The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Termites?
muninn
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Ok, so my folks live in NJ and they have noticed that in the mornings a cloud of winged ants flying out of our house near patio doors. Quick google told us that they look suspiciously like termites.
Now we will be eventually selling that house, and calling an exterminator would make the bastards of our neighbors try to create FUD in prospective buyers (happened before with another house). That and I trust those exterminator guys less than my mechanic.
So did anyone have any termite related experiences, hints or suggestions how this could be discreetly resolved? Any idea how bad the problem could be (or how to find out?)
Now we will be eventually selling that house, and calling an exterminator would make the bastards of our neighbors try to create FUD in prospective buyers (happened before with another house). That and I trust those exterminator guys less than my mechanic.
So did anyone have any termite related experiences, hints or suggestions how this could be discreetly resolved? Any idea how bad the problem could be (or how to find out?)
muninn on
0
Posts
Termites are evil bugs; we bought a house that inspected fine (no current damage) only to discover that they had eaten up parts of the hardwood floors that was previously under linoleum. We ripped it up to discover it, leading us to truly hate the bugs.
We also discovered them out in the 8 inches of mulch the idiot previous owners had covered a part of the yard with. We spread the mulch out to 2" and they're not close to the house (and we just had it inspected).
As for testing to see if you have any in your house, head down to the basement with a long screwdriver and a flashlight. Or anywhere where you can see the joists, subfloor, or wall/ceiling wood. Look for any streaks or flaky parts, and stab at them with the screwdriver. Regular wood will just get a little mark from the stabbing -- termite damaged wood will be weak and, well, you'll see the difference as soon as you stab it with the screwdriver, if you have any.
If you can't find any, you're probably fine. However, if you're worried (as in, you can catch some of those bugs and determine that they are definitely termites, or you discover some damage), simply include the inspection as part of the process for selling the house. In Maryland, you HAVE to have a termite inspection in order to sell the house. At least, the mortgage we got and the city contracts we had to sign specified that the seller had to pay for a termite inspection. You may not have to, as you're further north, but that doesn't mean you can't do it "just to be safe."
Once you get the inspection, if they don't find anything, then there's no FUD to spread, and you've got proof to back it up. If they do, they can deal with it and you then have proof that it's not a problem -- and less of a problem than your neighbors houses!
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I, unfortunately, know more than I'd like
As for termite guys, it's hard to find a good one if you just cold-call, but when they treat the house they should drill down approximately every 18" around the entire perimeter of the house. The holes will likely be visible, especially if you have any concrete or asphalt around the house. Have someone be home when they arrive, and make sure they actually treat the house.
Most people get screwed by termite guys who just show up with some sprays and will just squirt it around the foundation. That doesn't stop termites -- it needs to be applied actually in the ground.
Imagine waking up one morning to a shower filled with bugs.
God I am so glad to be out of that shithole.
The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.
An inspection runs about $100 here in MD. Treatment varies, but is usually a few hundred. This website here mentions that for a reputable company to treat a small house, it'd be between $450-$550. If you've got damage, you've gotta get it done anyway (or else no mortgage company is let you sell the house, as they won't let a buyer buy a house w/o certification, and they're going to discover the damage).
Depending on what type of foundation you have, a termite extermination can be very unobtrusive or quite loud. If you have a basement or crawlspace under your home, extermination is quite easy. The exterminator will dig a small trench around the perimeter of the foundation and soak the ground with a very potent and long lasting termite poison. If the interior is complete concrete (no soil ground in the basement/crawlspace) the exterminator may have to drill inside. Thankfully as it's done inside it's not outwardly apparent. This is the easiest and least visible form of termite control. If however your house resides on a slab of concrete directly at the ground (commonly referred to as "floating slab"), it's a different story. The exterminator will have to drill a series of holes between 1.5 and 2 feet apart all around your home. He will then use these holes to pump the foundation full of the poison. Usually this requires a hammer drill and a tungsten carbide bit. Hammer drills are VERY loud. If the exterminator has to do this, [if he's any exterminator with ethic] he will fill the holes after the pumping is finished giving very little physical evidence that the extermination occurred.
I'd recommend asking around for a good home-run extermination company. Terminix and the like is alright, but their technicians aren't trained too awful well (in my experience) and don't really care that much. A family owned extermination service will be more personable, reliable and usually less expensive. They'll also do a more thorough job as quality and word of mouth is what keeps food on their table.
Oh, and for all you homeowners/prospective homeowners out here - It's a good idea to get your house inspected for termites every 3 or so years. It keeps prospective damage to a minimum and looks good on paper when you're selling the house.