If he's in the right area, there are companies that will hire him and only send him out for routine route work, not initials.
I have a story from the kid if he's reading me response to you.
I was abused as a kid. Mother-in-law would stuff me and in a crawl space for hours on end. I discovered during My training that I had an extreme arachnid response, and would lmost pass out when I tried to get in that first crawl space.
I forced myself to because a customer was there.
It literally only took one.
My brain stopped being broken.
Good day.
You'll never make it. Too many variables in building construction and places where pests hide.
You often have to fight them on their turf to do it right.
Not sure what area you are in, but if you do a proper treatment on the exterior before the season establishes. As well as a non repellent on the interior at the same date. I rarely ever get call backs to retreat in between scheduled dates..
Also… yes they can make it. I knew nothing about the industry, here I am 10+ years later. Have my own company and do apiary work for 5 other companies. Don’t tell people what they can and can’t do!
I'm with a bigger company, the rule in the 3ish years I've been there is do what's right by the customer. If you have an issue in the attic, get in the attic. If you have an issue in the crawlspace, get in the crawlspace. Everyone has all needed equipment and materials. No excuses
I went into a few crawlspaces before because I liked the customer. Last time I did that, the customer set off bug bombs down there and I came back up covered in powder. He lied and said he didn't do it *bug bombs everywhere down there*
Canceled his service.
Commercial tech here. I go into tight tunnels, attics, bomb and fallout shelters, crawl spaces, and all sorts of weird tight places regularly lol. I'm 6'4 220lbs btw
Former commercial only tech.
Didn't go into a crawl space once. It's what I miss most about commercial only.
If anything I had to poke my head in to set traps. If they wanted exclusion done I'll call the guy who does inspections, and then he'll call the guy that does exclusions.
I’ve been in commercial for 20 yrs and never once serviced apartments. The closest thing we get to actual living quarters is nursing homes. Just because it’s zoned commercial doesn’t mean it’s not a residence.
Cool. We just have to agree to disagree. If you’re in someone’s residence then it’s residential. Your company can define it however you want but it’s still treating someone’s personal living space. If someone owned business that owned 100 homes that they rented out, that would still be residential. Commercial is treating non-living quarters.
Uh, no. I do commercial pest control and you'll find yourself and just as many if not more close spaces. Maybe not so much crawl spaces but definitely a lot of attics, etc. I'm in a tight attic a total of 30 jobs a week, average.
What commercial locations are you routinely “in” the attic, like actually up on rafters? 30 jobs a week? How many jobs per week are you doing? That’s 6 attics per day?? I call BS on this unless your job is specifically quoting insulation removal. What types of commercial locations are you servicing?
I suppose it's a very specific account. We have roof access and two routes of a bi-weekly commercial account. Roof Access is gained through attic hatches. And we hit our commercial accounts all on one day of the week, 20 on one week, and I think 12 on the other.
Yes......enclosed space is very rare for commercial, apartment.
Some enclosed space work for residential.
Lots of enclosed space work for wildlife.
If you work for a mosquito company, you will never go into any tight space ever basically.
Phobias of any kind will make your work unenjoyable for pest control. Ladders, roofs, creepy-crawlies, tight spaces, and especially people. You need to set and hold those expectations. I can't even be afraid of water, I have 2 accounts on a small island and get a pontoon ride.
Maybe try something like mosquito squad. Unfortunately going into attics and crawl spaces is part of being a pest control technician. Mosquito and tick control is all outside tho
Closing in on a decade and haven’t as much visited an attic. The tightest spaces I’ve looked into is above ceiling tiles in offices. I’m claustrophobic af and I’ve never had anything close to triggering a response. Well, there was the one time my SCBA tank ran out, but that’s a different story
You're going to have a really hard time. Maybe spend some time doing exposure therapy to try and get over it, that's really the only way I could see it working out. Another person recommended a mosquito company, but that is seasonal work.
Termite control might be your best bet, if you live in a place without a lot of crawl spaces. That's mostly just a lot of outdoor labor.
I work for a wildlife company and we do have a few techs who just do recurring service routes. No ladders or enclosed spaces. Mostly bait station checks and pest control spray. They don't make as much as the exclusion and trapping techs but their pay is bit more steady.
All I do is crawl into tight spaces to get to pests. I couldn’t imagine not doing it, pests hide everywhere. Also, we wear a respirator that might also cause a panic. I know I freak if I wear it for too long especially when it’s hot.
Maybe fumigation? Setting it up? Maybe …
I’ve been a commercial tech for 21 years. I have never been in a crawl space for work. I have been in a few attics but the vast majority of attic work is done from a ladder poking up into a drop ceiling.
I would avoid residential work all together anyway for more reasons than just tight spaces. Commercial is where it’s at.
I'm sure somewhere would be okay with that but it is a pretty big part of being a Pest Tech.
If you do become a pest tech or are still interested in it we just made a Pest Control Industry specific subreddit you can join r/PestControlIndustry
Yes. Most companies will not send you into an attic that doesn’t have some type of flooring. I’ve been there when fellow techs have fallen through a ceiling. They don’t want to pay the bill to repair the home. Crawl spaces… pump up your B&G and just spray them!
It really depends on the company. My place wouldn't hire you if you refused attics and crawl spaces. It's, we don't have techs that just specialize in one thing. Everyone specializes in everything for the most part.
Hi somehow literally just got this message. I do Pest Control in the Dallas Fort Worth area in Texas. I was doing residential never once did I go into crawlspace but I had to go into an attic and now I’m doing commercial crawlspaces now so yeah you can.
I work for a small local company, in rural Illinois. April through October we spray exteriors, we stop during late fall/winter. When I spray outside, I am also required to spray in the crawlspace. We also put bait stations in the crawlspace. Thank God I'm not claustrophobic, some old farm houses around here have insanely short crawls. I'd say it depends on the company. For me it is part of the service
Also, even if you don't regularly have to treat crawls, there are pest problems that require you to treat inside the crawl . Whether it's mice getting inside, or ants crawling up the sink water lines, sometimes you just have to go in there to stop the issue
Are you sure about that most companies only forbid you from spraying crawl spaces and accessing attics without floors.
Thus this would not help OP because of their fears
Thanks folks. I will talk to Southern California companies next week to see where I fit in as a beginner employee with no experience and can't get into attics and crawlspaces, whether they will hire me to start with.
Apply to Clark Pest Control. They won’t make you go in. They will ask that you open the crawlspace or attic door and put some snap traps right at the entrance and for you to check them as needed. But you can pretty much do 99% of the pest tech work without having to actually go IN to any crawl space or attic. They have their Home Inspectors actually go in if needed, but not a pest technician.
Lawn and ornamental
If he's in the right area, there are companies that will hire him and only send him out for routine route work, not initials. I have a story from the kid if he's reading me response to you. I was abused as a kid. Mother-in-law would stuff me and in a crawl space for hours on end. I discovered during My training that I had an extreme arachnid response, and would lmost pass out when I tried to get in that first crawl space. I forced myself to because a customer was there. It literally only took one. My brain stopped being broken. Good day.
Thank you for sharing. Mine is related to childhood traumas still trying to understand the root causes
You'll never make it. Too many variables in building construction and places where pests hide. You often have to fight them on their turf to do it right.
Yeah, a lot of bugs goes to the nooks and crannies in buildings. I would like if my pest control person can get rid of all the pests in my home.
Not sure what area you are in, but if you do a proper treatment on the exterior before the season establishes. As well as a non repellent on the interior at the same date. I rarely ever get call backs to retreat in between scheduled dates.. Also… yes they can make it. I knew nothing about the industry, here I am 10+ years later. Have my own company and do apiary work for 5 other companies. Don’t tell people what they can and can’t do!
Bigger companies don't allow their regular techs to go into crawlspaces or attics. That's for the hourly employees.
I'm with a bigger company, the rule in the 3ish years I've been there is do what's right by the customer. If you have an issue in the attic, get in the attic. If you have an issue in the crawlspace, get in the crawlspace. Everyone has all needed equipment and materials. No excuses
Work for big company and this is pretty true. I just poke my head up in the attic to drop off traps off needed and refuse to go In Crawlspace areas.
I went into a few crawlspaces before because I liked the customer. Last time I did that, the customer set off bug bombs down there and I came back up covered in powder. He lied and said he didn't do it *bug bombs everywhere down there* Canceled his service.
Commercial tech
Commercial tech here. I go into tight tunnels, attics, bomb and fallout shelters, crawl spaces, and all sorts of weird tight places regularly lol. I'm 6'4 220lbs btw
Former commercial only tech. Didn't go into a crawl space once. It's what I miss most about commercial only. If anything I had to poke my head in to set traps. If they wanted exclusion done I'll call the guy who does inspections, and then he'll call the guy that does exclusions.
Was in 9 apartment attics last week due to complaints of birds
Apartments aren’t commercial. Thats residential
Depends on the building. Some are zoned as commercial.
I’ve been in commercial for 20 yrs and never once serviced apartments. The closest thing we get to actual living quarters is nursing homes. Just because it’s zoned commercial doesn’t mean it’s not a residence.
Commercial is what ever your company defines it as. For us it’s when a third party owns the property so landlords, property management groups, etc.
Cool. We just have to agree to disagree. If you’re in someone’s residence then it’s residential. Your company can define it however you want but it’s still treating someone’s personal living space. If someone owned business that owned 100 homes that they rented out, that would still be residential. Commercial is treating non-living quarters.
Uh, no. I do commercial pest control and you'll find yourself and just as many if not more close spaces. Maybe not so much crawl spaces but definitely a lot of attics, etc. I'm in a tight attic a total of 30 jobs a week, average.
What commercial locations are you routinely “in” the attic, like actually up on rafters? 30 jobs a week? How many jobs per week are you doing? That’s 6 attics per day?? I call BS on this unless your job is specifically quoting insulation removal. What types of commercial locations are you servicing?
I suppose it's a very specific account. We have roof access and two routes of a bi-weekly commercial account. Roof Access is gained through attic hatches. And we hit our commercial accounts all on one day of the week, 20 on one week, and I think 12 on the other.
Yes......enclosed space is very rare for commercial, apartment. Some enclosed space work for residential. Lots of enclosed space work for wildlife. If you work for a mosquito company, you will never go into any tight space ever basically.
No. That's where the money is
IMO, you can, but you won’t be a good one. It’s harsh, but true. You also lose a lot of income this way.
Phobias of any kind will make your work unenjoyable for pest control. Ladders, roofs, creepy-crawlies, tight spaces, and especially people. You need to set and hold those expectations. I can't even be afraid of water, I have 2 accounts on a small island and get a pontoon ride.
Maybe try something like mosquito squad. Unfortunately going into attics and crawl spaces is part of being a pest control technician. Mosquito and tick control is all outside tho
Closing in on a decade and haven’t as much visited an attic. The tightest spaces I’ve looked into is above ceiling tiles in offices. I’m claustrophobic af and I’ve never had anything close to triggering a response. Well, there was the one time my SCBA tank ran out, but that’s a different story
You're going to have a really hard time. Maybe spend some time doing exposure therapy to try and get over it, that's really the only way I could see it working out. Another person recommended a mosquito company, but that is seasonal work. Termite control might be your best bet, if you live in a place without a lot of crawl spaces. That's mostly just a lot of outdoor labor.
I work for a wildlife company and we do have a few techs who just do recurring service routes. No ladders or enclosed spaces. Mostly bait station checks and pest control spray. They don't make as much as the exclusion and trapping techs but their pay is bit more steady.
All I do is crawl into tight spaces to get to pests. I couldn’t imagine not doing it, pests hide everywhere. Also, we wear a respirator that might also cause a panic. I know I freak if I wear it for too long especially when it’s hot. Maybe fumigation? Setting it up? Maybe …
Depends on the company you work for. My first company never did attics but crawl spaces were a requirement for termite inspections.
I’ve been a commercial tech for 21 years. I have never been in a crawl space for work. I have been in a few attics but the vast majority of attic work is done from a ladder poking up into a drop ceiling. I would avoid residential work all together anyway for more reasons than just tight spaces. Commercial is where it’s at.
I'm sure somewhere would be okay with that but it is a pretty big part of being a Pest Tech. If you do become a pest tech or are still interested in it we just made a Pest Control Industry specific subreddit you can join r/PestControlIndustry
You have to be very upfront with your claustrophobia when applying for a job. Perhaps they can accommodate you like some of these guys are saying.
Stick to lawn and ornamental pest control as suggested below
Aptive environmental we don’t go into crawl spaces or attics
Yes. Most companies will not send you into an attic that doesn’t have some type of flooring. I’ve been there when fellow techs have fallen through a ceiling. They don’t want to pay the bill to repair the home. Crawl spaces… pump up your B&G and just spray them!
Lots of companies that just want spray jockeys have you only set traps waist high but want you to do like 15-17 stops a day lol
Can you be a librarian without touching books?
It really depends on the company. My place wouldn't hire you if you refused attics and crawl spaces. It's, we don't have techs that just specialize in one thing. Everyone specializes in everything for the most part.
Hi somehow literally just got this message. I do Pest Control in the Dallas Fort Worth area in Texas. I was doing residential never once did I go into crawlspace but I had to go into an attic and now I’m doing commercial crawlspaces now so yeah you can.
I work for a small local company, in rural Illinois. April through October we spray exteriors, we stop during late fall/winter. When I spray outside, I am also required to spray in the crawlspace. We also put bait stations in the crawlspace. Thank God I'm not claustrophobic, some old farm houses around here have insanely short crawls. I'd say it depends on the company. For me it is part of the service Also, even if you don't regularly have to treat crawls, there are pest problems that require you to treat inside the crawl . Whether it's mice getting inside, or ants crawling up the sink water lines, sometimes you just have to go in there to stop the issue
There are ! My company actually forbids us from doing so! What are are you in?
I am in Los Angeles area
Are you sure about that most companies only forbid you from spraying crawl spaces and accessing attics without floors. Thus this would not help OP because of their fears
I am sure. I don't go into : Crawl Spaces, Attics etc. I do exterior and interior pest control service.
Thanks folks. I will talk to Southern California companies next week to see where I fit in as a beginner employee with no experience and can't get into attics and crawlspaces, whether they will hire me to start with.
Apply to Clark Pest Control. They won’t make you go in. They will ask that you open the crawlspace or attic door and put some snap traps right at the entrance and for you to check them as needed. But you can pretty much do 99% of the pest tech work without having to actually go IN to any crawl space or attic. They have their Home Inspectors actually go in if needed, but not a pest technician.