ConstructionDeal.com Update

Every home in every part of the country is vulnerable to the termite. Once they get inside your home, they'll eat just about anything: wood, insulation, cardboard, carpeting, even your drywall. After that, they might even start on your book collection and the shelf holding them up.

Here's the good news. Though the termites that invade your house can do a lot of damage, they're not exactly the fast eaters on the planet. It can take 4 to 8 years for serious damage to occur. It's good news because it gives you time to get your home inspected, do some research, consider your options, and decide on a plan.

What you don't want to do is rush into anything. If you're concerned, talk with a termite inspection company. However, if you do have an inspection done and the company or inspector doesn't seem trustworthy, beware of a scam. They may try to use a scare tactic on you, telling your home will fall down in the next few weeks if you don't act now. You shouldn't panic. It's how unscrupulous people take advantage.

Get another opinion. I recently had a rat problem in my garage. I called a big, big name in pest control to come out and review the problem. To lay some traps, plug some holes, and agree to come back and remove any dead rodents and set more traps was going to cost me $400 to $500. I called three other companies. I paid $220. After three dead rats and all the holes and problem areas sealed up in my garage the problem was solved. For a lot less.

Always get multiple quotes. Never go with the first bid. Never panic.

Here are some signs you might have termite problems:

• Sawdust - look for a fine powder of wood around cracks, crevices, and holes in your home. Also, around doors and windows.


• "Mud" Tubes - look for small pen-sized tubes on the interior or exterior foundation walls and floor joists. That may even be hanging down from the floor, under your house, in the open air. It's how termites travel back and forth.


• Termites Themselves - look for swarmers (winged termites that hover outside or inside your house) from late Winter to early Fall. They're hard to distinguish from flying ants, but you might be able to capture one and show it to an inspect. Also, look for termite bodies or wings near the sawdust.
  

There are no real do-it-yourself treatment options for termites. It's an expensive job but a professional has the tools and tricks to get in deep where these little monsters live and eat. Just be sure you don't panic - take the time to do some research on the problem and talk to as many termite companies as possible.

If you want to save some time, you can post your request with us - ConstructionDeal.com. It's free and you can choose how many termite companies will call you (instead of calling a bunch, at random, from the phone book.)

How can you Help Prevent Termites? Here are a couple of tips:

• Termites Love Moisture - keep water away from your house: fix plumbing leaks, get good drainage from your gutters, clean up flooding or water damage fast, and fix that leaky roof


• Move the Wood - stack firewood off the ground and away from your house
  


• Let the Foundation Breathe - keep sod, soil, and mulch away from the side of the house where it might block vents. Keep plants farther from the foundation
  


• Store Elsewhere - many will lean things against the exterior house walls. Especially move all lumber away, but try not to store anything against your house because it can hide signs of termite damage or entry


• Ventilation is Key - make sure your attic or crawlspace has proper ventilation. If you store things up there, make sure they're not blocking vents. Make sure your insulation is not blocking things either
  


• Feeling Bold? Try putting a concrete walk/border around the outside of your house. It's drastic and dramatic to try it, but it could discourage termites if your house is in an area known for termite attacks


• Seal the Deal - eliminate any cracks, holes, crevices, or problems by sealing up possible entry spots for termites. One termite can crawl through a hole smaller than the period that ends this sentence.

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