So you bought a house, now what? As you probably know by now, there is a laundry list of things to do as a new homeowner. Securing homeowners’ insurance, changing your address, getting to know your new neighbors and HOA, replacing locks and filters. Then there are the fun things like picking out your paint colors, decorating the space, and settling into your new home. But the list doesn’t end there, because termites aren’t covered by your homeowners’ insurance policy. Termites cause more damage annually than all floods, fires, hurricanes and earthquakes combined and yet they’re not covered by homeowners insurance policies? Yep. If those hungry little bugs decide to feast on your home for their next meal, chances are it won’t be covered.
The ugly truth of it is that termites have cost homeowners an estimated 5 billion dollars per year in the United States. Especially in the South, where conditions are usually perfect for termite activity because of the warm, wet climate. In our region the saying goes, “It’s not if you’ll get termites, it’s when”. At American Pest Control, our goal is to educate homeowners about termites: how and why they get to your house, and how to protect your investment when they come knocking on your door for their next meal. Basically, termites are blind and find food by randomly foraging. They’re not afraid of a little hike, either, so if there’s a colony within around 100 yards of your home, your structure could be at risk. Once they find a food source, the worker termites take it back to their colony and share it with the soldiers and their queen. If your home is surrounded by a termite bait system like Sentricon, when they take the food (bait) back to their colony, they will all be eliminated. That’s why the product works! Because it’s totally based on termite biology.
There are a few things you can do as a homeowner in addition to having your home inspected by a pro and treated. Termites only need a crack of one-sixty-fourth inch to get in, so it would be hard to guarantee that they can’t get through but you can reduce openings by filling cracks in cement foundations or where utilities pass through the wall. Fix leaks and make sure vents aren’t blocked to reduce moisture content, don’t store firewood and debris next to the house, and don’t let trees and shrubs grow against exposed wood surfaces. Most importantly, termite protection is not one of the projects you’ll want to DIY. The pros know where to look and what signs to keep an eye out for, so get a free inspection and find out what else you can be doing to protect your home. Many companies offer warranties, so before signing a contract for a treatment, make sure that the termite insurance has a lifetime warranty and doesn’t require an additional deductible if activity or damage is found after the treatment.
If you haven’t had your home inspected, give us a call. We’d love the chance to partner with you in protecting your biggest investment. You can check out what our customers have to say about us here and call or text us at 706-546-1490 to schedule a free inspection.
