Termites

Cherokeekid88

Cherokeekid88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Location
High Point, NC
So, we got em. came home yesterday after work and in our downstairs bathroom, I saw about 12-15 little winged bugs crawling around on the floor (Looked them up online to make sure they weren't something else). killed em, and waited about 15 minutes and went back in there and there were a few more. Headed up to lowes last night to buy from termite spray foam and hit the whole bathroom with every nook and cranny. Woke up this morning and nothing. Neighbors informed us late last week that they were having their house treated for termites....guess they found their way over to us... Our house had been previously treated right before we moved in 8 years ago...haven't had any known issues since. So we have those capped holes all around the house where they drill into the concrete and spray that stuff. Question is, is it worth having someone come out and treat it or is this something that I can do myself? I've read that most of these pest control companies are scams when it comes to what they actually do and how much they charge.

Give me the run down.
 
I do a lot of stuff myself and I do mean a lot. However, some things I leave to the professionals. I would call someone. You could be dealing with a major issue with your home and the potential resale of your home in the future. Are you 100% sure you're dealing with termites?
 
McCracken said:
I do a lot of stuff myself and I do mean a lot. However, some things I leave to the professionals. I would call someone. You could be dealing with a major issue with your home and the potential resale of your home in the future. Are you 100% sure you're dealing with termites?
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Pretty sure. after a quick google search of what was in my bathroom and what a winged termite looks like. I'd say it was and since our neighbors house was just treated last week, Im putting 2 and 2 together. Although I could be wrong. I did contact Clegg's this morning to have someone come out and do an inspection. If my home has already been treated for termites in the past with holes being drilled in the concrete, does that make things any easier and less expensive?
 
Subscribed...I have two trees I cut down 3 years ago, wife wanted to keep the stumps for a cute pintrest planter/table thing...and noticed the bastards a couple weeks ago. Usually, I'd just salt, pellet, spray and burn them to death...but don't want them moving to the house to seek refuge.
 
They live in the ground and need water. Find the tubes hey build to find the nest. They can do a spot treatment which is reasonable. Our they can do the whole house. Mine was less than 1k so it depends on how big your house is. Foundation or slab?
 
We haven't seen any inside the house any other place than our downstairs bathroom, which shares a wall with our garage. I noticed that inside the garage and outside of the garage has been treated before as well as our laundry room.
 
Pay the man and get on a yearly treatment plan. they will document any and all damages to date. and as long as you stay on the treatment plan they will cover any additional damages being repaired or replaced. this is with Terminix, but i had to evaluate a house they missed termites in for several years. they ended up having to buy the ladies house.
 
Be careful who you hire and EXACTLY what is covered in their contract. I paid Terminix for 3 yrs tolerating their mediocre service. Their annual price went up and I told them to pound sand. Called the local people and they were there next day, less money, better services offered, and they showed me how terminix hadn’t been doing their job although I had been led to believe everything was okay. $900 later I had to have the whole crawl space treated for wood borers and also $600 for full termite treatment. When I called terminix on their bs it was, “we have more lawyers so try and blame us if you want”.
 
skyhighZJ said:
Be careful who you hire and EXACTLY what is covered in their contract. I paid Terminix for 3 yrs tolerating their mediocre service. Their annual price went up and I told them to pound sand. Called the local people and they were there next day, less money, better services offered, and they showed me how terminix hadn’t been doing their job although I had been led to believe everything was okay. $900 later I had to have the whole crawl space treated for wood borers and also $600 for full termite treatment. When I called terminix on their bs it was, “we have more lawyers so try and blame us if you want”.
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wow! Yeah My boss uses a guy out of rural hall. All Season Pest Control. He told me the guy was good and does a great job and was significantly cheaper than terminix, so I called him up and he is the one coming out.
 
One overlooked access point for subterranean termites in a slab bathroom is the drain box under the shower or tub. Most contractors will use a wooden form about 10 or 12 inches square to leave an open space in the slab for the drain trap under the tub or shower pan. The previous treatment could have missed this even if the shower or tub is on an outside wall. Most companies will not drill in the bathroom. Very likely it was missed if the bathroom is all interior walls.

FWIW, termites usually swarm by the hundreds, occasionally you will only see a few. They will shed their wings about 30 mins or so after they swarm. So, you will usually find a bunch of wings. Termite swarmers lay their wings flat across their back and the wings are longer than their body. Winged ants will have shorter wings, less than the length of their body and they will raise them upward off their body. Usually swarms of winged ants are low in numbers. Termites have two main body sections, a small head and the rest is one piece. Ants have three sections.
 
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Blue CJ said:
One overlooked access point for subterranean termites in a slab bathroom is the drain box under the shower or tub. Most contractors will use a wooden form about 10 or 12 inches square to leave an open space in the slab for the drain trap under the tub or shower pan. The previous treatment could have missed this even if the shower or tub is on an outside wall. Most companies will not drill in the bathroom. Very likely it was missed if the bathroom is all interior walls.
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How in the world would you treat that?
 
It depends on the actual construction. Most common way is to get as close to the drain as possible and drill the slab on a steep angle to direct the treatment into drain box area. In the case of a tub, usually has plumbing service in a frame wall. If your lucky, the other side of that wall will be a closet or in an area where a small access hole can be placed and treat directly into the drain box.
 
After thinking about it I thought I’d add this, it’s not going to help with your situation but may help someone.

previously on new construction they would pretreat a slab or crawl space area before you pour or set floor systems. Now most places have gone to a post treatment plan where they get the home owner under contract for at least a year.

that means during construction there is no preventative measure to keep termites away. This may be localized to WNC but I’ve ran into it in 3 different counties.
 
I only saw a handful of the swarms in the downstairs half bath over the weekend and didn't see anything else (bug wise) all weekend. Guy is coming tomorrow at lunch to see what's going on. so we shall see.
 
Blue CJ said:
One overlooked access point for subterranean termites in a slab bathroom is the drain box under the shower or tub. Most contractors will use a wooden form about 10 or 12 inches square to leave an open space in the slab for the drain trap under the tub or shower pan. The previous treatment could have missed this even if the shower or tub is on an outside wall. Most companies will not drill in the bathroom. Very likely it was missed if the bathroom is all interior walls.

FWIW, termites usually swarm by the hundreds, occasionally you will only see a few. They will shed their wings about 30 mins or so after they swarm. So, you will usually find a bunch of wings. Termite swarmers lay their wings flat across their back and the wings are longer than their body. Winged ants will have shorter wings, less than the length of their body and they will raise them upward off their body. Usually swarms of winged ants are low in numbers. Termites have two main body sections, a small head and the rest is one piece. Ants have three sections.
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So I have seen any wings or anything, just the swarmers with the wings crawling around on the bathroom floor. I am guessing they are coming from the garage which shares a wall with the bathroom. Garage had been treated in the past by drilling, so not sure if the plan is to re open those holes and refill or what.
 
Guy came out today and said that he didn't see anything that looked concerning around my property. I asked what he recommended and he said that he could come out and spray termidor and he would even pop open some caps where my house had previously been treated and spray in there as well, for $750 and then he would come back every year for $95/yr.

I knew it was going to be around that price from what I have read up on, but I guess there is still a part of me that wants to figure a way to save some $ or do myself. I know this is one of those things that you should probably leave to the professionals, just trying to make the right decision.
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
Guy came out today and said that he didn't see anything that looked concerning around my property. I asked what he recommended and he said that he could come out and spray termidor and he would even pop open some caps where my house had previously been treated and spray in there as well, for $750 and then he would come back every year for $95/yr.

I knew it was going to be around that price from what I have read up on, but I guess there is still a part of me that wants to figure a way to save some $ or do myself. I know this is one of those things that you should probably leave to the professionals, just trying to make the right decision.
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Well worth the money. You could do it yourself, bit you'll forget in a year or two and next thing you know it will have been 5 yrs without a treatment and you'll only remember it when you see them again.
 
Y
awheelterd said:
Well worth the money. You could do it yourself, bit you'll forget in a year or two and next thing you know it will have been 5 yrs without a treatment and you'll only remember it when you see them again.
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Yeah, I was watching some videos on what all they do when they come out and I could probably do it myself and be really into this year, but I agree... next year would come and I would put it off and then not end up doing it.
 
If you pay a professional make sure they are including a termite bond and are keeping your home in bond.

I personally wouldnt pay an exterminator without it. From my POV you arent paying for the pesticide it is just a cheap insurance plan.

The guy down here is $595 on a new purchase house under 3k sqft and $99/yr.

Includes $500k in bond/replacement
 
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