Even Pest Experts Can Have Termites

Pest Management Professional Find Termites in His Own Home

I have been in the pest management industry for almost 40 years and have always been amazed with termites. These pests can cause quite a bit of damage in a short period of time. Through the years I have done hundreds of inspections of homes for real estate sales and discovered that termites were present, often to the surprise to the seller. Termites tend to infest the core of the wood, making them invisible to the untrained eye.

Changes to Termite Control Leads to Better Outcomes

Termite control has changed dramatically over the past few decades. The standard before 1983 was to use a material known as Chlordane, which has since been replaced with an Integrated Pest Management Program that includes finding and treating areas with active termites, and monitoring for future activity using a monitor system that is placed in the soil around the home.

Even I was a victim of termites when I was preparing to sell a home I inherited. I inspected the home for pests myself. Everything looked fine until I got to the basement. I found the mud tubes that termites build to get from one piece of wood to another and floor timbers that had been completely hollowed out. Luckily, the termite colony had died out or since moved on and all I needed to do was fix the damage. This “tough job” is proof that even pest experts can be plagued by these wood-destroying insects!