Worry-Free Pest Management
Effective Date: [Insert Date]
This Agreement is between Herbal Shield, LLC ("Herbal Shield") and the Customer identified below for pest control services at the designated service address.
Herbal Shield provides worry-free, botanical-first pest management using least-toxic, botanical-based methods as the primary approach. Services include inspection, treatment, and follow-up as outlined in the selected plan (Essential, Complete, or Premier).
IPM escalation. Herbal Shield uses an Integrated Pest Management approach. If pest pressure persists or a covered pest cannot be effectively managed by botanical methods alone, Herbal Shield may recommend escalation to targeted EPA-registered products applied in a crack-and-crevice manner. The Customer will be informed of the proposed product and reasoning before any application, and may decline. Declining escalation does not affect the service guarantee for botanical-only treatment.
All plans include a minimum number of visits per year, seasonally adjusted based on your home's pest pressure, and unlimited free return visits for covered pests between scheduled treatments (subject to the limitations below).
Plan pricing assumes a typical single-family residence of approximately 3,500 square feet or less on a lot of 1 acre or less, with no detached structures requiring service and standard accessibility. Following the initial inspection, Herbal Shield reserves the right to provide a custom quote for properties exceeding these parameters, including (but not limited to) larger square footage, multiple structures, attics requiring specialty access, severe pre-existing infestations, or commercial or multi-family use.
Crawl spaces. Crawl space inspection and treatment is included with the Premier plan. Essential or Complete subscribers whose homes include a crawl space may add this service via a custom add-on quote at inspection, or upgrade to Premier.
If the Customer declines a custom quote or add-on, the Customer may terminate this Agreement within 7 days of the inspection by written notice to jim@herbalshield.com. The subscription portion of any prepayment will be refunded; the initial inspection fee is non-refundable.
All new agreements begin with an initial inspection and treatment. The inspection fee is $199 standalone, $99 with a monthly subscription, or waived ($0) with annual or 2-year prepay. This includes a comprehensive property assessment, pest identification, and first treatment application.
Herbal Shield is licensed under Maryland Department of Agriculture Category 7A (General Structural Pest Control) and Category 7D (Vertebrate Pest Control). The following pest categories require additional MDA licensing that Herbal Shield does not currently hold; service for these pests is therefore limited to the activities listed below.
Mosquitoes. Service is limited to (i) larvicide treatment of standing water using Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti); (ii) source-reduction recommendations and, where the Customer authorizes it, mechanical source reduction; and (iii) botanical perimeter applications for short-duration knock-down. Herbal Shield does not perform adult mosquito fogging or pyrethroid yard misting, which require MDA Category 7C. Customers seeking adult mosquito control will be referred to a 7C-licensed provider.
Termites and other wood-destroying insects. Service is limited to (i) inspection and documentation, including NPMA-33 form completion when requested; (ii) preventive borate wood treatment (Tim-bor, BoraCare) on accessible, untreated wood; and (iii) recommendation of moisture remediation and structural exclusion. Herbal Shield does not perform active termite treatment, soil drench applications, or termite bait station installation (such as Sentricon), which require MDA Category 7B. If active termite or other wood-destroying insect activity is identified during an inspection, Herbal Shield will document the finding, notify the Customer in writing, and refer the Customer to a 7B-licensed termite contractor for treatment. The discovery of termite activity does not give rise to any treatment obligation by Herbal Shield under this Agreement.
Bedbugs. Service uses a botanical-and-mechanical primary approach: silica-gel desiccant dust (CimeXa), bedbug interceptors, and HEPA vacuum-assisted mechanical removal. Herbal Shield does not perform on-site heat or steam treatment as part of its service. In-home heat steps — laundering bedding and clothing at the highest dryer setting, and freezing small non-launderable items — are completed by the Customer per Herbal Shield's prep checklist. The realistic timeline for full elimination using this approach is 6 to 10 weeks with weekly customer compliance (laundering, decluttering, no movement of infested items between rooms). Faster elimination is possible by escalating to targeted EPA-registered products under the IPM Escalation provision above; the Customer may request such escalation at any visit. The Customer's right to decline escalation is preserved and does not affect the botanical-only service guarantee.
Wildlife and non-commensal vertebrates. Herbal Shield does not currently treat raccoons, bats, snakes, or other non-commensal wildlife, which are regulated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources rather than the MDA. Customers with wildlife concerns will be referred to a licensed Wildlife Cooperator.
Rodents (mice, rats, and commensal vertebrates). Service follows a documented escalation ladder beginning with mechanical control (snap traps, multi-catch traps, exclusion) and self-resetting CO2 traps. Where mechanical methods alone are insufficient, Herbal Shield may recommend escalation to non-anticoagulant biopesticides (cholecalciferol) or, in severe cases and with the Customer's written consent, to second-generation anticoagulants applied only inside tamper-resistant bait stations. The Customer's right to decline any escalation is preserved.
Customer agrees to pay the agreed-upon fee according to the payment schedule. Payments are processed securely through Stripe. Late payments may incur a 1.5% monthly service charge. We reserve the right to suspend services for balances overdue by more than 60 days.
Billing options. Customers may select one of three billing options:
All plans require a 3-month initial commitment. After the initial 3 months, Customer may cancel with 30 days' written notice. Notice may be sent by email to jim@herbalshield.com (preferred), or by any other reasonable written method (postal mail, certified letter, or written confirmation following a phone call to (443) 228-6070). Services will continue through the end of the current billing period. No refunds will be issued for the current period.
If covered pest activity returns between scheduled visits, Herbal Shield will provide a re-treatment at no additional charge, provided the Customer has complied with all preparation and maintenance recommendations.
Important Limitations: Complete elimination of pests cannot be guaranteed. We are not responsible for pest activity caused by conditions outside our control, including (but not limited to) neighboring properties, structural deficiencies, moisture issues not corrected by the Customer, sanitation practices, extreme weather, or pre-existing conditions. The guarantee does not apply if the Customer fails to follow our recommendations or allow proper access.
To ensure the best possible results, Customer agrees to:
Failure to meet these responsibilities may limit or void the service guarantee and re-treatment obligation.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Herbal Shield's total liability for any claim arising from our services shall not exceed the amount paid for the specific service giving rise to the claim. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, or for damages not directly caused by our negligence.
If access is not available at the scheduled time, a trip charge may apply.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Maryland.
By signing or continuing with services, Customer agrees to these terms.