Middle TN & termites/insects (White House: new home, landscaping, inspector)

[46Barb]

I just moved near White House, TN, into a new home. I was told by several neighbors that there is a high termite problem in middle TN, and I should hire a company to drill the chemicals into my crawlspace and ground around the house for about $1,000.

I was also told that I need to spray outside and inside by house yearly for bugs. I have dogs and cats and don't like the idea of inside chemicals.

Does anyone know about termites and also bug spraying here?

[gbone]

Originally Posted by 46Barb

I just moved near White House, TN, into a new home. I was told by several neighbors that there is a high termite problem in middle TN, and I should hire a company to drill the chemicals into my crawlspace and ground around the house for about $1,000.

I was also told that I need to spray outside and inside by house yearly for bugs. I have dogs and cats and don't like the idea of inside chemicals.

Does anyone know about termites and also bug spraying here?

I would agree with your neighbors about the need for both termite and pest control protection. We have two dogs and have never had any problems with them and the inside spray chemicals that are used. Just discuss this with the pest control company.

[bnewman]

I think there are also some chemical-free companies out there...who use organic methods??? I know there are for landscaping, so I may be assuming termite companies would offer the same.

[46Barb]

Thanks. I just wanted to make sure this is something I need to do and not being taken in because I'm not a knowledgeable southern homeowner yet.

[MarkDaugherty]

US Pest offers completely organic pest control, though it is somewhat more expensive than other methods. The sentricon system used by a number of other companies is a better choice than spraying chemicals. It involves the use of bait traps. Here is a link to one companies site that explains how it works Sentricon® System Termite Prevention | Arrow Exterminators

[mblight]

Hey, there:
We're a little paranoid about the chemicals, too. Middle Tennessee has a lot of bugs, but spraying chemicals into your foundation wall just isn't the most environmentally-friendly thing to do, esp. with pets and small children milling about. I know houses are a big financial investment, but health is important, too. So we decided not to do it. We've lived in Nashville for six years and haven't had a problem with termites. Other people haven't been so lucky, though, and end up having to do some pest control.
Here are just a couple of things you can do to help keep termites away without using chemicals:
*No mulch around the house.
*Keep gutters clean
*Eliminate wood-earth contact.
None of these things will necessarily keep the termites away, but it should help. When we bought our current house, we hired a termite inspector who told us to do the above.
About bugs: brown recluse spiders are more of a concern than termites. Despite our anti-chemical stance, we've had the spiders, and hired a bug doctor for them, even though glue traps have worked much better.
Eventually, with spiders and termites and other bugs, we've decided that maybe Tennessee isn't such a great place to have a house.

[Naturelover9]

I just wanted to put in a little input about Mulch and Termites. There has been a lot of confusing info about Mulch and Termites. True high quality bark mulch does not cause termites, it actually helps protect against termites. Some companies use mulch that has old wood and pallets mixed in which will attract termites but true bark mulch does not attract termites. The bark of the tree is what protects the trees from termites. Just thought you all would like to know a little more info on the subject of mulch. There are also Organic alternatives for all outdoor and indoor pest problems. I found a bunch of Organic products for every problem at an Organic Garden Center in the Southeast area of Nashville. They have everything Natural and Organic, even personal care products and they are sooo helpful. The name of the company is All Natural Lawns Garden Center