The Termite Treatment Questions Delmarva Peninsula Residents Should Be Asking
Proper termite treatments are vital on the Delmarva Peninsula. Given our region’s soil conditions and climate, it’s not a matter of if your home will have a termite infestation. It’s a matter of when. Because of the prevalence of termites, homeowners should consider the following questions:
- Was the home treated for termites during construction? (pre-treated)
- Who treated the home?
- What documentation of treatment was provided?
- Is the treatment under warranty?
- Have you been solicited for a warranty renewal inspection?
- What product was used for the treatment?
- Were termite bait stations installed?
- If termite bait stations were installed, how many? What brand? Have they been inspected since you purchased the home?
Why all the questions? Experience. In our 23 years on the job, we’ve encountered some less-than-scrupulous practices from pest control professionals and builders. Termites are hard to treat and even harder to detect. Incomplete jobs or short-term fixes leave homeowners with a false sense of security and future termite damage.
Here’s how cutting corners on termite treatment typically plays out:
Scenario 1
Pest Control Company X makes a deal like this with a builder: for $200.00 the company will provide just enough documentation of a treatment that the builder can say one was performed. No warranty is provided, and the homeowner receives no documentation of treatment. This is fraud, and because no real treatment was performed, it is only a matter of time until an infestation occurs.
Scenario 2
Pest Control Company X performs a cheap termite treatment with generic or general-purpose insecticide that is labeled for termites. The product disappears from the soil within 90 days, rendering it ineffective for long-term termite prevention. As in the previous scenario, Pest Control Company X has satisfied the builder’s requirements, and the new homeowner is given no documentation or warranty information.
Scenario 3
Pest Control Company X installs a minimal amount of termite bait stations to satisfy the builder’s requirement. The company later solicits the new homeowner to install the remaining bait stations or sells them a full termite treatment.
These dishonest practices save builders money, generate income for pest control companies, and leave homeowners with a massive problem and sizeable expenses down the road. Unfortunately, these scenarios occur frequently enough that it is likely your new home was insufficiently treated, treated with a generic product, or not treated at all.
The key to verifying a proper termite treatment was performed on your home is documentation from the treating company and an annually renewed warranty. Think of a warranty renewal as termite insurance.
In the absence of documentation and a warranty, a thorough termite treatment by a certified professional must be performed. While this can be expensive, the investment is more cost effective than repairing termite damage.
Answering the above questions will help you assess how vulnerable your home is to termite infestation. If you are unable to find answers to all the questions or lack treatment documentation and a warranty, it’s time to consult the trusted technicians at Activ Pest Solutions. Click here to schedule a free on-site evaluation.
