Termite Inspections Are Key

The real estate market is back. Many people have been waiting for this time to buy or sell a home. If you’re one of them, don’t forget a termite inspection. Termites cause more damage than fires, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined in the U.S. Keep in mind, homeowners insurance will cover all of these disasters … except for termites.

If you are selling your home, why not get a termite inspection and place it in your disclosure documents so prospective buyers can see it? Peace of mind can go a long way to helping your property stand out from the competition and getting yours sold. Next step? Protect your investment by giving Active Pest Control a call today. We have been protecting homes for over 25 years. We can do the same for you!

Realtors Value QualityPro Certification

From an original article in PestWorld

WDI inspections and the role that pest control plays in a green home are of such growing importance that they were among the main topics discussed recently at the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Conference and Expo in Orlando, FL. Inspecting a home for wood-destroying insects is a standard part of most home sales. However, the rules and qualifications of who completes the NPMA-33 and HUD-NPMA-99 A & B forms vary by state. In many cases, the person filling out a WDI report does not have to be licensed or work for a pest management company.

Realtors’ reputations and referrals are built upon trust and strong relationships. When a sub-par inspection fails to find issues, it can reflect badly on the Realtor. Now more than ever, Realtors and home buyers are seeking professionals who meet QualityPro standards.

With this in mind, the Women’s Council of Realtors (WCR) and the NAR have been working to get the industry standards regarding home inspectors regulated.

Read the full article here.

Termite Inspection

The conscientious homeowner is always on the lookout for various areas of the home that may be in need of improvements or repairs. This includes exterior components that are exposed to the elements of adverse weather conditions as well as normal wear and tear of the interior. Repainting walls is not an unusual job for the homeowner to periodically do throughout the home. Occasionally, the windows are looked at to see if it would be prudent to consider window replacements in order to maintain optimal efficiency. However, there is one inspection of the home that is often overlooked and yet is perhaps the most important and needful inspection of all.

The most dreaded invader to which all homeowners have a fear of is the elusive termite. Often referred to as the silent destroyer, the termite does incredible damage “beneath the surface.” In other words, the damage invoked is rarely seen until it reaches substantial damage. This damage can affect the structural integrity of the building and should be approached seriously with professional assistance.

A professional termite inspector has the knowledge needed to know what to look for and where to look. The knowledgeable inspector will begin by looking for obvious, visible signs of the presence of termites. This includes:

  • Wood damage inside or outside the home.
  • Mud tubes coming from the ground up the sides of the foundation.
  • Discarded termite wings and termite droppings.

But a thorough inspection does not end there. The inspector will also look for particular areas of the property and home that may be ideal conditions to attract termites. This may include areas outside that stay very moist, perhaps even standing water close to the foundation. Decking supports with direct contact to the ground are also closely inspected. The landscaping mulch that looks so nice is another potential spot that is conducive to termite infestation. The well trained inspector might even dig into the soil in various spots around the foundation, looking for termite activity.

If you are a Tennessee homeowner, you should contact the termite experts here at Active Pest Control and arrange for a thorough inspection of your home to give you the peace of mind that your property is free of termites. Our trusted technicians are trained to know just what to look for and where to look. They are aware that termites work all year long, day and night, eating away at the structure of your home one tiny bite at a time. If termites are found, Active Pest Control can strategically implement a treatment that is environmentally friendly; the Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System which takes care of the initial infestation as well as any future infestation of termites.

Termite Protection Is Crucial Protection

Did you know that termites cause over 5 billion dollars in damage annually in the United States?  It seems like an incredibly large number, doesn’t it?  Well, that’s because it is!  The reason this number is so high, and continues to grow, is because most people don’t even know that they have termites until the damage is extensive – often beyond repair!  These little pests do most of their eating, sleeping, breeding, and living deep in the bowels of your home.  This makes them extremely difficult for homeowners to discover.  An extremely attentive homeowner may notice some of the signs:  small piles of wings on the window sill, swarming ‘flying ants’ in the yard after a rain on a warm day, or small piles of ‘sawdust’ lying around in odd places; however, most homeowners can just brush these subtle signs away.  Besides, you may think, “Well, that’s why I have homeowners insurance,” but don’t think that too soon because most insurance carriers have a clause in their policies stating that they will not cover the cost of repair or replacement for damages caused by termites!  Talk about kicking you when you’re down!  This means that the majority of that $5 billion annually has to be absorbed by you – the homeowner!

In the not so distant history of pest control, the only point of attack of termite infestation was handled by trying to eliminate infestations after they occur, but often, they would return in a short amount of time.  It was not very effective, and often costly.  Thank goodness that we have discovered a far more effective way to deal with termites.  Exclusion!  That’s right; the newer way to deal with these pests is to not even let them in in the first place!  That is where a call to a pest control professional like Active Pest Control comes in.

Here at Active Pest Control, we use the Sentricon® Termite colony elimination system. This proven system monitors your yard and the boundaries of your home for termite activity, and when termites approach the discreet baiting stations they consume bait that will interrupt their growth and reproduction capabilities.  Not only that, but they love this bait even more than wood!  They are a social group and can’t wait to share this yummy snack with the rest of the colony; and, soon, the entire colony has been eliminated – before it could even enter your home!  It’s awesome!  Our trained specialists can inspect your property to locate any areas of easy access and help you eliminate those, and they can detect any current infestation inside your home and eliminate that as well.  Don’t become part of the statistics.  Protect your home, family and your pocketbook with a call to Active Pest Control today.  You’ll be glad you did.

Termites In Georgia

Have you found transparent silver wings on your window sills or back porch–or worse–have you found a swarm of winged insects crawling around on the wood in your backyard? There are two types of insects that are drawn to moist, decaying wood, and neither of them are good to have in your backyard. Let’s take a look.

What are these winged insects?

Carpenter ants and termites are both a swarming insect that you will find crawling on wood. Neither of these two insects are good to have in your backyard, but termites are decidedly more dangerous. Each year carpenter ants do millions of dollars to property in the United States. Termite damage is in the billions.

How do I tell them apart?

There are two distinct way to tell the difference between termite swarmers and ant swarmers. If you’re bold enough to grab one by the wings, you can lift it up and examine its body. Ant swarmers will have a very thin waist, termites have no waist at all. If you are not bold enough to pick them up, you can look to see if there are wingless ants crawling around with the swarmers. The presence of these wingless ants is a clear sign that you have an ant swarm.

Is it possible for this swarm to pass me by?

If you have a termite swarm in your yard you should know that it is a very bad sign. Termite colonies do not swarm at first. The colony must mature. This can take a few years. You should also know that swarmers are terrible fliers and they will not be found too far from this mature colony. Often the mature colony is on your property, or inside your home. That means you have a termite colony that has been eating your home for several years. And, even if it didn’t originate from your home, it will not be passing you by. Termite swarmers don’t go far.

One more thing to know.

A swarm can happen quickly. If it does, you may not see the swarm, but instead, find your yard littered with the wings they shed after mating. If you find wings, you should immediately call a pest control company.

If you live in our area, you should never be without termite protection. Subterranean termites are a ferocious and silent wood eater. Don’t wait till you see the swarms. Get your home equity protected today.