Termite Inspection?

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Cerise

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Question for homeowners - How often do you have a termite inspection? We had an inspection a few years ago. Wouldn't one see evidence of termites if they exist?
 
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How they do it in the Southwest with slab houses is to have an initial inspection and treatment. Then the homeowners watch for termite trails on the cement (driveway, patio, garage, walkways) and just make a call if any are found.

My folks generally have to call their exterminator company once a year for a quick blast of termite-b-gone-again. I'm pretty sure they had to pay quite a bit for the initial inspection and treatment, but subsequent calls are free or have a small nominal fee.
 
Cerise, we had a termite inspection when we bought our home and the inspector recommended every 2 years.

We keep meaning to have it done...but keep forgetting...we have owned our home for 3 years now...so must get on it!

We also have these containers that are in the ground with a lid on ground surface where you could look into it to see if you have termites, they were here when we bought the house, they are good to have :)

We also have TermiMesh which is a barrier made of mesh that goes all around the house down on ground level...I think that needs replacing every so many years, so must look at that too
 
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I've been treating my entire house for termites every year with Timbor and boric acid. Chemicals are expensive but a heck of a lot cheaper than contracting an exterminator. The chemicals I've been using, available on-line, are the same ones used by the pros. It is somewhat labor intense as you need sprayers and injectors with foaming agents. This is just an alternative DIY if you're as cheap as I am.
 
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I think it really depends on where you live. Here in Colorado it is almost unheard of to have termites!
 
Question for homeowners - How often do you have a termite inspection? We had an inspection a few years ago. Wouldn't one see evidence of termites if they exist?

I had mine inspected last year when I sold it, and they found "evidence." I kind of wondered if the termite guy had it in his pocket already when he climbed in the attic.

Anyway he did find dry rot (easy to find yourself, and easy to fix) and he found a place where the termites were munching on an outside window molding (and a few other places). All the remedial work was easy and took me only 2-3 hours including a visit to Home Depot to buy the materials.

And the bad news, cost me a K-buck to have the house fumigated, last couple days of escrow. I was already moved out by then, never saw the inside of the house after fumigation. Didn't want to.
 
I'm with Chopper, it depends upon where you live, and it is seriously stupid not to deal with it if you live below the freeze line in the U.S. That is to say, when I lived in Florida and Hawaii, the damned things could eat your house in no time flat, and anyone with half a brain had inspection done (independent) before buying the house and contracted with a company to have these critters taken care of regularly. Our exterminators took care of it all. And when we didn't have a good exterminator? Do you know what it costs to have your house tented and fumigated? Have you seen what those critters can do? Opt on the side of safety if you live somewhere with year 'round warm temps. Pay now or pay later, and later will cost more.
 
I Do you know what it costs to have your house tented and fumigated?

$1,000 or a bit more. I know because I had to have it done and pay for it before my escrow closed last year.

It would have been several hundred more if I hadn't done the remedial dry rot and termite damage repair myself. That stuff cost me about $20 in materials and 2 hours labor. They really charge a lot for not much work.
 
Same here in Quebec. It's too cold for the termites. :D

Do you have ants? Then you could have termites. Think of them as white ants with wings. They can also be imported if your country imports soft pine lumber from our south for construction. We have them here in Boston. :angel:
 
Do you have ants? Then you could have termites. Think of them as white ants with wings. They can also be imported if your country imports soft pine lumber from our south for construction. We have them here in Boston. :angel:
The ants thing makes sense, but in 38 years of living in Quebec I have never heard of anyone getting termites here. When I bought a house in 1989 my mum said I had to be sure to have it inspected for termites, so I asked our house inspector to check. He said sure, but that we don't get them here. I did some research and confirmed that.

Even if we got imported termites, they wouldn't survive our winters.
 
My condo passed inspection, but there are termites elsewhere. The contractor would not tell me where. I don't know what (if anything) will happen next.
 
Question for homeowners - How often do you have a termite inspection? We had an inspection a few years ago. Wouldn't one see evidence of termites if they exist?

I know I've already addressed this, but if you live in an area where termites are, NO, you don't see them until the damage is already in process. Seriously, if you see sawdust, trust me, the termites are winning and you're already losing.

When I lived in Hawaii, I lived in a townhouse. I thought I was paying for the home owners' association to take care of this stuff. But had to pay an extra fee to have the place tented and fumigated. Husband and I both worked more-than-full-time, and hadn't noticed that a tree in our yard was "rotting", but it wasn't rot, it was termites.

In Florida, we had a house built, and following my parents' advice, took out termite insurance with a local exterminator. A friend bought a house and did not do that. When she went to sell the house she found that they had serious termite damage. Every wooden part of their house was deteriorating.

No, you don't always see it, and when you do, sometimes it is just too darned late.

I don't live in a place where it is a great danger. Thank heaven.
 
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