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Lifer
One of my biggest mistakes of buying my first home last year was not going through proper procedure and getting it inspected for termites or other creatures. Call it ignorance, but I never gave it any serious thought, and it was never mentioned as a requirement to getting the loan or insurance.
The wife just called me at work, and said that while she was working the dirt and planting some flowers in the flower garden in front of the house, there were "white bugs" flying around. She said she didn't see them flying around any of the neighbor's houses, and we've not seen them until tonight. Without seeing them myself, the description of them being white can only tell me they are termites. She didn't see any in the ground or crawling around, but I'm sure with her getting the dirt worked up set a few of them loose. If I can get time in the morning before it starts to rain, I'm going to try to crawling underneath the house to get a look (it's a 12"-18" crawlspace, so I'm not looking forward to it, being a 6'4", 250lb guy). I know to look for mud trails and any signs of wood being compromised, but I also know I may not be able to see anything at all.
It's just recently began getting warm around here. We've been in the house since the beginning of September, with decent time spent inside painting, with new carpet and HVAC put in (although duct work is in ceiling) in the month of August, and we've not seen any signs of anything until tonight, nor have we been told anything by the installers that something may be amiss (I know that doesn't mean much).
Anywho, I'll expect the replies that I am stupid and should've done more research before buying a house. This I know, and I'll have learned a damn important lesson. At this point, though, I know nothing about the costs and procedures of getting treated for termites. If I do have termites, I can only hope the damage isn't too bad at this point. The father of the family who owned the house before us was a professional landscaper (including his own lawn), so I'm hoping that he may have already done something previously to treat the soil and house.
So, any tips on how to proceed? Do companies typically come out and take a look and give estimates for free? How much, on average, will I expect to spend on treament of a one-story 1,150 sq.ft. frame house?
The wife just called me at work, and said that while she was working the dirt and planting some flowers in the flower garden in front of the house, there were "white bugs" flying around. She said she didn't see them flying around any of the neighbor's houses, and we've not seen them until tonight. Without seeing them myself, the description of them being white can only tell me they are termites. She didn't see any in the ground or crawling around, but I'm sure with her getting the dirt worked up set a few of them loose. If I can get time in the morning before it starts to rain, I'm going to try to crawling underneath the house to get a look (it's a 12"-18" crawlspace, so I'm not looking forward to it, being a 6'4", 250lb guy). I know to look for mud trails and any signs of wood being compromised, but I also know I may not be able to see anything at all.
It's just recently began getting warm around here. We've been in the house since the beginning of September, with decent time spent inside painting, with new carpet and HVAC put in (although duct work is in ceiling) in the month of August, and we've not seen any signs of anything until tonight, nor have we been told anything by the installers that something may be amiss (I know that doesn't mean much).
Anywho, I'll expect the replies that I am stupid and should've done more research before buying a house. This I know, and I'll have learned a damn important lesson. At this point, though, I know nothing about the costs and procedures of getting treated for termites. If I do have termites, I can only hope the damage isn't too bad at this point. The father of the family who owned the house before us was a professional landscaper (including his own lawn), so I'm hoping that he may have already done something previously to treat the soil and house.
So, any tips on how to proceed? Do companies typically come out and take a look and give estimates for free? How much, on average, will I expect to spend on treament of a one-story 1,150 sq.ft. frame house?
