A Frank Discussion About Anything Having To Do With ….. TERMITES!!! (San Diego: how much, house)

[HotRodJayhawk]

I’m very happy to say that I am soon to close escrow and become a first-time home owner…. YEA!!!!

And one of the first things I will have to contend with is what to do about termites ….. UGH!!!

As this is all very new to me, I thought I’d tap into the collective wisdom of other folks here in the area. From what I can tell, termites are a major problem in the San Diego area.

The home has now already been inspected by two different termite-control companies. Both companies say that the home has a termite problem - which I guess is not unusual for older homes. Both say that some wood on the home needs to be replaced and both companies acknowledge that there are inaccessible areas where infestations may exist. However, the two companies disagree on the approach to treatment. Company A wants to do sulfonyl fluoride (Vikane) fumigation with whole house tenting whereas Company B wants to treat locally with the termiticide Imidacloprid (Premise). The Vikane treatment is considerably more expensive ….. about $1200 to $1600 more expensive ….. but is supposedly very effective at getting rid of all infestations. It has a three year warranty even though there are apparently no residual effects of the Vikane gas. In principle, termites can begin moving back in within a few days of the fumigation. The local treatment is only effective in the areas treated and has only a one-year warranty. Company B is adamant that whole-structure fumigation is not needed and that it is merely a way that pest-control companies make big money. Nevertheless, I’m leaning toward the Vikane fumigation since the home is currently vacant but hopefully will not be vacant again for many, many, many years to come. By the way, if it matters, the home also currently has a rodent problem which I guess the Vikane fumigation will also temporarily eliminate.

So what are people’s thoughts on this? Is it worthwhile to do the Vikane fumigation? …... or is it a rip-off? And about how much per year should one usually expect to spend in terms of keeping the termite population in check? Are there other treatments to consider? How is the best way to go about finding a reputable, effective, affordable termite control company? What criteria should I use to determine which company to choose? The yellow pages have tons of pest control companies to choose from. And can people recommend any other types of treatments, folk remedies, or other things that I can do regularly on my own to keep the termite population under control? As I said, this is all so very new to me.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Get it tented then routinely spray it yourself. You should go around the foundation and hit the attic if possible every couple of months.

[f_m]

You should hit everything you can before you move anything. It's just a lot easier that way, and potentially more effective. Make sure you inspect the attic and look for any signs of any kinds of infestation.

I would also highly suggest checking insulation, as it's easier to do before moving stuff. If your home is older (early 70's and older) then requirements were very low. For today's standards, you should have about 8 inches in the attic and exterior walls should be filled.