# ANY Cost Effective way to Protect Against Termiote Damage?



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

My wife's sister has an ongoing termite problem. She has her place treated yearly BUT whenever there is any evidence of live termites, the company comes back and retreats for free. You always want to build and landscape in a manner that isn't conducive for termite infestation! but some properties just seem to be more prone than others. I'm all for diy but sometimes some jobs are best left to the pros .... and they should guarantee both no new infestation or damage.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Those tunnels are one of the achilles heels of some termites as they can often be spotted before a lot of damage is done, you mentioned "cost effective" and this is a DIY forum. Are you capable of getting down there to do frequent inspections.

Installing wood stakes everywhere to be able to check them for termites is rather simple. Many treatments can be applied around the perimeter both inside and outside. Note a foundation with access under the house is a thousand times easier than a slab home. If it is a block foundation you still need to be concerned about paths inside those blocks.

I do agree with needing a professional service but not sure you have the right one. But adding your due diligence to the effort can certainly help.

The bad news is, termite damage is often 99% hidden so when you start opening things up, be prepared.

Bud


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I'd be looking for another exterminator.
No way is a spot treatment going to work!
Do not use any form of the Sentacon system, it's a ripoff!
You have an active infestation, the whole foundation needs to be treated.
How that's done depends on what type foundation you have.


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## Curmudgeon10 (Apr 29, 2010)

joecaption said:


> I'd be looking for another exterminator.
> No way is a spot treatment going to work!
> Do not use any form of the Sentacon system, it's a ripoff!
> You have an active infestation, the whole foundation needs to be treated.
> How that's done depends on what type foundation you have.


Yes, you are paralleling my thinking. First, to others, I don't do this crawlspace. Too tight for an old guy, so my frequent inspections are not happening. I must rely on pros. And also, it may be a DIY forum, but there is a ton of good knowledge and advice out there, and that's why I go here first, even if I don't plan on DIM.

Second, the foundation is concrete block dating from 1979. The blocks have been drilled and over the years, obviously treatments have been applied. 

It just seems to me that the chemical treatment must have a lifespan, and why do not exterminators say this stuff should keep you in good shape for x years, and then we'll need to renew it? Instead, you pay for yearly inspections so that when the "guarantee" is broken --- i.e., you have an infestation, you get a spot treatment for free. Makes no sense.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

When I worked in fla it was required that under the house slab be treated [before being poured] and I always heard it was good for 5 yrs but under the slab is highly unlikely to get disturbed. I suspect the pro chemicals they'd use on your house would last longer than 1 year BUT since the extermination company has to warrant their work, I'm sure they'd want to err on the side of caution. I doubt the yearly contract just means they come out and inspect without retreating.


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## Curmudgeon10 (Apr 29, 2010)

mark sr said:


> When I worked in fla it was required that under the house slab be treated [before being poured] and I always heard it was good for 5 yrs but under the slab is highly unlikely to get disturbed. I suspect the pro chemicals they'd use on your house would last longer than 1 year BUT since the extermination company has to warrant their work, I'm sure they'd want to err on the side of caution. I doubt the yearly contract just means they come out and inspect without retreating.


We'll see. When the invoice comes, I'll call and discuss with them. Still think I'm going to find a new exterminator.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I wasn't trying to suggest that you not switch to another company. You need to hire an outfit you feel comfortable with and has good reviews.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Comments are just from someone that has been working on houses for well over 40 years and at one point I was a state licensed exterminator in the state of VA.
The biggest rip offs I've seen by far is from the biggest company's.
Orkin and Terminix being the worst.
I've got a dozen horror story's I'll share if you want to hear them.
You have an active infestation, you need a whole new real chemical treatment.
Any number of things could be wrong with the one done long ago.
Just to name a few, not enough chemical was used, it was just done wrong, areas where missed, old chemical is no longer active.
The newer stuff gets picked up by the workers and is taken back to the nest and at some point is fed to the queen which kills the whole colony.
To do this right there should have been a trench dug around the outside and inside of the foundation and piers, every void in the block drilled under the house. Any slabs like garage or patio get drilled.
Then chemical gets flooded into the trenches, all drilled holes get shot.
Once that's done a hollow steel rod on a high pressure gun gets inserted into the ground down to the footing. 
Even a small house will take at least 100 gal. to do it right.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Re: "Of course, I still need to get the damaged area repaired, which will involve opening the wall to gauge the extent. Fortunately, window is all vinyl, but still, I expect a minimum of $1K."

Think about whether you really need to do that. If you can figure or estimate the extent of damage and it is not structural, and you are sure they are dead now, I would not take it apart.


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