Know what a tool can—and cannot—do.
A useful outline starts with clear limits. Read these answers before interpreting a result as more than general guidance.
1. Is this a professional home inspection?
No. The tools cannot see a building, verify your observations, identify a species, diagnose an infestation or certify safety. They arrange self-reported inputs and fixed rules. A professional inspection is a separate service you arrange independently.
2. When should I stop and call a professional?
Do not handle wild rodents. Contact a qualified professional for large or widespread infestations, droppings in food preparation or storage areas, possible wiring/electrical damage, air-duct contamination or health concerns. A selected safety flag overrides routine planning. If there is smoke, sparking or immediate danger, leave the area and contact emergency services.
3. Should I sweep or vacuum droppings first?
No. CDC warns that sweeping or vacuuming rodent waste can put contaminated particles into the air. Do not disturb suspected waste to use a tool. Read current CDC cleanup guidance and obtain professional advice for heavy contamination, food areas, inaccessible spaces or uncertainty.
4. Can the identifier tell mice from rats?
No. Its labels describe the information you selected, not the actual cause. A sighting, chewed package, sound or odor can need expert review. No photos, pellets, measurements or biological samples are requested.
5. Are the cost defaults real local prices?
No. They are editable, invented example figures for demonstrating a budget. The tool does not fetch prices or represent a provider. A written quote may include different scope, taxes, travel, structural repair, electrical work or specialized remediation. The range is not a ceiling or fixed quote.
6. How is the home risk score calculated?
Five inputs receive 0, 1 or 2 points. Gaps and accessible food are weighted 3 each, water 2, clutter 1 and outdoor shelter 1. The maximum is 20; the index is weighted points divided by 20, multiplied by 100. It is an unvalidated maintenance index—not a probability of infestation.
7. Can a low score or completed checklist prove the home is clear?
No. You may be unaware of hidden entry points or activity. A low index describes only the selected conditions, and a checked task records your own progress. Neither confirms removal, disinfection, building safety or absence of rodents.
8. Does the trap planner recommend poison or live capture?
No. It provides no poison recipe, dosing, trap-setting technique or wildlife-release instructions. Safety gates send uncertain, uncontrolled, outdoor/shared or restricted situations to professional-led planning. Current CDC trapping guidance emphasizes appropriate traps, product instructions and keeping traps away from children and pets.
9. Are seasonal dates forecasts or weather alerts?
No. The planner applies fixed editorial maintenance themes by month. It does not know local rodent populations, weather, county conditions or your property. Scheduled dates must not delay action on an existing hazard.
10. Do I need an account or payment?
No. All six tools are free to use without an account, email gate or service booking. A current browser with JavaScript performs the calculations locally. Static method explanations remain available on the installed site without JavaScript.
11. Does the site store my address, answers or checklist progress?
No address is requested. The plugin does not submit tool inputs, create result URLs, write a tool-input database or use cookies/local storage/session storage/IndexedDB for answers. Values and checked tasks exist in the open page. Reset clears them. Browser-restored tabs, downloads and emailed messages are separate.
12. How can I print or download a result?
Generate a result, then use Print / Save PDF or Download text. The browser controls printing and PDF availability. The seasonal planner also provides an .ics calendar download. Files may contain optional notes, selected conditions and dates; remove private details before saving or sharing.
13. Will the site book a visit or send calendar reminders?
No. No tool books, quotes, dispatches, messages a contractor or connects a calendar account. Calendar files must be imported by you. The seasonal export contains separate all-day events and no automatic subscription or website notifications.
14. What happens to blanks and HTML-like text?
Optional blank labels and notes are omitted from the result and files. Required numeric/date/select inputs are validated. Text is inserted literally, not interpreted as HTML, so angle brackets remain text rather than creating elements or executing scripts.
15. Are there cookies, ads or analytics?
The plugin adds no tracking cookies, analytics, ad network, third-party font or embedded widget. WordPress, hosting/security services and other installed plugins may operate differently. Review the Cookie Notice and the actual live setup before making site-wide privacy assumptions.
16. Can tenants or people with limited access use these tools?
Yes, as planning aids. Use the tenant/shared-property choices and record uncertainty instead of entering inaccessible spaces. Seek landlord permission where required. Do not alter fire-rated assemblies, ventilation, drainage, wiring or structural elements based on a generated checklist.