The Choice Is Yours Every time I show up for a termite inspection, I ask the homeowner how they feel about fumigation. I ask because it matters. If someone is completely against tenting, I need to be extra diligent about finding every area of termite activity and figuring out how to address less accessible spots […]
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A Tribute to Termite Fumigators There are few jobs I would want to do less than work for a fumigation company. In the world of termite control and inspections, a short list comes to mind: insulation installer, crawlspace vapor barrier installer, and ductwork installer. All three require spending far more time in attics or crawlspaces
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Why It’s in Your Best Interest to Repair Termite-Damaged Wood If you have termites, you have wood damage. You may be in the very early stages of an infestation, so the damage is minimal—but it still exists. Drywood termites live inside the wood and consume it from the inside out, feeding on both the soft
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The Cost of a Free Termite Inspection I don’t know a single company that charges for a standard termite inspection. The only inspections I charge for are escrow inspections—industry norm—but everything else is free. Still, very few homeowners want their home inspected, even when it costs nothing. Who wants to find out they have termites,
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Ants and Termites I was at a home in Carlsbad recently, and the customer was worried he might have experienced a termite swarm. Luckily, he had snapped a photo of one of the insects. The moment I saw the pinched waist, I knew it wasn’t a termite at all—it was an ant. Most people don’t
Termites Love It When Homeowners Choose DIY I inspected a home in Oceanside the other day. When I arrived, the homeowner proudly showed me all the products he’d used over the past twenty-plus years—Terminate from everyone’s favorite home improvement store, a few organic options, and some other odds and ends. I’m not sure why DIYers
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The Cost of Termite Control When I talk to a potential customer for the first time, the question I hear most often is, “How much will it cost?” If I hesitate, they’ll ask for a ballpark figure. If they’re thinking about fumigation, they’ll throw in their home’s square footage to help me along. I’m often
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Why You Should Borate Your Attic—And Any Other Unpainted Wood in Your Home Borate is one of the best ways to protect the unpainted wood in your home from future termite infestation—and to help contain any activity that may already be present. Exterior paint does a decent job of protecting wood on the outside of
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Protecting Your Home from Termites — and from Our Mess Termite treating is messy work. On the exterior, inspectors probe your home’s wood, sometimes sending a spray of termite droppings onto your patio or walkway. Technicians drilling and treating can leave behind a light dusting of sawdust around the perimeter. Thankfully, that’s all outside—rain takes
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The Art of Local Treating for Termites Local treatment for drywood termites can be extremely effective—if the inspection is thorough, the right termiticide is used, and the technician performing the work cares and knows what they’re doing. The Termite Inspection A local treatment is only as good as the inspection that guides it. Unless the
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