesmells or odors but these newer pesticides have low to no odor. Termidor HE iswater based and really shouldn’t have any notable lingering odors. After givingit time to dissipate, I called upon various people in my industry, includingBASF (the manufacturer of Termidor HE) and a General Contractor. No one I havespoken with has seen an issue similar to this. My opinion (actually stated fromthe beginning) is that something was under that home and due to conditionsincluding heavy rains etc are causing the issues. It was purely coincidental ormaybe the water aggravated the preexisting condition. In my opinion it hadnothing to do with the termiticide. Myconclusions:· Eventhough I knew we hadn’t caused the issue based on the petroleum smell, I triedto help – we caulked the stemwall, tried using a neutralizer both under homeand inside room. Nothing I used had petroleum inert ingredients to myknowledge, based on solubility and water based formulations.· Calledin experts, to assist with smell – BASF and General Contactor – they alsoresponded that this wasn’t caused by the products used.· Myconcern with [redacted] remark about continuing treatment – I’m hesitant touse any product because at this stage of the work – the smell might move intoother parts of the home.· Thissmell is not a result of any termiticide or work performed by ProBest PestManagement. [redacted]Owner ProBest Pest Management [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.In response to my complaint, [redacted] states: “This smell is not a result of anytermiticide or work performed by ProBest Management.” Istrongly disagree with this statement evidenced by the following actions andsubsequent results of the company, and statements made by [redacted],throughout this prolonged situation: - 1999treated entire house w/ Premise: Therewas no odor from this treatment. Itwould seem that if there was something under the house that a reaction wouldhave taken place at that time. - FromMay 2001 to May 2014 they treated my home 14 times for termite tubes sited invarious areas of the home and garage. All of these treatments were as a result of my contacting them fortreatment. Each of these treatments wassite specific – injection of chemical in ceiling or interior wall; and otherswere treated by drilling into the floor or exterior wall and injectingchemicals. Again, there was no odorfrom these treatments. - October3, 2014 ProBest treated the southwest corner of my home by angle drilling onthe exterior wall and injecting Termidor HE. Immediately after the treatment, the room was filled with a toxicchemical odor. I thought the odor woulddissipate. When it did not, I calledProBest to investigate it. - October15, 2014 – After 15 years and 14 site-specific treatments ProBest decided toretreat the entire house. I requestedthat the Tech who was doing this treatment not drill into my home but to do thetreatment into the ground. After theentire house treatment, there was no chemical odor inside or outside of myhome. Again, if there was somethingunder or around the house that would cause the chemical to react, it would seemthis would have been the time for it to do so. - November10, 2014 – [redacted] came to my home to verify chemical odor. At that time, he agreed it was a strongchemical smell but he did not know what it was from. He said: “Termitechemical treatment had no odor.” Hespeculated the surfactant additive in the chemical might have caused it. At that time, he placed two small odorabsorbing pillows in the room hoping to eliminate the odor. The pillows did nothing to alleviate thetoxic odor. - November17, 2014 – In a phone conversation with [redacted] regarding his visit with[redacted] scheduled for November 20, [redacted] shared a thought he had,“Possibly there was a reaction between the chemicals used in 1999 and thesurfactant in the new treatment.” - November20, 2014 – In [redacted]’s response to my complaint he indicates that boththe Premise, which was used in 1999, and the Termidor HE, used most recently,were water soluble and water based, respectively. He then states: “He ([redacted]

[redacted]) called back thinking it might have been an issue when home was builtand the onslaught of water over the last few months and our injection of watermight had brought the issue into the mix.”Since 1999 we have had many monsoon rains and therehave been 14 treatments with no resulting chemical odor. Why now? - November26, 2014 – Called [redacted] regarding [redacted]’s follow-up report andsteps they planned to take to detect and eliminate the toxic odor. [redacted] thought the odor was from the airconditioning unit and suggested that the room and a/c vent be sealed and theroom be aired out for two days. [redacted]

[redacted] stated he didn’t think the odor had anything to do with the a/cunit, but airing out the room would help. I had been airing that room out with an open window and fan sinceOctober 3 to no avail and in an e-mail to [redacted] stated two days werenot going to eliminate the odor. Atthis time, I also asked [redacted] what the surfactant in Termidor HE wasand what it did – He said: “The companydoesn’t tell him what is in the surfactant. It helps chemicals move to make a circular pattern to spread thechemicals.” It would seem ProBestshould know what the chemicals they are using are comprised of and whatdetrimental reactions they can have with other chemicals. As [redacted] stated on November 17, thesurfactant could have reacted with the chemicals used in 1999. - December2, 2014 – Sent e-mail regarding status of odor and a request for a moreproactive solution to determining the cause of the toxic odor and resolution ofit. - December8, 2014 – As [redacted]’s response indicated, he and his technicianattempted to neutralize the odor by removing the south wall baseboard, treatingthat area and recauking as well as placing a restorator in the room. A concern of mine at that time was, if infact, they had treated with Termidor HE on October 3, why did they find activetermite tubes? As they were leaving,[redacted] stated: “. . . it didappear as we were leaving that the smell dissipated.” I did not feel it had and it may have been because the door tothat room was open and the smell wafted into the rest of the home. - December23, 2014 – [redacted] arrived with [redacted], a general contractor. I did not understand what a generalcontractor had to do with the chemical odor but thought perhaps [redacted]did. [redacted] did not have much tosay about the situation. He said theslab may have shifted - I still did notknow what that had to do with the chemical odor. He did point out two areas in the living room – one on the west walland one on the west side of the ceiling indicating he thought they may betermite trails (tubes behind the wall). [redacted] agreed but said nothing about getting a ladder toinvestigate or about treating them. Inconclusion:- Afteralmost four months the toxic chemical odor persists.- [redacted]

[redacted] disagreed with [redacted] about the a/c unit contributing to theodor. (November 26, 2014)- [redacted]

[redacted] thought the odor might have come from a reaction between thesurfactant and the Premise used in 1999. (November 10, 2014 and November 17,2014)- Attemptingto cover up or neutralize the odor has not resulted in a solution and onlyprolonged the issue. We need todetermine the CAUSE of the problem to come up with a viable, permanentsolution.- Torefute [redacted]’s suggestion that the onslaught of rain caused the problemand reiterate an above statement – Since 1999 we have had many monsoon rainsand there have been 14 treatments with no resulting odors – Why now?- Myconcerns continue to be:o Was the wrong chemicaladministered on October 3, 2014?o If Termidor HE has no odor,what caused the intense chemical odor permeating the room and everything in it?o After treating that portionof the house and then the entire exterior of the house, why were there activetubes under the baseboard in that room, and possibly two active tubes in theliving room two months later?o What are the consequences tomy health and that of my pets’?o How does ProBest plan tocompensate me for the damage to the contents of the room and the time andeffort expended as a result of the occurrence. Icontinue to hold ProBest Pest Management responsible for this situation. I want to know the cause of the toxic smellresulting from their October 3, 2014 treatment and what their plans are toremedy the situation.

Regards,

Business

Response:

[redacted],Since we did not cause the smell/odor and have done evrything within our means to correct or investigate the smell - we can not solve this complaint. Regards[redacted]ProBest Pest Management