In the current economic climate, many people are looking for areas that they can cut back on their spending. However, one thing you shouldn’t be cutting back on is the protection of your home. Even with falling house prices, your home remains your most vital asset. So protecting it is vital. Luckily, many companies offer a free termite inspection.

Many people are unaware that termite treatment is often not covered by their insurance. The first they know of this tends to be when they have a problem. By that time, the problem is already likely to be out of control (since termites do not tend to leave tell-tale signs such as sawdust). By the time most homeowners notice they have a problem – the termites are likely to be well infested in the home. The cost of dealing with this problem is likely to be very large. Furthermore, even when it is solved, the likely of the problem reoccurring is quite large.

The best time to fight termites is before they take hold – when they are much easier to deal with and eradicate entirely. Therefore, as almost always seems to be the case, it is much more cost effective to prevent termites and make sure that they do not get a stranglehold on your property.

The vital first step in this is to get yourself a free termite inspection for your home. This thorugh investigation will tell you if you have a termite infestation problem. The signs of a termite problem will not be obvious to the inexperienced. Termites may have tunneled a large distance from outside into the home and the home itself may display no obvious signs of infestation. As well as this, a free termite inspection will give you a broad overview of how at risk your home is, which areas of your home are most at risk and what the most effective termite prevention plan for you would be.

Who Offers Free Termite Inspections?

Many pest control companies offer free termite inspections. The best option would be to go with a reputable, highly experienced pest control firm such as Orkin and Terminix. Both these companies are highly respected and offer a free termite inspection service.

Should I Get More Than One Free Termite Inspection?

It’s free, so why not! It’s always useful to get a second opinion on any matters that are this serious. Having multiple free termite inspections will give you a fuller overall picture.

If you suspect that your home is infested with termites, your first course of action should be to have a full termite inspection. Most companies – such as Orkin and Terminix – will offer you a completely free termite inspection. Because it is free, it’s well worth having one done by two or even three companies. They will be able to give you a much clearer idea of the extent of the problem you are facing. It’s worth having this done even if – especially if – you are planning on controlling termites yourself.

The biggest plus of managing termites yourself is that of cost. Hiring a certified pest controller to tackle a termite infestation can be costly. But, in the long run, doing so will probably save you money. In order to effectively combat the problem, it is necessary to understand how termites react to various forms of treatment, which areas of the home they are likely to attack and the best way to tackle a specific situation. An expert termite inspector will have the knowledge and experience to ensure that the problem is effectively and efficiently dealt with.

When they discover a termite infestation in their home, most people’s reaction is to put down bait or termiticide in the affected area. This will certainly work for that part of the house. You will see dead termites and the nest will disappear. This does not mean that the problem has gone away. It is much more likely that the surviving termites have moved to a new place and are rebuilding their nest. If this is the case, you will soon have the same problem on your hands again. This creates a very costly and stressful cycle with no end to the process. The advice of a termite exterminator will be invaluable in bringing about the long term eradication of a termite infestation.

If you have discovered termites in your home, there is no need to panic. Termites cannot destroy your home overnight. But taking effective measures to end the problem is absolutely essential. Without that, the damage will simply get worse and worse until the unthinkable happens. So if you have any suspicions that there are termites in your home, get a termite inspection as soon as you can.

Many home owners are surprised to learn that termite infestation is often not covered in the home insurance. Unfortunately, they usually only find this out once their home is infested. So it is in your best interest to make sure that you are fully prepared and have a termite prevention plan in place if you are in an at risk area.

There are two reasons for this. Firstly, once termites take hold, it can be difficult and costly to exterminate them. Secondly, termites can do a great deal of damage to a home before you even notice they are there. Termites will attack wood from the inside – they do not leave tell-tale sawdust or holes in the wood like other insects do. By the time you discover a termite infestation, there is already a serious problem.

There are some preventative measures that can be taken. One such measure is termite soil termiticide. These work by creating a chemical barrier in the soil which termites cannot cross. Termites require cellulose gained from wood or plant matter in order to survive. Without access to such food, the entire colony will die. There are also more slow acting termiticides available. These do not kill the termite quickly. Rather, they infect one termite who returns it to the nest and spreads it to the entire colony.

One early form of prevention is to create a physical barrier between the wood in your home and any termites there may be in your yard. Subterranean termites, the most prevalent termites in the US, live in underground nests and will attack the wood in your home from underground. By covering these areas in a fine wire mesh, the termites will be prevented from entering. There are even meshes available which contain termiticide – making them a double barrier. The downside with this method of prevention is that it is only cost effective to do when building a property.

Termite prevention is one of the best investments you can make in the safety of your home if your home is in an area with termites. In order to get the best results from termite prevention, it is essential to hire a pest control termite expert to undertake a termite inspection. They will be able to identify the areas in your home that are particularly at risk from termite infestation (such as sills, steps and porches). They will be able to advise you on the best method of preventing attacks by termites and will have the correct tools and chemicals required for the job. They will ensure that the work is carried out safely and efficiently to give you peace of mind that your home is safe. Getting a termite inspection will give you a very good idea of the dangers your home may be facing.

Best of all, most companies offer free termite inspections.

Eradicating termites is a very important issue for anyone living in an at-risk area. It is essential that you protect your home (the largest investment you will make) from attacks by termites which can (and do) destroy entire buildings. If your home is at risk, investment in a full termite control plan is a very wise move. Spending money on preventing a problem will save you a great deal of money compared to the amount you spend once the problem has taken hold. The first step you should be taking in eradicating termites is getting a termite inspection. There are a number of companies around that offer these for free.

Although there are products available on the market that the general public can use to control termites, it is well worth hiring a professional pest controller. As well as having the skill and experience to know how best to deal with your specific circumstances, they will have the specialist tools and chemicals required to do a safe and thorough job.

Termite control is not just a one off event – you need to take a long term approach as a single treatment will not protect your house forever. A qualified termite control professional will have the expertise necessary to make a full evaluation of your home and discover the at risk areas of your house – those areas that will need special attention. They will identify the areas that termites are most likely to attack (humid, moist areas of exposed lumber are particular favorites for termites) and will have the tools necessary to eliminate them so that a termite problem will not occur in the future.

For more information on termites and advice on the best practices for controlling termites, look around the blog and learn more about how you can ensure the safety of your home and get yourself a free termite inspection.