Ask any termite inspector about how many houses have termites and you will get the same response. There are only two kinds of houses. Houses that have termites and those that are going to get them. This makes it sound inevitable that your house will have termites, which is not necessarily true. One house in the neighborhood can have termites while none of the neighboring houses have them. In some areas almost every house will have termites. Even though there is no rhyme or reason to where termites will be found there are things a homeowner can do to prevent them:
1) Don’t build planters against the foundation of the house. Termites love soft wood. Water softens the wood creating an all you can eat termite buffet. Though there are many houses with planters that do not have termites it does not make sense to take a chance.
2) Don’t plant trees, bushes or grass within three feet of the foundation. When houses are built the ground under the foundation and three feet beyond are treated with a termite pesticide. This three feet area around the house is sometimes referred to as a termite barrier. Putting plants in closer than three feet breaks the barrier giving termites a path to destruction.
3) Don’t plant climbing vines like cat’s claw. Though pretty these vines need water and as stated above may result in termites. Also don’t plant cats claw by your fence especially block fences. Several of my neighbors have had their block fences pulled over by cat’s claw.
4) Don’t let water collect around the foundation of the house. Check to make sure rain and sprinkler water is draining away from the foundation.
The next question is what to do when you have termites. Don’t panic but do call a termite treatment company right away. Most termites found in Arizona are slow moving subterranean termites and if treated quickly the damage can be minimal. However the sooner they are treated the better. Always get a one-year warranty and renew it every year. The initial treatment can be expensive starting at around $800 or more. The cost to extend the warranty is only around $100. Though rare I have seen dry wood termites. These are harder to treat. Usually the best solution is to remove the infected wood if possible and have the area treated. If the wood cannot be removed treat the termites and watch to see if they come back.
In case you want to know more about termites you can check out the article from the University of Arizona. Some interesting facts are:
1) There are currently approximately 2,761 named termite species in 282 genera worldwide. About 45 species occur in the continental United States with nearly 30 causing damage to wood and wood products. At least seventeen species of termites occur in Arizona, but only three species are considered to be of any significant economical importance.
2) All the termites into 3 broad categories based on their habitat: damp-wood, dry-wood and subterranean. In Arizona, damp-wood and dry-wood termites are not wide spread problems but can be under certain conditions. Subterranean termites on the other hand are considered one of our major urban pests.
Termite treatment companies are not created equal. Make sure the company uses Termidor. It is the only treatment that kills termites.