How We Write Our Guides

Who writes this

I do. I am Joshua A. Westad, the owner and licensed operator of ExterMetro. The company holds California Structural Pest Control Board Company Registration #8828 in Branch 2 (general pest) and Branch 3 (termites and wood-destroying organisms), and I have worked San Gabriel Valley homes and businesses for more than twelve years. Every page and guide on this site is written or reviewed by me, based on what I see in local homes every week: the pests, the construction, the mistakes that make problems worse.

Where the facts come from

Field experience first. Beyond that, we rely on product labels, the California Structural Pest Control Board's rules, the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM), and the EPA's household pest-control guidance. When a guide cites a figure or a rule, it links to the source. If we cannot source a claim, we do not publish it.

What we will not do

• No invented statistics and no fake reviews. Our reviews page quotes public Google and Yelp reviews and links to each source.
• No scare tactics. Termites are a real problem in this valley; you do not need a countdown timer to take them seriously.
• No diagnosing a termite species from a phone description. An inspection does that, and it decides the treatment.
• No promises a treatment cannot keep. Warranty terms are retreatment only, in writing, before any work starts.
• No paid placements or sponsored content. Nobody pays to be recommended here.

Updates and corrections

Guides carry their publication date and an "Updated" note when the substance changes, and the update dates in our structured data match what you see. Spot an error? Email ExterMetro@gmail.com with the page and the problem, and we will fix it or explain why we disagree.

What this site is not

General information about pests and pest control in Southern California. It is not a substitute for an inspection of your property, and it is not legal, medical or real-estate advice. When the answer depends on your house, the honest answer is "let us look."