Termites?

[Jeffrey]

Hi,

Our new house appears to be the home of termites. We're going to need to have the house treated and I'm not feeling overly confident with some of the pesticide company representatives. There appears to be great potential for dishonesty in this industry.

Does anybody have experience with termite treatments? If so, what company and/or treatment do you recommend? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeffrey

[Indoor66]

Hi,

Our new house appears to be the home of termites. We're going to need to have the house treated and I'm not feeling overly confident with some of the pesticide company representatives. There appears to be great potential for dishonesty in this industry.

Does anybody have experience with termite treatments? If so, what company and/or treatment do you recommend? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeffrey

I would check with some experienced real estate agents in your area for recommendations for termite treatments. Some of the smaller companies can be the best, as well as the worst. Experience is probably the best teacher in this area.

[2535Miles]

Hi,

Our new house appears to be the home of termites. We're going to need to have the house treated and I'm not feeling overly confident with some of the pesticide company representatives. There appears to be great potential for dishonesty in this industry.

Does anybody have experience with termite treatments? If so, what company and/or treatment do you recommend? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeffrey
Take a look at Angie's List. http://www.angieslist.com/AngiesList/

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

http://www.servicemagic.com/

I've had success using this to find contractors for other projects.

[cspan37421]

For years we paid Terminix an annual fee which was rising by 2-3x general inflation. In exchange they promised to treat and repair, if necessary, our home from damage due to infestation of a particular type of termite. Before we had bought the house, the cinderblock foundation had been drilled and treated all around. Once a year they'd send out some guy with a flashlight to do a cursory check. This went on for nearly 10 years.

At one point we decided to change our screen porch/deck area out back to a sunroom/deck, so we kind of re-did it. The deck was not raised nor lowered, but it took up a bit more of the total footprint than before. For the deck, we mostly changed out the boards that you walk on, and changed the railings. We went from two 12x20 side by-side rectangles (one screen porch, the other deck) to an L-shaped deck, surrounding on 3 sides a 16x12 sunroom. So the total footprint was the same. (the sunroom sat on a new foundation, though).

As we were completing the sunroom part, the Terminix guy came to inspect and said that our contract was void because the deck was too close to the ground (or the lattice / facing boards connected the deck with the ground). The idea was that since the whole house was not on stilts implanted in concrete footers, our coverage was void. Now, I pointed out that our deck was always that close to the ground - in those years they inspected before, and they said nothing about it. He would not budge - nor would his bosses, and communication was cut off from their end.

I concluded that, had we developed a termite problem before this change, they would have found a way to weasel out of covering it. We wasted our money on them all those years.

I tried to contact a couple local, smaller companies to take over the contract, but no one ever came out. One guy said over the phone he'd have to re-do all the foundation drilling and re-treat (at significant expense), as a pre-condition of being covered by their contract. In the end, my builder left a crawl space under the deck and sunroom and recommended I go and check for tunnels 2x/year. I've done that, and never found any. I also put some insecticide granules or spray around the exterior base of the house annually.

I've no idea if we actually have a problem or not, but I can't find one. Good luck. If I have any advice, it is to stay away from the big national chains, talk to someone with a local company, who puts their name on the business. Talk to neighbors, talk to realtors. Hope you fare better than we did.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Hi,

Our new house appears to be the home of termites.

Did you buy a previously lived in house or did you have it built for you? I'm thinking that it was not new from your post. Do you have a mortgage? If so, one of the prerequisites of most lenders is that you have a termite inspection done and that it be given a clean bill of health, so to speak, before they lend you money (or is that too old world today?). If so, you may have recourse against the inspecting company, and whatever insurance they carry. Talk to the lawyer who handled your closing and inspect your closing documents. And talk to the lender about what they required.

[CLT Devil]

Agreed. Your RE Agent should have ordered a termite inspection to go along with your regular home inspection. If you chose to close without one, or knew about it and closed anyway, caveat emptor (sp).

It's not too hard to treat, but there can be bad companies out there. Being in the RE industry I have seen a bit of everything. If you are close to Charlotte I can refer you to someone, otherwise let me know where you are and I can try and get a referral from my local company(s) that I use.

Termites are not always as big of a deal as you would think, and are quite prevalent in the South. If it hasn't gotten into the band sill/joists you should get out without having to spend too much.

[Jeffrey]

Did you buy a previously lived in house or did you have it built for you?

Hi,

Bought a new construction in foreclosure. The builder walked away from the house when it was about 70% completed. There's the rub.... the original construction began in May, 2005 and we have no idea what was done before we purchased the house.


Do you have a mortgage?

No, I've always lived below my means with as little debt as possible. One of the downsides is that this pay as we go build has taken much longer than normal while I raised/earned the needed cash.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Jeffrey]

It's not too hard to treat, but there can be bad companies out there.

Hi,

Yes, there are. We first discovered the problem in January and had it treated immediately. The company rep (a local company) said that all we needed to do was spray the perimeter for $250 and the subterranean termites would die due to lack of water. Well, in less than seven months they've returned (assuming they actually briefly left).


If you are close to Charlotte I can refer you to someone, otherwise let me know where you are and I can try and get a referral from my local company(s) that I use.

Thank you for the very kind offer! Unfortunately, I live many states away.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[OldPhiKap]

I have represented termite treatment companies and sued termite treatment companies.

Check the BBB and, if your local courts have internet search capabilities, type in the names of your prospectives and see if they are frequent court flyers. You can usually find the court dockets under a link from your county and/or municipality, then under "clerk of court".

Good luck -- OPK

[Jeffrey]

I have represented termite treatment companies and sued termite treatment companies.

Good luck -- OPK

Hi OPK,

From your legal experiences, would you say that I'd be better off going with a local or national firm?

Please email me, if you'd prefer.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[OldPhiKap]

Hi OPK,

From your legal experiences, would you say that I'd be better off going with a local or national firm?

Please email me, if you'd prefer.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

Hard to say -- it really depends on the quality of the guy/gal under the house. The national folks have certain training standards which may give you some comfort, and they probably have insurance if they screw up. But if you find a local company that several homeowners recommend, I wouldn't automatically take them off the list.

Another thing you can do (down here, at least) is call the county extension office or the state licensing board and see if they have someone who checks up behind termite inspectors. This may even be a free service (or a tax-supported service, whichever way you want to look at it).

[Jeffrey]

I would check with some experienced real estate agents in your area for recommendations for termite treatments.

Hi,

Good idea. I checked with a second generation RE agent, I've used personally & professionally, and he does not trust any of the national or local companies. As he said, "How do you know any of them are doing what they say they will? How do you know what they're spraying and how much?".

Nevertheless, I like the idea and plan on asking more RE agents.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[allenmurray]

The county extension office is a good source of info - I second that idea.

Another good source of info might be small local construction firms that have as a large part of thier business repairing termite damage. In both the houses I've owned I made a piont to use a firm that only did one or the other. There seems to be less potential for conflict of interest. A local contractor who h as done termite repair may have some good insight into which termite firms are on the up and up.

While it may or may not apply to termite firms, my philosophy of life is to always go local. It is better for the community, and you are more likely to build a relationship with the local contractor. After all, if the termite guy's osn plays Little League baseball with our kid, or his wife goes to the same gym as yours, etc, . . .

[Jarhead]

Hi,

Bought a new construction in foreclosure. The builder walked away from the house when it was about 70% completed. There's the rub.... the original construction began in May, 2005 and we have no idea what was done before we purchased the house.



No, I've always lived below my means with as little debt as possible. One of the downsides is that this pay as we go build has taken much longer than normal while I raised/earned the needed cash.

Best regards,
Jeffrey
Good luck on your endeavors, Jeffrey. Having a home with no mortgage is way more than cool. My recommendation is simple. Do the work to evaluate the local companies. The BBB is a good place to start, as is the county extension office. Check with your neighbors, and check with the local home owner's association if there is one. They may have some suggestions. Check the companies for other problems such as ants, spiders, moles, voles, and so on, in case you need them for that. Once you pick one, remember Reagan's mantra, trust, but verify.

[dukeforester]

I worked for the VA state agency that regulates pest control companies (including termite control) for 20 years. My experience is that there are honest companies but a lot of crooks. We had enforcement actions against both national and local firms so I cannot recommend one over the other. Do not know in which state you reside, but most have a registry/database of enforcement actions. This is the first place I'd recommend you start. Contact the state agency that regulates these firms. In most states they are housed in the Dept. of Agriculture agency, but some have a separate agency/bureau just for structural pest control. Once you find who regulates the industry in your state, call and start playing 20 questions. Tell them your situation. Ask about enforcement actions, licensing, certifications, etc. Agency personnel are not supposed to make specific company recommendations but I would still ask. I would even inquire if they would send a state inspector out when the company is doing the treatment because the state is required to do a certain number of use inspections (watching a pesticide applicator apply pesticides) during a calendar for their EPA grant.

Once you decide on a company, be sure to ask them what they will be applying and at what application rate. Ask them to provide you a copy of the pesticide label so you can read the application rate to verify what they are telling you. When they come out to do the job, ask the technician to see his applicator certification/license (shows he has passed the state exam).

Hope this helps. You can PM me if you have other questions.

Good luck

[Jeffrey]

The county extension office is a good source of info - I second that idea.

Another good source of info might be small local construction firms that have as a large part of thier business repairing termite damage.

Hi Allen,

Thanks, the county extension office had some brochures that gave general advice on the matter. I found them to be helpful.

I'm finding that you get what you pay for. My GC also did termite repairs but he is a budget guy who recommended the budget firm I used in January. Think it's time to step-up to the higher priced companies. Nevertheless, I like your idea.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Jeffrey]

Good luck on your endeavors, Jeffrey. Having a home with no mortgage is way more than cool. My recommendation is simple. Do the work to evaluate the local companies. The BBB is a good place to start, as is the county extension office.

Hi,

Thanks for the kind words! Financial security has always been a high priority for me. I'd rather live in a smaller house that I own than a bigger house someone else owns. My wife disagrees. :D

I'm going to see what the BBB will share.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Jeffrey]

I worked for the VA state agency that regulates pest control companies (including termite control) for 20 years. My experience is that there are honest companies but a lot of crooks. We had enforcement actions against both national and local firms so I cannot recommend one over the other. Do not know in which state you reside, but most have a registry/database of enforcement actions. This is the first place I'd recommend you start. Contact the state agency that regulates these firms. In most states they are housed in the Dept. of Agriculture agency, but some have a separate agency/bureau just for structural pest control. Once you find who regulates the industry in your state, call and start playing 20 questions. Tell them your situation. Ask about enforcement actions, licensing, certifications, etc. Agency personnel are not supposed to make specific company recommendations but I would still ask. I would even inquire if they would send a state inspector out when the company is doing the treatment because the state is required to do a certain number of use inspections (watching a pesticide applicator apply pesticides) during a calendar for their EPA grant.

Once you decide on a company, be sure to ask them what they will be applying and at what application rate. Ask them to provide you a copy of the pesticide label so you can read the application rate to verify what they are telling you. When they come out to do the job, ask the technician to see his applicator certification/license (shows he has passed the state exam).

Hope this helps. You can PM me if you have other questions.

Good luck

Hi,

Thanks for all the help and great ideas!

I located the state regulatory agency but, unfortunately, they'll only respond to written requests and the response time is 10 business days after request receipt. I'd like to treat the house before we move in next weekend.

All of the companies are recommending 165 gallons of Termidor to treat subterranean termites. They claim that treating the perimeter of the house should be sufficient and the only indoor applications will be under the bathtubs. Does that sound correct?

I'm concerned about bringing our two month old daughter into the house after application. We have yet to move and I want to delay the move until one week after the treatment. My wife thinks that is excessive. What are your views?

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Indoor66]

Hi,

Thanks for all the help and great ideas!

I located the state regulatory agency but, unfortunately, they'll only respond to written requests and the response time is 10 business days after request receipt. I'd like to treat the house before we move in next weekend.

All of the companies are recommending 165 gallons of Termidor to treat subterranean termites. They claim that treating the perimeter of the house should be sufficient and the only indoor applications will be under the bathtubs. Does that sound correct?

I'm concerned about bringing our two month old daughter into the house after application. We have yet to move and I want to delay the move until one week after the treatment. My wife thinks that is excessive. What are your views?

Best regards,
Jeffrey

All chemicals are "approved" and "safe" for use around humans and pets. After your selection of a company you feel comfortable with, IMO you must allow them to make the treatment they feel required to provide you with the protection you are contracting for. At some point there must be a element of trust. If the trust does not exist, find another company.

[Jeffrey]

All chemicals are "approved" and "safe" for use around humans and pets. After your selection of a company you feel comfortable with, IMO you must allow them to make the treatment they feel required to provide you with the protection you are contracting for. At some point there must be a element of trust. If the trust does not exist, find another company.

Hi,

Here's why I'm unsure who to trust. The highest regarded local company and Terminix say that all I need is a perimeter treatment to kill subterranean termites and they'll do it for $2,000. Orkin says I also need the interior walls foamed wherever there has been activity and they want $3,100. Orkin is the only firm that has recommended foaming. Who do you trust?

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Indoor66]

Hi,

Here's why I'm unsure who to trust. The highest regarded local company and Terminix say that all I need is a perimeter treatment to kill subterranean termites and they'll do it for $2,000. Orkin says I also need the interior walls foamed wherever there has been activity and they want $3,100. Orkin is the only firm that has recommended foaming. Who do you trust?

Best regards,
Jeffrey

I can't answer that one. I can say that in three cities, I did not like Orkin.

[Indoor66]

Hi,

Here's why I'm unsure who to trust. The highest regarded local company and Terminix say that all I need is a perimeter treatment to kill subterranean termites and they'll do it for $2,000. Orkin says I also need the interior walls foamed wherever there has been activity and they want $3,100. Orkin is the only firm that has recommended foaming. Who do you trust?

Best regards,
Jeffrey


Is the infestation active?

[dukeforester]

Jeffry,

With a post construction termite treatment (your situation), all building structures (footer, piers, etc.) touching/entering the ground should be treated. This is especially true with an active infestation. Most termiticides work by creating a chemical barrier between the ground and your house, so if you leave a non-treated entry, you take the chance of another infestation. Termidor does this but also has chemical properties to cause termite mortality. I do not know your home (so cannot comment on gallonage), but I would recommend a treatment of both the exterior and interior of your footer and around all piers, if you have any. If your home is built on a concrete slab, just an exterior treatment is necessary, assuming there are no cracks in the slab.

As far as Termidor safety, here is a link that speaks to that. http://www.termite.com/termidor.html

Here is a link to the label.
http://www.pestsupplystore.com/Pesticides/Labels/Termidor-SC-Label.pdf

The label only has a caution signal word, so as long as the treatment is done correctly, you should not fear moving into your home immediately following treatment (next day or so). No need to wait a week.

Dan

[Jeffrey]

Is the infestation active?

Hi,

Yes, it is.

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[Jeffrey]

Jeffry,

With a post construction termite treatment (your situation), all building structures (footer, piers, etc.) touching/entering the ground should be treated. This is especially true with an active infestation. Most termiticides work by creating a chemical barrier between the ground and your house, so if you leave a non-treated entry, you take the chance of another infestation. Termidor does this but also has chemical properties to cause termite mortality. I do not know your home (so cannot comment on gallonage), but I would recommend a treatment of both the exterior and interior of your footer and around all piers, if you have any. If your home is built on a concrete slab, just an exterior treatment is necessary, assuming there are no cracks in the slab.

As far as Termidor safety, here is a link that speaks to that. http://www.termite.com/termidor.html

Here is a link to the label.
http://www.pestsupplystore.com/Pesticides/Labels/Termidor-SC-Label.pdf

The label only has a caution signal word, so as long as the treatment is done correctly, you should not fear moving into your home immediately following treatment (next day or so). No need to wait a week.

Dan

Hi Dan,

Thank you very much for all your assistance! It's most appreciated!

It's a concrete slab construction but there may be slab cracks and are certainly entry points at the plumbing locations. Most of the floors are tiled and there (unfortunately) was substantial spacing left between the slab and PVC pipes coming up from the floor. I've also experienced roof & window leaks due to the poor construction. How often do termites need water? I'm wondering if they could survive from frequent moisture on my roof and bricks?

Best regards,
Jeffrey

[dukeforester]

Jeffrey,

Moisture on your roof will not directly correlate to termite infestations. Termites live in the soil and cannot survive outside of it for any length of time. Termites need moisture, but not significant amounts. If your roof moisture is moving to your soil, then it may be a concern. If not, then you do not need to worry about it impacting the termite infestation, but you might have other issues.

Post construction termiticide treatment of slab construction requires drilling and soil injection of the termiticide, including, in some cases, interior drilling. As I said, a good termiticide tratment is one that creates a continous chemical barrier between your home and the soil. A reputable company will understand this and do whatever is necessary to achieve it.