Termites - Homeowner Treatments
 

I will be new to The Villages in late September. I have read many posts about Termites, but haven't seen any discussion about property owners performing the treatment themselves. I have a close friend in SW Florida that does Termite Treatment himself. Why shouldn't I do this myself? Does anyone associated with this board do it themselves. Do any of your neighbors do it themselves? Is it the fact that you can show a future buyer that the house has had annual treatments is why so many homeowners use Massey or Deans or ? Just curious.

Please advise.

Thanks,

GW :gc:

;)People don't buy it for the treatment.... they buy for the insurance.

You will have a harder time if you sell your home. The owner of our preowned was using a non descript company. Sale was predicted on a known company doing inspection and writing a new policy

I spray for my own bugs, including termites. But I also pay a company for termite protection. They inspect the home each year. The only reason I hire the company is, as noted above, the insurance.

I do not have any problems with bugs so I would recorded you do what I am doing.

The standard treatment for subterranean termites requires that you drill holes deep into the soil and inject a strong chemical every 16 inches completely around the perimeter of your house. This provides a long lasting poison soil barrier to prevent termites from invading the house. The treatment is really not a do it yourself project and should be done by a professional, especially because the chemical is dangerous. Spraying chemicals above ground will not prevent or eliminate subterranean termites. There may be other types of above ground termites for which spraying may be effective. But, subterranean termites can live in the soil under your house and travel up and down into the house and slowing eat the wood and drywall material, and can cause major damage over a period of years. Maintaining a termite contract is worth the cost for peace of mind and for reselling your house.

A normal homeowner cannot purchase the chemical that is required to properly treat a house for termites! It is about $650 to have a house initially treated. And then that treatment does not have to be redone for 10 years. But you do have to pay a renewal of approximately $150 per year to keep up the termite bond. Exactly what other people said it is a huge relief to have that bond if you actually do get termites that they will replace/repair any damage. Read the contract before you sign for treatment of what they will and will not replace/repair. Not all companies are equal! While we're at it yes concrete houses need to have a termite bond also! Lots of furring strips, wood studs and wood rafters to attract termites! Water damage on wood is a huge attraction to termites! So the termite bond is the second best insurance that you can have on your home right after your homeowners insurance!

Termidor is what my pest control company said was used for treatment. This is widely available for anyone to purchase. I chose to have them apply it tho.

The only thing to add is the first treatment was done by the builder and dated on your electrical panel. After 7 years a different treatment is applied outdoors and again every 10 years to keep the termite bond in effect.

Don't let people fool you termites are a large problem in Florida if no action taken. By the time a home owner sees evidence of termites there is already damage.

I was told by Massey that termites are less of a problem in the Villages because most people keep up with termite prevention.

Even though it can be purchased in many places online, like Amazon, the Termidor web site says that only professionals can purchase or use it.

There are even directions online about how to apply it.... though they are prefaced with "for professionals only". The directions are way beyond anything I, as a home owner, have had to do to apply insecticide from a hardware store.

There are lots of things like Termidor that are "for professionals only" that you can purchase online, but Termidor actually seems to be dangerous to work with unless you know how to handle it.


This is from the Termidor web site...

"Where can I buy Termidor?

Termidor cannot be directly purchased or applied by homeowners. Only licensed pest control professionals who have taken Termidor Certification Training are authorized to purchase and apply Termidor. "

Termidor for Termites Frequently Asked Questions

The labels on their products say it can only be purchased or used by pest control professionals, including the ones sold on Amazon.

Here is a label Termidor (BASF) submitted to the EPA for product approval.

https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem...9-20050819.pdf

Also Termidor seems to have a number of different products. Some need to be reapplied every 6 months and others last for 10 years or more without a re-application.

I agree that the original house was treated by a contractor when it was new. However, my house is now in it's 11th year and under contract with the original provider (Massey) for termite protection. There has never been a new or 2nd treatment other than adding Bait traps (which are said to have some sort of poison that would be taken back to a nest if an infection occurred). That cost me $500 and the only reason I got it was because of the Insurance Placebo.

I would point out that Massey started calling for me to get this after 7 years but also sent an annual bill stating that upon payment warranty was extended. After 3 years they decided to force the issue.

I watched every annual inspection. No treatment. Agent walked perimeter of house looking for evidence of mud tubes from ground. None found. Checked attic from walkup steps. Never checked eaves or vents for flying termites which they got me to pay extra for protection.)Walked inside of house looking for same flashlight in hand. Checked all cabinets especially around plumbing and electrical holes for evidence of tubes or termite wings. 20 minutes later got my clean bill of health (No Termites). No spraying or granules dropped to fortify original treatment.

I am convinced that they are content with my annual payment and countless others as well as their 7 year itch for $500. If I find termites, they will be happy to come and treat to kill and repair any damage. So being somewhat of a neatnik, they probably wouldn't get stuck with a big bill. Perhaps their inspection are to check how neat we are and to then judge whether we would be more likely to allow a problem to exist.

Massey does my lawn and my pest control the results have been good. my termite protection included treatment of the attic and plugs place all around my home and periodic refilled.

Yes you can buy "professional" treatments
 

False! the chemical brand name Is Taurus SC. Available to anyone who reads this. A five year supply is 78.00. The termite bond is useless, I read the contract. Since I am in the business of writing, awarding and administering contracts I feel qualified to state this unequivocally. I can drive a truck through the contact's disclaimers.

I have no doubt that anyone who purchases my home will not inquire about a bond, and will not require it as a condition of sale, further I have no doubt my application of termitcide is superior to the under paid, under valued, rushed technician that applies the same product.

Contrary to what has been stated here, the annual treatments do not involve drilling in the ground around the home's foundation. Also important to note, prior to homes located in your village it was farm or ranch land. There were few food sources for termites, they are not a naturally occurring home predator. You are just keeping them out, Not fighting an invasion. The Taurus SC that you apply to the home and perimeter by sprayer will remain in the soil for 10 years. Essentially, you are refreshing the original application each time you spray. As a side benefit Taurus SC is a excellent and killer.

I'm curious. What does the annual treatment consist of?

There is no annual treatment, only an inspection. The perimeter soil treatment should last for 10 years or longer.

I can guarantee you that anyone buying your home including the agent selling your home WILL inquire about a termite bond. You may disagree, buyers and agents will not.


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We can agree to disagree then.

I have never bought a house without getting a termite inspection, and it is even required by law in many states. Also, if the buyer is getting a mortgage, the lender will require a termite inspection.

Lenders DO NOT requirements bonds
 

True Inspection are requirement but not bonds, In ANY STATE. Number 13 of fannie mae form 4330 requires a termite inspection OR a termite bond. Termite inspections cost approximately 100. Point here is an inspection is quite different than a bond.

This is great discussion and I truly appreciate everyone's opinion! It would be great to hear Massey or Deans selling points! I concur, no bond is required, only a Termite Inspection! I also believe that Toymeister is spot on and I may follow suit with doing my own treatment. Please keep adding to this discussion as it adds value for all of us in TV or in my case those of us relocating to TV.

So, did you pay or are you now paying Massey for Termite Service?

There are 2 types of termite "bond" contracts. One will guarantee to retreat the house as needed to eliminate any termites revealed in the periodic inspection, but it will not cover the repair of any termite damage to the house. The other contract will retreat and repair damage, which is a more expensive type of contract. The second type of contract is probably not needed because termite damage is usually very minor as long as it is discovered early.

Spraying the perimeter of the home up two or three feet up and on the soil a foot or two out with a solution of .8ounces of Taurus SC in one gallon of water. It takes less than 15 minutes. I do this three time a year. That is overkill for termites but it keeps the ants away.

The smaller bottle of Taurus SC makes over 20 gallons and has a shelf life of five years. Since I can't use all of it in 5 years the three times a year application is no additional cost to me.

There are numerous youtube pieces on how to spray the house, you should not just take the opinion of some random guy on this forum.

I asked a licensed TV properties real estate agent what she has experienced. She has been in RE for three decades in the area and with The properties of the Villages for over a decade. This is what she said:

" You do not have to have a termite bond on your home to sell it. The buyer would typically get a termite inspection and at that time they can secure a bond if they choose."

That makes sense since Fannie Mae does not require a bond for underwriting. Fannie Mae is the 800 pound gorilla when it comes to selling your home, whether you have a loan or not

Hopefully this will end the speculation that a bond is a requirement or somehow assists in the sale of your home. All a buyer cares about is the home is termite free and some may want to get a termite bond on it for their own purposes .

Yes, that has been my experience in the past. I didn't carry a termite bond and had a termite inspection done as part of the sales process. The new owners started up a termite bond because it made them feel better.

Do you only spray and do not Dig a trench? Never used this insecticide, but I do like to rotate chemicals.

Application Video
 

Check out the application video at "DoMyOwnPestControl.Com" that I found online last evening. Click on the Taurus SC Termiticide 20 Oz Bottle, then scroll down and click on See full description & features, then scroll down down the page to the video titled How to use Taurus SC Termiticide. This video will explain how to mix, trench, and apply the Termiticide. Granted, this is not for everyone, but it also doesn't have to be done in a day!

I think it would be more helpful to dig a slight trench around the foundation of the house and make sure the solution does drain down next to the building and not flow out over the grass. Sure it will kill the ants but termites travel underground into the housle. You might alo look around the plumbing pipes coming up under the sinks and also and tubs you can look under.

I have asked this question before never got a good answer. Has anyone in the villages used the termite insurance for repairs.

If that had happened it would have been cited early in this discussion. Not necessarily by the person who used the coverage but someone they knew of or heard about somewhere, Anywhere.