# Termite exetermination tenting house.



## gante (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi all,

I am buying a house. The house had a termite inspection and they decided to tent the house. The report list a few areas that show some damage. I wonder if the tenting is usually an indication of a very bad infestation or is it just a precaution? I really do not know what to think of it. My agent tells me that for a house this age (built 1948) is common to find this type of damage. The house looks good and solid on the outside and I have not been able to see any termite damage by my visual inspection around the house. Am I just panicing? This is my first house purchase therefore I am a newbie at this.


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

> The report list a few areas that show some damage.


Make sure you see where the damage is yourself and find out how much there is. Take some pictures and, if possible, post them on this forum. Someone here might be able to tell you if it's anything to worry about. If the termites have been eating breakfast, lunch and dinner there for a long time, there could be some structural issues. I don't think it's common to tent a house as a precaution.



> My agent tells me that for a house this age (built 1948) is common to find this type of damage.


This comment would make me question the honesty and integrity of your agent. No disrespect to him or her, but it sounds like he 

If this is the first time anyone has addressed the termite issue in this house, how do you know how many years they've been there. Get someone (NOT someone your agent recommends) to do a thorough inspection of the area where the damage was found. Any damage should be professionally repaired at the present homeowner's expense. 



> The house looks good and solid on the outside and I have not been able to see any termite damage by my visual inspection around the house.


Looks can be deceiving. Even new houses have problems that are hidden.



> Am I just panicing?


No, you aren't panicing. You're listening to your gut feeling and using your common sense. That's being smart. 



> This is my first house purchase therefore I am a newbie at this.


You're doing the right thing by asking questions. 

With the age of the house, it might be a good idea to get a licensed electrician to do an inspection of the electrical system in that house. You should do the same for the plumbing and the HVAC. It may seem expensive, but it could save you a lot of problems and money down the road. You probably already had an inspection done, but home inspectors don't do a thorough inspection of the things I mentioned. 

Good luck.


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

gante,

First of all, if they didn't explain it to you, tenting is like setting off a "bug bomb" in your house for roaches, etc when you go on vacation. Just a real general example here. As a matter of fact, if the house is unoccupied now, that could be a good thing to do before moving in anyway for $10.

One thing that jumps out at me is that the tenting process is only effective on bugs that are present. For all intents and purposes this makes your home a "gas chamber." So did they say that you have termites now? I think that this is not practical for a precaution.

If you do not see the damage yourself, I would strongly suggest that you have them point it out to you. After all, if this is common for a house built in 1948, maybe the damage was done 30 years ago and the termites are long gone.

It is just about time for termites to swarm, at least here in GA. If possible, a very diligent watch in about a month would be useful.

Back to the tenting process, did they give you a price compared to a normal treatment? I'm just having a hard time wrapping my brain around this approach. I don't want to say that it sounds like a quick sale for a process that you have no way of verifying that it was done correctly, but... Sounds like you won't have termites because they killed termites that weren't there.

Or there's some missing information here.

If you want just a precautionary treatment, I would apply a band drench around the outside perimeter.

I am a landscaper with a commercial pesticide applicator's license. I also have personally had problem with termites- because of an extremely shoddy job when my house was built, but that is another story.


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## Rhode Island Pe (Mar 12, 2009)

downunder said:


> If you want just a precautionary treatment, I would apply a band drench around the outside perimeter.


Soil trenching is only done for Subterranean Termites. Subs live in the soil and go back and forth from soil to wood. So a perimeter treatment is required.

Tenting is done for Drywood Termites. Drywood Termites live only in the wood. Tenting or aka Fumigation penitrates the wood to kill the existing problem.

My advice is to ask questions, get a second opinion, and then a third. The real estate agents job is to sell the house. Most agents I know are cheap and only care about the sale not your well being after the sale.

Good info here to learn about termites


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

> Or there's some missing information here.


In Georgia, we mostly see the subterranean type of termite so I was presumptive in defaulting to that. My apology.

I would want to see evidence of the need for this treatment more than just an indication of where damage had been done at some unspecific time in the past. May I ask what price they quoted you and for what size house?

RI-
Just for a learning question- that's what this forum is for- if tenting is the treatment of choice for a current infestation, how would one treat to prevent the drywood termites? As already noted, my history has been with the subs. My commercial background is in landscaping, Turf and Ornamentals.


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## 4just1don (Jun 13, 2008)

I dont see how tenting OR trenching kills subterranean termites. Here we have block walls with holes inside IF each and every hole isnt drilled and sprayed thoroughly,,,they come up in that hole and spread to whole wall or house. Also wood support posts in basement. They can eat right thru concrete or follow slight cracks. ALL concrete abutting foundation has to be drilled too. there are alot of hooligins in the termite biz,,and then there are those that just do POOR work. Generally they want a big fee to come back each year to check to see IF they did a good job the first time for another big fee.


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

OP says he had a termite inspection and has damage to a 60+ year old house that is in good shape for its age.

The presence of termites now has not been confirmed, only the damage.

Was the damage done by subs or drywoods? We don't know.



> I wonder if the tenting is usually an indication of a very bad infestation or is it just a precaution?


Could someone answer the original question?



> Soil trenching is only done for Subterranean Termites.





> I dont see how tenting OR trenching kills subterranean termites.


:whistling2::whistling2::whistling2:
Getting confused!


> Tenting or aka Fumigation penitrates the wood to kill the existing problem.


 OK, so we're back to Drywoods? Just as a learning question, how would one prevent a problem?


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## handy man88 (Jan 23, 2007)

What's the best commercially available termite killing chemical that can be bought at a big box store?

It appears to me that no mulch is good mulch, even cedar. It's best to just use rock as mulch, or rubber mulch.


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## ocoee (May 31, 2007)

Tenting is not a sign of a bad problem, it is the sign of a problem
The only way to treat any level of infestation of dry woods is with a tent

If the termite company recommended tenting then the problem is dry wood, most likely active
There would be no other reason for tenting

Check the WDO report it will tell you if there is active infestation and if there is structural damage
The inspector or his company will be responsible for any misinformation on the report

have an independent building inspector come out and inspect the home for a second opinion

There is no commercially available OTC material for treating drywoods
Only a licensee can fumigate a structure

There is no effective preventative for drywoods
Some say that Timbor or other spray on borates work as a deterrent

trenching is the treatment for subs because it either forms a barrier between the termites and the home or some introduce a pathogen that is taken by foraging termites back to the colony

Any subterranean termite work done should come with a repair warranty not just a retreat warranty,
I'm not sure if that is available with dry woods, I believe that it is


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## johnnyboy (Oct 8, 2007)

Buyer's market out there... I'd just walk away and look into one of the other 1,000,000 houses out there right now with 0 termite damage. My house is from '48, Ohio, 0-termite damage....

or i'd ask for $20,000 off "just because"


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

*Update?*

gante?


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## realtor (Jul 18, 2010)

Rhode Island Pe said:


> Soil trenching is only done for Subterranean Termites. Subs live in the soil and go back and forth from soil to wood. So a perimeter treatment is required.
> 
> Tenting is done for Drywood Termites. Drywood Termites live only in the wood. Tenting or aka Fumigation penitrates the wood to kill the existing problem.
> 
> My advice is to ask questions, get a second opinion, and then a third. The real estate agents job is to sell the house. Most agents I know are cheap and only care about the sale not your well being after the sale.


:wink:heyyy! I am a realtor and I do look out for my customers. Remember we want to be recommended and have repeat customers!!
you did give good advice, otherwise...
I would be concerned of the health aspect of it as well. Look into other options, due to the offgassing health issues. no pun intended.



johnnyboy said:


> Buyer's market out there... I'd just walk away and look into one of the other 1,000,000 houses out there right now with 0 termite damage. My house is from '48, Ohio, 0-termite damage....
> 
> or i'd ask for $20,000 off "just because"


 
I have to agree with you on that one, although you know when a buyer loves a house, they will do whatever it takes... especially if they have a lot invested at this point.

I personally would walk:wink:


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