The verdict is in. You’ve got termites. And you never saw them
coming.
That’s the trouble with termites. By the time you suspect you’ve
got problems, you’ve
got problems.
Termites cost homeowners billions of dollars every year in home
repairs. And
homeowners invest an estimated $1.5 billion a year to prevent
and control termites.
“It looks like 1997 will be another busy year for termites,”
said Maxcy Nolan.
An entomologist with the University of Georgia Extension
Service, Nolan hears from
county
Extension Service agents advising homeowners about
termites.
If you don’t want any surprises, Nolan’s best advice is to
inspect your home right now.
Nolan said critical spots to check for termites are where the
carport or a dirt-filled
porch join the house. The strongest telltale sign of trouble is
dirt tubes.
“Tubes that run from the soil to wood are a good way to help you
realize they’re
coming,” Nolan said. “The tubes are like a highway system for
termites. If you see any
kind of soil debris on a foundation wall, find out what caused
it.”
Nolan tells homeowners to break the tube and look for activity.
If they’re active, you’ll
either see termites immediately or they’ll have the tube
repaired by the next day.
Termite tubes fan out from the soil like a trellis, unlike mud
dauber tubes, which run in
straight lines.
“Foam insulation in and around the foundation makes it hard to
inspect your home,”
Nolan said. “Termites go behind and through insulation.
Something as small as a
termite that lives in the soil can move into a lot of places
undetected.”
Check obvious entry places. Termites like moisture, so check
pipes in the bathroom
and kitchen area, he said.
Every homeowner should know where to look for termites. But
don’t assume termite
inspection is a do-it-yourself job.
“Have your home inspected annually by people who know what
they’re looking for,”
Nolan said. “I like for homeowners to be informed so they can
ask questions. Be there
when the inspector comes. Ask about key areas.”
Georgia lies in a high-risk area for termites so Nolan
recommends setting up a contract
to control termites with a professional pest control company.
Review and understand your contract. It can either provide for
retreatment if an
infestation is found or it can cover repair of damage as well as
retreatment.
“There is a night-and-day difference between these two
contracts,” Nolan said.
If you need to treat for termites, good products are still
available.
“Termites are worse now than they’ve ever been because we’ve
lost some chemicals to
treat with,” Nolan said. “But some new technology has so far
proven to be extremely
effective in helping control termites.”
One new system calls for pest control professionals to monitor
stations placed every 20
feet around the home. When termites invade the stations, the
inspectors place bait in
them which destroys the colony.
“This new system has a lot of good points,” Nolan said. “There’s
no need to use large
amounts of chemicals, and it’s a good alternative for protecting
the environment against
chemicals. In fact, this is the first product approved by the
Environmental Protection
Agency under its new policy of reduced pesticides.”
Another new method is to break termite tubes and place a bait
station in the pathway.
This system doesn’t require monitoring stations, but the
treatment doesn’t begin until
an infestation is already under way.
