Is Your Home Being Swarmed By Termites?

“Hey — look at all these moths on the window,” I yelled to my wife as I thought we had an infestation of moth-looking bugs all over the carpet, window, and some flying near the recessed lights.

After taking some photos and posting them on Facebook, my Facebook buddy Brett Rockwell of Rockwell Pest Solutions confirmed they were Drywood Termite Swarmers. The skinny body, red head, and wings make them identifiable from the often-mistaken ants or moths. The termites reacted to a typically warm September day in Orange County: 85 degrees with the sun beating down on my west-facing wall. The heat caused the termites to “swarm” as a survival instinct to expand their colony.

According to Bob Cooper of Brothers Termite, most homeowners don’t know that their homes have termites until the termites swarm or they see damage.

The disgusting sight of wings and pellets left all over our window sills became a pattern over and over until we had enough. We took the plunge and ordered an inspection of the house. The report showed that we had a damaged fascia board (the trim underneath the roof) and a great deal of activity in our attic. We will be the 5th home in Founders Park to undergo fumigation in the past 3 months.

Although the recent rain in early October has ceased the swarming, we know that we’ll be tempted with the ol’ “out of sight, out of mind” trap. We still will have termites and we want them gone NOW. Who knows how much further damage we’ll have to repair if we end up waiting 2-3 more years?

What’s the difference between Local Treatment and Fumigation?

As a Real Estate agent, I see close to 100% of buyers requiring termite clearance when they purchase a non-distressed home. Termite clearance will usually require the home to be tented and fumigated. This is the preferred method termite companies will recommend because it will kill termites in inaccessible areas in addition to the rest of the home. It typically runs about $1,200 for a 2-story, 2,300 square foot home. When there’s active infestation, there’s usually damage to wood members of the home. There’s also normal wear on window frames, door frames and eaves. The repair or replacement of these items will add additional cost.

At times, a homeowner may opt for “local treatment,” which consists of spraying the area where infestation is suspected. Most termite companies will not be willing to assume liability or have a guarantee beyond 1 year for local treatment because it will not kill termites in the inaccessible areas. The homeowners who opt for local treatment will only be paying a fraction of fumigation, but you have to ask yourself if you will actually be paying more in the long run. Additionally, most homebuyers will not accept a termite clearance from local treatment.

If you see termite activity in your home, it would be a no-brainer to order a free termite inspection. Although many of the companies out there offer a free inspection, you should do your research online or obtain a referral. For my Real Estate clients, I’ve used several companies and nobody seems to be better than Bob Cooper of Brother’s Termite. He is the one doing the fumigation on my own home. Be sure to tell him Edwin Baloloy referred you and you’ll get a free inspection. He can be reached at 562-927-5542.