Termites

[Jejuca]

Has anyone actually had termites in TV? We are considering buying a vinyl sided villa that is preowned and has never had any kind of treatment for termites.

[Madelaine Amee]

Has anyone actually had termites in TV? We are considering buying a vinyl sided villa that is preowned and has never had any kind of treatment for termites.

I think I am correct in saying that every home built in TV has a five year termite protection. The land is treated before the building is erected. So how old is your pre-owned?

My suggestion would be to contact Massey and have them come out, go through the interior and exterior of the home, then sit down with them and discuss what you need and what the cost will be.

[Jejuca]

It was built in 2005.

[cquick]

so the previous owners didn't keep up the yearly termite inspection and bond....you should have a pest control company do a thorough inspection and then start with the yearly termite prevention.

[Madelaine Amee]

It was built in 2005.

Termite protection is one area you really should not neglect.

[784caroline]

The OP's original question was never answered..and it is a valid one. I also would like to know!

Has anyone ever had a termite problem here in TV ? Do you know of anyone (ie hearsay) having a termite problem here in TV ?

[villages07]

Massey says they are starting to see a few infestations s of 466 as the original soil treatment wears off. Of course, they are selling retreatment services too.

Someone on TOTV bought a resale inSantiago or Santo Domingo in the past year or so and faced termite problems soon after closing.

I am sure it does happen but not very often.

Each homeowner has to assess the level of risk they are willing to take.

[gomoho]

Was burned once for $25k plus for a termite problem. Will never happen again on a home I own - this was in Jacksonville Florida, but could have just as easily been in TV if proper treatment had not been done.

[Jejuca]

We are going to get the house inspected. The original owner has never had the house inspected for termites.

[bkcunningham1]

I believe a statement of inspection for wood destroying organisms is required if you are taking out a mortgage for a home.

[gomoho]

Jejuca - definitely get an inspection, but once you get an all clear there you need to have the property treated again so you can obtain a bond, which is basically an insurance policy that will cover any damage that might occur after treatment. This treatment usually runs around $500 and than the annual inspection is $99. Retreatment will need to be done again in another 5 years. This is the only way to be sure you are completely protected against termite damage. If you simply get an annual inspection if and when they find damage it is would be your responsibility to repair the damage.

[cmfjr]

Be interested to know if you think the same termite procedure (annual inspections and 5 year treatments) is necessary for the homes with poured concrete walls and steel studs? As the only wood is the roof rafters?

[cgalloway6]

Be interested to know if you think the same termite procedure (annual inspections and 5 year treatments) is necessary for the homes with poured concrete walls and steel studs? As the only wood is the roof rafters?
There are wooden studs as well as steel ones. If you have any pictures of your construction or go look at a few you will see lots of wooden studs sprayed green about 3 feet up - that is for the termites.

[Jejuca]

Thanks again for all the responses. One of the things we love about The Villages is how helpful and nice everyone is.

[travelguy]

don't skimp on termite protection. we had them in our home up north and it was not fun. they came up in a crack in the floor and did their damage in an interior wall; usually they come up on the outside and you can see the mud tubes, but not in this case. we had no idea we had termites until we did some remodeling.

[iandwk]

In 2010 my wife and I were looking to buy a pre-owned home in TV. We looked at 2 houses that seemed to be priced lower than similar ones, and actually saw termite damage in both. Don't try to save a few bucks by forgoing termite treatment.

[hema54]

This is Florida and I have been told by more then one person, termites, house had them, house has them or house will get them. So get your annual inspections and have prevention done.

[Carl in Tampa]

There are two kinds of termites in Florida, the subterranean and the drywood.

Subterranean termites live in the ground and emerge to enter your house either through cracks or crevices in the poured slab or by building a small tunnel structure from the soil up the side of your house to an entry point. They will also utilize any plant material which touches your house as a path from the ground into your house. Don't let your plant material touch your house. Once inside they can do thousands of dollars worth of damage before they are detected, The primary defense against them is pre-treatment of the soil before the slab is poured and the house build. It is possible to subsequently re-treat the soil. Subterranean termites must maintain their path to return to their nests in the soil,

Drywood termites, on the other hand, do not live in the soil. Their method of infesting your house is by "swarming" during wet warm weather, They can enter your attic through vents undetected and damage your roof structure, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

When talking to a pest control company representative be sure that any guarantee you get for their service includes both subterranean and drywood termite damage.

I don't know why Massey seems to have a corner on the pest control market in TV but it seems to me that some competition might make their prices more negotiable.

Carl
(Orkin Pest Control man while working my way through college.)

PS: Florida also has "flying ants" which swarm. Close inspection shows that the ants have a "waist" (separate thorax and abdomen) while termites have no "waist."