Crawl space repair in NJ

Jim O'Brien Meets Les Brown

Tue, January 31 2012, 00:00:00 -500

Jim O'Brien Regional Manager for Quest Crawl Space Systems LLC a Division of Pest Quest Pest Management LLC meets Les Brown the World's Leading Motivational Speaker at the Riviera Caterers in Coney Island NY sponsored by Continental Home Loans Inc.

National Pest Management Association Eastern Conference

Fri, January 20 2012, 00:00:00 -500

"Pest Quest" Children's Show Launches

Fri, January 20 2012, 00:00:00 -500

This summer marks the debut of the PPMA-produced children's show "Pest Quest." The educational show, hosted by a group of energetic junior scientists in a fun, colorful science lab, teaches kids about the fascinating world of insects, rodents and small wildlife.

In addition to sharing fun facts, the show educates children about the risks posed by certain creatures when they enter our homes and properties and become pests. The show also encourages children, the pest management industry's future customers, as well as parents who watch the show along with their kids, to recognize the value of professional pest management.

"Pest Quest" is available through NPMA's Websites, PestWorld.org and PestWorldForKids.org, as well as the new Pest Quest Channel, where brand new episodes will be posted twice a month.

Nuisance Wildlife Technician Jim O'Brien interviewed by Eyewitness News

Thu, January 19 2012, 00:00:00 -500

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=8509776

"Bats Do More Good Than Harm" Jim O'Brien Nuisance Wildlife Technician interviewed by New York Daily News

Sat, August 27 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Tenants of a tony upper West Side high-rise became spooked last year
after a colony of little brown bats nesting inside an adjoining water
tower made their way inside. But it was just another day for one
licensed nuisance wildlife operator, who gets dozens of calls a year to
humanely remove bats from New York City homes.

"People always panic because they think Dracula and rabies," said Jim
O'Brien, who runs Pest Quest Management, based in Staten Island.
"They're one of the most beneficial animals around."

One little brown bat - the most common in the metropolitan area - can
eat 600 mosquitoes in an hour. Besides decreasing the number of insect
bites, bats are also helpful in reducing the incidence of West Nile
virus.

Rabies is an infectious viral disease that invades the central
nervous system of humans and other warm-blooded animals. People usually
get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal. Raccoons, skunks, foxes and
coyotes are considered high-risk sources of virus, and bats are the most
common source of infection for people across the United States.

Now, bat lovers, get ready. The Humane Society of the United States
says this is the time of year when young bats get lost and confused
trying to make their way out of an attic, or other dark places, where
they have been raised, to join the rest of their colony in nocturnal
foraging for insects.

Baby bats are born in late spring and by early September become
mobile and begin braving the outdoors. The young bats can sometimes take
a wrong turn and end up flying into the living areas of your home.

"Bats do carry rabies and should not be allowed in your living area,"
said Barbara French, of Bat Conservation International
(www.batcon.org). However, the incidence of rabies in wild bats is very
low, reportedly no more than 4% of the overall statewide bat population,
a number that has remained steady, she added.

Last year two bats tested positive for rabies, including one found on
the upper West Side and another near Arthur Ave. in the Bronx.

As for the fear that bats will transmit rabies to humans, the Health
Department says there has not been a case of human rabies contracted in
New York for more than 50 years.

This year, so far, 263 animals have tested positive for rabies. A
vast majority were raccoons, but also included seven cats, one
groundhog, one coyote and 26 bats. No dogs have tested positive in that
time period, due to mandatory rabies vaccinations.

Still, rabies remains a big problem worldwide. About 55,000 people,
mostly in Africa and Asia, die from rabies every year and 99% are from
dog bites.

But when it comes to bats, the small mammals have a far worse
reputation than they deserve. French says contrary to urban myth, bats
don't fly into hair, rarely attack people, and they don't suck blood.

"There's plenty of reason to keep them around," she said, but warns
against anyone handling a bat, especially if it looks injured or on the
ground.

For years the city has encouraged the bat population, installing bat
houses - essentially two pieces of plywood with an inch gap - in city
parks, including Forest Park, Pelham Bay Park and Marine Park.

Richard Simon, citywide captain for the Urban Park Rangers, says the
best time to view bats is at dusk, as the sun is going down and
mosquitoes and gnats take to the air.

Health officials strongly recommend people shun wild, sick or injured
animals, no matter how helpless they look. If an animal is foaming at
the mouth, has difficulty walking or acts too aggressively or too
friendly, call 311.

For information on bats go to www.batcon.org.

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2007/09/15/2007-09-15_bats_do_far_more_good_than_harm.html

amysacks1@hotmail.com

Richmond Network Alliance Nominates President

Sun, August 21 2011, 00:00:00 -500

BNI - Staten Island

Jim O'Brien, Regional Manager of Quest Crawl Space Systems became the president of the Richmond Network Alliance Chapter of BNI. BNI is a business and professional networking organization that offers each member the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and referrals. With over 112,000 members in 5,500+ chapters in 42 Countries, BNI is the world's largest, professional business networking and referral organization

New York Works | The Bed Bug Exterminator

Sat, August 20 2011, 00:00:00 -500

New York Works | The Bed Bug Exterminator

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/jul/05/new-york-works-bed-bugs-meet-exterminator/

By

        Tracey Samuelson



    "I can understand why people flip out because I would, too. Just the
mere thought that these things while you're sleeping are crawling all
over you."

— Jim O'Brien, exterminator

Jim O'Brien stood a mattress on its end and ran his hands over the piping at its corners.

"It starts here; this is ground zero," he told woman next to him," and then, if you ignore it, it starts to spread out."

O'Brien, owner of Staten Island-based extermination company Pest
Quest Management, specializes in bed bug and termite infestations — but
the former has had his phone ringing off the hook.

On a recent Saturday, O'Brien and his assistant started the first of
what will likely be three treatments in a Sunset Park, Brooklyn, home.

"We look at it as an investigation," said the former police officer.
"We got to find out what's the problem, what's the particular insect or
animal is causing to have a problem in that home."

O’Brien and his assistant clean the box spring, steam the mattress,
vacuum the room, and spray the perimeter with a product that kills any
live bugs and another that keeps them from reproducing ("Bed bug birth
control," O'Brien quips).

The 20-year bug-fighting vet also works with the client — which can
sometimes mean listening to the bed bug afflicted talking about the
stress of an infestation. O'Brien said he had to refer other clients for
professional counseling.

O'Brien can empathize. About a month ago he woke up with a bite on
his face and thought if he brought bedbugs home, his wife would kill
him.

"I can understand why people flip out because I would, too," he said.
"Just the mere thought that these things while you're sleeping are
crawling all over you."

It turned out to be a spider bite.

"Bedbugs don’t discriminate," O'Brien said. "They'll infest people who are poor,
people who rich. No one is exempt from getting infestations but to this
day, people are ashamed."

Jim O'Brien of Pest Quest Pest Management LLC and Cheryl Mooney at the First Annual Memorial Benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Sat, August 20 2011, 00:00:00 -500

Jim O'Brien of Pest Quest Pest management LLC, a division of Quest Crawl Space Systems LLC, and Cheryl Mooney at the First Annual Memorial Benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The benefit help raise over $17,000.

Need to Know Basics of Eliminating Termite and Other Pest Infestations

Fri, April 8 2011, 10:32:36 -500

There’s no other place on earth as comfortable as your own home, but what if your home were infested with pests; insects, bed bugs or termites—would you still feel so comfortable?

The termite is a homeowners’ most common pest. They are little, determined, and can easily find their way into the wooden parts of your home. These little guys continue working and eating non-stop, without sleeping.

Termites are so small they can enter your home through an opening or crack as thin as a piece of writing paper. As long as your home provides moisture, food and adequate temperatures, termites can and will enter and eat their way through your home.

Some colonies of termites house more than a million termites, at one time. At this rate, it’s easy for termites to quickly cause severe structural damage to your home.

Reports have shown that termites can cause more yearly damage to homes in the United States than tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, wind and thunderstorms combined costing homeowners more than a billion dollars per year. No need to be too alarmed, there are ways to protect your home from the devastation common to termite infestation.

Inspect Your Home Thoroughly

Take advantage of the good weather, and use it to closely inspect the basement of your home looking for any noticeable signs of termites. The termite dropping is a clear indication of a potential issue. Keep an eye out for small tan, reddish-brown or black droppings. For the most effective inspections, use a flashlight to illuminate the foundation walls, the windows, and beneath the exterior doors.

Closely examine the support piers, floor joists, sill plates and the foundation walls inside and outside searching for mud tubes. Subterranean termites live in moist soil, but tend to heavily feed on wood. They build mud passageways from the moist soil to the wood of your home.

Unfortunately, it’s quite common to overlook termite damage. If you’ve examined your home and have found no visible signs of infestation, go a bit further and examine for hidden structural wood damage by thumping the wooden structure of your home with the heel of a screwdriver. Listen closely for hollowed out wood. Also, consider probing with a heavy duty awl. This is another way to help detect hollowed out wood.

Confirm Your Termite Suspicions

After you’ve completely examined your basement and have found evidence to confidently suspect a termite problem, call a professional to evaluate the situation, confirm your suspicions. This expert will discuss the best options to eliminate, control, prevent and treat the existing wood. In addition, he/she will not only suggest, but also perform any and all necessary repairs.

The Preferred Methods For Protecting Your Home

If you have a problem with termites, big or small, your local pest expert will use an enlightened approach to control and eliminate your pest issues. Once you’ve contacted your local expert, he/she will evaluate your home and infestation, individually, and select the approach or combination of approaches that best suit your individual needs. You’re of the utmost importance to these specialists. It’s their job to help you.

There are several techniques and approaches that specialists might use to prevent, control or exterminate pest and termite infestations.

These include:

Identifying the conditions
Baiting the termites
Performing non-repellent soil treatment
Treating the wood

Solution

Many homeowners make the attempt to remove termites from their home, but this could be quite hazardous if you’re not certified to deal with infestations. Many infestations, especially termites, have a great affect on your home’s structure.

Your home is potentially your largest investment. Contact a local professional to evaluate your home.

Quest Crawl Space Systems is your local pest control professional. They offer pest control in New Jersey from the Morris, Somerset and Ocean areas.