Termite question

[TednRobin]

We inquired about a resale today, they discloused some termite damage. The house is block construction. While we haven't come down to look, just how bad can it be on a block home? Anyone have any experience with them and block construction?

[villages07]

TR... I have no answer for your question but wonder if you could divulge the general area where this house is located (e.g. Winifred, Largo, El Santiago, etc). I've heard a few anecdotal reports of termites in The Villages but never have been able to get a grasp on where and how often it happens.

[pooh]

We inquired about a resale today, they discloused some termite damage. The house is block construction. While we haven't come down to look, just how bad can it be on a block home? Anyone have any experience with them and block construction?
The exterior of the house may be block and stucco, but some of the interior studs could be wood.

The garage attic space has wood studs, the flooring up there is wood. When we lived in our previous house out of state, the termite damage, though small, was located in the wooden studs that hold up the roof.

Did you get specifics on where the damage was located and how extensive?

[TednRobin]

The house is in Mira Mesa. We did not get specifics from the real estate agent as we wouldn't buy it site unseen anyway and we just can't get down there timely to see it. But I guess termites could do some damage even if it's block construction.

[herbaru]

We lived in a block home in south FL. We had termites come up our wood framed front door. Had it repaired and the ground was treated. Those suckers came back a second time and got the door frame again. Good thing we had the repair receipt because the termite company tried to say we never repaired the door.

[TednRobin]

We lived in a block home in south FL. We had termites come up our wood framed front door. Had it repaired and the ground was treated. Those suckers came back a second time and got the door frame again. Good thing we had the repair receipt because the termite company tried to say we never repaired the door.

I don't know anything about termites. If a house already has them should we stay away from it? Can you get rid of them? Thanks for your responses.

[Army Guy]

We had heard about termite damages also, so we had Massey do the attic spray. I know it has been debated on here before, pro & con, but our belief is you can never be sure, and the price was not that much.
Ours is a poured concrete CYV. Our walls are actually a mix between wood and metal studs depending where you are inside. Of course I found some of the metal ones while hanging things on the wall!

Army Guy

[784caroline]

We had them in N Va.....YES you can get rid of them fairly quickly but if you know you have them dont hesitate in getting treatment. That said, once you have them you need to be extra vigilant and get a termite protection plan offered by one of the local companies. This company should offer once or twice a year inspection of your home, free "spot" treatment where any future problem may occur, and a damage bond for your protection just in case somethingslips through the crack..."no pun intended". Pay attention, for if your neighbors have them, they are in the area. Up north they had swarming termites and during teh first warm spring day they would litterally be all over the place and the birds were having a field day. The swarmers are not destructive but the ones in the grounds definitely are. OH and we had a block foundation but contractors notoriously use the front porch stoop (before its poured) or even the space between teh block and dirt as a dumping ground for all sorts of junk including wood pieces. This wood then rots, attracts termites and they tunnel into your house that way.

Having a termite protection plan in place for 15 years prior to selling our house litterally saved our closing when we were selling the property up north...and it saved me $$ when they were found during a pre inspection of the house.

[TednRobin]

We had them in N Va.....YES you can get rid of them fairly quickly but if you know you have them dont hesitate in getting treatment. That said, once you have them you need to be extra vigilant and get a termite protection plan offered by one of the local companies. This company should offer once or twice a year inspection of your home, free "spot" treatment where any future problem may occur, and a damage bond for your protection just in case somethingslips through the crack..."no pun intended". Pay attention, for if your neighbors have them, they are in the area. Up north they had swarming termites and during teh first warm spring day they would litterally be all over the place and the birds were having a field day. The swarmers are not destructive but the ones in the grounds definitely are. OH and we had

Having a termite protection plan in place for 15 years prior to selling our house litterally saved our closing when we were selling the property up north...and it saved me $$ when they were found during a pre inspection of the house.

Thanks for the great info. Hubby decided he didn't want to start out living in TV with a problem, so we have decided not to chance it.

[TrudyM]

Thanks for the great info. Hubby decided he didn't want to start out living in TV with a problem, so we have decided not to chance it.

IMHO a person is smart to get a protection contract even on a new house easier to sleep at night. They can come up the holes around the pipes in the slab even if you don't have a crack in the slab. In Atlanta we had a company with those little bait things all around the house (Centron I think). I don't know if it is the best but it is what everyone had in that area.