Kansas Senior Press Service News ArticlesKansas Senior Press Service News ArticlesBy P.J. Rooks
Kansas Senior Press Service
Slapping signs on pick-up trucks and marching door-to-door with bargains and brochures, each spring the lawn care profession hosts a round-up call for weekend warriors and fresh entrepreneurs.
“The industry at times gets a black eye because just about every guy and his brother’s got a pickup truck,” said Curt Marchand, vice president of the Mid-America Green Industry Council (MAGICouncil) and operations manager at Ryan Lawn and Tree. “You want to deal with companies that are insured and have the education and resources to do the job properly.”
How, though, do you figure that out?
Consider first impressions
When dealing with contractors who sell from door to door, get a name, address and license plate number, recommends Cherie Reese, vice president of the Better Business Bureau of Greater Kansas City.
“Everybody always looks honest, especially a good scam artist,” she said.
Some will ask for money in advance, claiming that they’ll come back with their equipment, but never return.
Look at trucks, uniforms and materials. Are they clean and high in quality? This might tip you off about whether the contractor has the money to do the job right.
Ask questions and follow up
Who do your friends and neighbors recommend? If you don’t know, ask prospective companies for nearby references, then look at those lawns or — even better — call the homeowners.
Will you be able to develop a comfortable relationship with a contractor?
“You’ll want to find a lawn care provider who is patient and understanding and attentive to your needs,” said Chelsey Wasem, horticulture extension agent with K-State Research and Extension. “Be insistent upon good communication with the lawn care provider, so neither side has an expectation that perhaps is unreasonable or is not understood.”
Find out about products that the contractor will use on your lawn. How toxic are they? Will you need to keep pets and children inside all day? If you can’t get satisfactory answers, try calling Kansas Extension 785-532-5820 for information from an office near you.
Check licenses and insurance
“Even if they say they have insurance,” said Reese, “ask for proof and then check it out.”
Businesses should be able to provide a certificate of insurance. Look at the certificate, see what is covered, and call the agency to be sure the certificate is current.
Pesticide applicators are required by the state to carry liability insurance, but if they don’t, homeowners may find themselves partially liable for chemical spills.
“Make sure the contractor is not someone who just purchased a fertilizer spreader and a big bag of fertilizer and is going to go start a business,” said Wasem.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture keeps records on pesticide licenses and violations; call 785-296-5210 or visit www.ksda.gov.
Some cities require that companies also hold a business license. The Better Business Bureau can help you verify city licenses and tell you whether a business has garnered any complaints. Call 816-421-7800 in the Kansas City area, 785-232-0454 in Topeka and northeast Kansas, or 316-263-3146 for Wichita, southeast, central and western Kansas. The Kansas Attorney General’s Office investigates complaints, too, at 800-432-2310 or www.ksag.org.
Find out whether the company holds professional memberships. In the Kansas City area, membership in the MAGICouncil is a definite sign of sincerity. Its Website, www.magicouncil.org, includes a list of member contractors.
Compare bids
“I don’t think it’s a scam — it’s a marketing technique,” said Marchand, “but a lot of lawn care providers, especially in fertilizer application and weed control, will market a low-cost-per-application program and then do more applications.”
In the beginning, this may seem like a good deal, but with some of these packages grub or weed control may not be included, and in the end you pay more. When comparing packages, “you’ve got to make it apples to apples,” Marchand said.
Make sure each bid covers exactly the same set of services. Wasem recommends making a comparison chart by simply lining out seven columns with the following titles: Company, Flexibility, Response to inquiry, Expertise level, Reputation, Range of services, and Price. Research three to four companies and complete the chart for each one. When you’re finished, you’ll have a good idea which company will be best for you. (For further explanation of the chart, see the article “Selecting a Lawn Care Company” at www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1617.pdf.)
Get it in writing
Read the contract carefully and make sure it includes everything you need. Ashley Anstaett, spokesperson for the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, said that many complaints concern unclear contracts.
“I think that when they sign a contract, people like to think everything is included — and in some cases you get down the road and realize that something was left out,” she said.
Contracts may also renew each year automatically. Ask about that so you don’t accidentally sign with a second contractor next year. If your contract is subject to automatic renewal, request a written confirmation each year.
Most lawn care contractors are well-educated professionals, and chances are you’ll end up with someone you like. But doing your homework, checking out the company, comparing quotes, and carefully reading the contract will help ensure it. A little leg work in the beginning will spare you a lot of back-pedaling in the end, and let you enjoy your lawn for its true purpose — leisure.
P.J. Rooks is the former co-owner and operator of a building-and-grounds maintenance service. She held pesticide licenses in three categories, wrote a newsletter on yard care, and is a published writer on gardening topics. She lives in Overland Park.
By Kansas Senior Press Service
“Heartburn” is just another word for acid reflux. It refers to a burning sensation in the chest or throat when stomach acid comes up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food to the stomach.
At the top of the stomach is a ring of muscle called a sphincter that opens to allow food into the stomach and then closes to keep it from coming back up. When the sphincter doesn’t close properly, it allows some of the stomach contents, including the highly acidic digestive juices, to leak back up. The human stomach has a special lining to protect it from the acids in digestive juices. But the esophagus doesn’t, so the acid causes an uncomfortable burning.
If you get heartburn twice a week or more, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and should see a doctor. Long-term, frequent reflux of digestive acids can damage the esophagus, causing scar tissue to form. It can also lead to changes in the cells themselves that increase risk of developing esophageal cancer.
Having GERD does not mean that you will develop esophageal cancer, but the risk is there. Gastric reflux increases the risk of cancer when stomach contents back up into, and irritate, the lower section of the esophagus over time, a cause of “Barrett’s esophagus,” a condition in which the cells in the lower part of the esophagus have been changed or replaced with abnormal cells.
According to the National Cancer Institute, it’s important to visit your doctor when your symptoms of acid reflux or GERD cause weight loss, pain behind the breastbone, hoarseness, cough, indigestion or heartburn. Your doctor can determine whether your symptoms really are heartburn, rather than an ulcer, heart disease or another serious problem. If you have frequent heartburn with no medical explanation, it might signal an unhealthy lifestyle characterized by overeating, drinking too much alcohol or maintaining an unhealthy weight.
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research
By Kansas Senior Press Service
The June 12 transition to digital TV has passed and the nation has transitioned to digital broadcasting. In the wake of the transition, some senior adults need assistance if their TV screens went blank. Some communities have extra volunteers on hand or have increased partnerships with community organizations to help with installations. FCC contractors might also be in your community to assist.
Rescanning. Some stations will change their channel number, not just from the analog number but from what they were using before the transition. Persons who were already using a converter box may believe the channel was “lost,” but in reality it just changed number. See www.dtv.gov for a listing of stations and channel numbers.
FCC installation contractors. The FCC has provided grants and contracts around the country for in-home installation assistance and second-level troubleshooting. You can find out what installers are your area at www.dtv.gov/map.htm.
“Geek Squad” help. Best Buy’s Geek Squad is available in 31 states, including Kansas and Missouri, but do not call your local Best Buy. Rather, call 877-229-3889, daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Central Standard Time, to request free assistance for converter box installation or with reception problems. Customers may contact the Geek Squad through Tuesday, June 30.
Sources:
Digital TV: Keeping Seniors Connected Campaign
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
These articles are also available electronically at the Center on Aging Website: http://www2.kumc.edu/coa/Senior_Press_Article/Topic_Index.htm