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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Are You Claustrophobic? Before I became a termite inspector, I thought I was claustrophobic. If I let myself imagine being buried alive, I’d get the willies. But when I first learned about the job during an interview, it never crossed my mind that claustrophobia might be a problem. I didn’t land that job, but I
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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 Fumigation Cap You’ve decided to have your home fumigated for termites. The fumigators arrive, carefully drape your house in a large tent, and release the fumigant gas inside. From the outside, it looks like the house just sits there under the tent for a few days—but what actually happens next? How does the gas
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8 Termite Treatment Obstacles Not every home is a simple, one-story structure surrounded by open pavement. Just as diagnosing a termite issue correctly is critical, recognizing the obstacles that could impact treatment is just as important. Without planning for these factors, the job could be delayed, cost more, or even be canceled. Zero Lot Lines
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You Don’t Have to Tent — And Orange Oil Isn’t Your Only Other Option While exhibiting at the Carlsbad Village Street Faire, one theme kept coming up again and again: most people believe that if they have termites, they must tent their home — and that orange oil is the only other option. Both assumptions
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