Termites - Advice Needed

[M.T.]

I am looking for some advice on a termite problem. First some background

Each year for the past 4 years we have had termite swarm around our garage and front porch. The swarmers were mostly inside of the garage with a few in the living room. . The house is under a treatment warranty with Terminix from a treatment that was done maybe 12 years ago by the previous owner. Each year we had an inspector come out. Each year they could find no evidence of active termites inside of the house. Because of the swarmers, one year they re-treated the porch, the next on side of the garage. This year two different inspectors looked and found nothing. A couple of days later I noticed a small hole in the drywall of my living room ceiling. I pushed on the area and notice that some of the paint was loose. I pulled off an area of paint a couple of square inches and found a live termite. It looks like it was eating the paper covering of the drywall.

I am wondering how big of a problem I may have. Around 6-9 months ago I had an area approximately 0.5 square feet over my living room window where the paint pealed off in a similar manor. Under the paint was sandy grit and no drywall paper. Because I did not see any typical termite tunnels, at the time a figured the pealing was from an old drywall repair that had gone bad. Now that I found a live termite in a similar area I am changing my view.

Terminix tells me that they want to retreat my front porch and that I should just wait to see if any other areas of drywall show bad spots before doing anything else. They do not want to open an area of the wall unless more signs of damage show. Does this sound reasonable or should I fight to have them do more investigation for damage? My current warranty covers both re-treatment and repair of any new damage. With seeing the swarmers for 4 years, I am worried that something major could be going on inside of that wall or in the attic. Terminix tells me that because of the heat and dry air of the attic, it is very unlikely that they would be in there.

Thanks for any help/comments.

[e-mail]

[LBaker]

Get another company in to do an inspection. If it were my place I'd cut through the drywall where I suspect activity to see what's happening in there. FYI, any place you see swarmers coming out, there are probably workers nearby...

[Lar]

In article , [e-mail] says... :) My :) current warranty covers both re-treatment and repair of any new :) damage. With seeing the swarmers for 4 years, I am worried that :) something major could be going on inside of that wall or in the attic. :) Terminix tells me that because of the heat and dry air of the attic, :) it is very unlikely that they would be in there. :) :) The company you are dealing with has a tendency to put band aids on the problem hoping to keep the termites at bay and the home owner happy while usually routinely raising the yearly renewal. If the salesmen..er inspectors routinely miss signs and you find it yourself should be a red flag. In mid summer you may not expect to find termite activity in the attic unless near the soffit areas or any water problems associated with ac drainage, but the Spring time is a different temperature up there, in fact one of the first jobs of the season I did this year was found from attic activity...

If by chance you are paying over $250 a year for the renewal you would probably be better off paying a new company to treat the home with a product called Termidor, you would more than likely be saving moneys after 4-5 years, even more if you don't go with the "repair" option. It has pretty much been remarkable with it's performance in the field. We have yet to have a call back on any home treated with it and this includes some past, constant problem homes that all companies will encounter from time to time. There is even a chance that your Terminix office has Termidor...in parts of the country where the baits programs are playing themselves out, T is using Termidor around the homes of existing sentricon customers, of course with an additional price of anywhere from $300-$900.

[Don Young]

[RB]

If you open up the wall around your window I suspect that you will find ample evidence of active termites. I was amazed recently to see the interior of walls of a house that "had no termites". Terminix is just doing enough to placate you. Get another exterminator to inspect your home.

Take a look at this link.

RB

[Dorot29701]

Just curious - do dry wood termites look the same as the kind that live underground and build mud tunnels? Do they swarm like the others?

Dorothy

[Lar]

In article , [e-mail] says... :) Just curious - do dry wood termites look the same as the kind that live :) underground and build mud tunnels? Do they swarm like the others? :) :) The workers will look similar but the soldiers and swarmers look different. The subterraneans will leave a "mud" wherever they work while drywoods will have clean galleries for the most part except where they store the fecal material. Subterraneans use their fecal matter to help construct the mud tubes while the drywoods fecal matter will be separate pellets, many times falling to the ground under drywood activity. An inspector should have no problem telling what is what.

[BeamGuy]

[JerryMouse]

Consider the swarming termites. They didn't miracle themselves into existence - you've got a nest somewhere.

1. Get another inspector.
2. Tear out part of the wall under consideration in the presence of the new inspector.
3. Take the results of the inspection to your current company. Tell them: A. They will make your home termite-free at their expense, or B. You will do so yourself and sue them in small-claims court for the cost.

[BeamGuy]

Modern methods of control kill not only the termites in your window sill, but also the entire nest which chould be 20 feet underground in your neighboor's yard.