Do I Need to Be Home for Gopher Control Service?
This is one of the most common scheduling questions we receive. The short answer is: for most visits, no — as long as the technician has access to the treatment areas. Here is a clear breakdown of when your presence matters and when it does not.
Initial Visit
For the initial service visit, being home is helpful but not required. If you are home, the technician can ask you directly where activity has been most concentrated, how long the problem has been going on, and whether there are any areas of the property that have not had activity. This context helps the technician prioritize and work more efficiently. If you cannot be home, leaving notes or communicating this information when you schedule is a good substitute.
If the activity is in an unfenced backyard or in areas the technician can access from a gate that is not locked, your presence is not required even for the initial visit.
Gated or Locked Access
The most common reason your presence is needed is a locked gate or restricted access to the treatment area. If the technician cannot reach the backyard where activity is occurring, the visit cannot be completed. Options for managing this without being home include leaving the gate unlocked on service days, providing a gate code, or leaving a key in a designated location. Let us know your access situation when scheduling and we will work out the best arrangement.
Return Visits
Return visits to check and reset traps are brief — typically 15-30 minutes — and almost never require you to be home. The technician knows where traps were placed, can access the treatment area, check results, and reset or relocate traps without any input from you. You will receive communication about results and the status of the job regardless of whether you were present.
Pets During Service Visits
Keep pets away from the areas being treated during the visit and until the technician has completed work for that visit. Traps in active tunnels are not a hazard to pets above ground, but a curious dog digging at a freshly set trap location will displace the trap and make it ineffective. After the technician leaves, normal pet access to the yard is fine — our methods are completely safe for pets.
Communication During the Job
Whether or not you are home during visits, we communicate results and status throughout the job. If the technician catches an animal or observes significant new activity, you will be informed. When the job is complete and your 60-day guarantee period begins, you will receive confirmation.
Related Articles
- What Happens During a Gopher Control Visit?
- How Long Does Gopher Control Take?
- What Does Our 60-Day Guarantee Actually Cover?
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as long as access to the treatment area is arranged. Most of our customers are not home during service visits.
Contact us with the updated code before the next scheduled visit. We keep access information on file for each property.
No. We will communicate completion and your guarantee start date directly. You do not need to be present for this.
Call 909-599-4711 to schedule service — we work around your schedule throughout Southern California.