Actual statistics on Termite infection in T.V.
 

Recently met with Massey about Termite service, they were quite convincing about their
service, haven't done anything with them yet.
Would like to know if there are any actual statistics on Termite infections for homes in T.V. Not who is getting service, but actual infestations. From what I have heard there are
very few, but don't have any statistics. I do know that properties are treated prior to construction.
Thanks for any info.

Have used Spectracide Terminate Termite Detection & Killing Stakes for about 18 years in Florida, and for 15 years in a northern state less prone to termites but did have them. We have found them to be completely effective, easy and simple to use, and reasonably priced ($38-$50 annually for most). We've had several homes built over the years, including here; always makes me wonder when they say they treated the ground...not sure, could be, just always am suspicious rather here in Fl or in previous states where we've had one built.

The way it was explained to me when we bought was, everything is treated during construction and you are basically paying for an insurance policy that will repair/replace your house if needed.

It's always been a mystery to me. When I lived in Georgia, it would be unthinkable to not treat for termites. If you laid a board on the grass in your back yard, within a month or so, you could turn it over and see thousands of termites. But, the risk seems to be lower in Florida. It is standard to treat the soil under new houses. The Massey new house treatment contract expires after 5 years and they need to retreat and renew it. Actual termite statistics would be unreliable because most houses have been treated. Also, the cost for termite treatment is a lot less than homeowners insurance, and I don't see a lot of homeowners insurance claims either. I paid $400 to retreat and renew my termite contract, and it can be renewed for less than $100 per year for 10 years. Some people pay that much for one year of homeowners insurance, and they don't treat or inspect anything.

Here is the link to a thread I started last month:

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...-facts-328549/

As suspected, no-one answered with any actual reports of having had termites in TV

Mrs Fox wanted us to continue with our Massey coverage, but I think it's a waste of money and scaremongering

That system has currently changed over the last couple of years. I was under the same system with Massey and they now have the option to have "metal holders" with termite control, put around my home. This is Life Time Warrantee and can be transferred when you sell your home. They come once a year to check the property and add to the metal holders more termite control. Living in Floridia is a bug state just with the type of weather and with all the golf courses, I was told even more so for termites. It is a protection for your home. I had termites years ago up North and It cost me $$$$ to repair. You may not have termites but your neighbor may and they will travel to your house. I do have Massey for l2 years and have never been disappointed. PRofessional, in every way.

The system has not changed. I just had my house treated using the perimeter chemical injection system last year. They poison the soil all the way around your house. There is an option to use the bait system that you described, but nothing has changed. Both the chemical soil injection and the bait systems have been been available and used in The Villages for many years. In my opinion, the perimeter chemical system is a better and less expensive way to go. With the bait system, they need to visit your house periodically to maintain the system, and, if you change your landscaping, you may need to relocate the bait stations. With the chemical system, there is no maintenance, just annual termite inspections. Both systems are transferable to a new owner.

at my last home in Florida I never had it done. regular bug person, but not specifically termite treatment. house was inspected when I sold it for termites and that was done there, but I never heard of this constant termite treatment until I moved here.

No it is not. You seem
To me to be making the same argument some antivaxer people make about polio - why vaccinate - there is no polio. They have the cause and effect backward. So do you. The fact we don’t have many infestations in TV is BECAUSE the vast majority of us protect our huge investment in our house with termite protection. The houses are treated when built and retreated every 10 years or so. Because of this there are few termites in the area so you may be fine, but maybe not. For $125 a year it is cheap insurance

the numbers are low...so they're not using that as a sales tool...and even if you do find some statistics, how accurate are they...IMHO trying to predict the odds that you'd get termites, is like playing pin the tale on the donkey

I feel like I'm being robbed every time I renew the termite coverage, but I renew because we've had termites (not in TV, but in Ft Lauderdale)

when we lived in Ft Lauderdale it wasn't uncommon to see one house in our area 'tented' about every two-three years....we ended up having termites twice

the first time they came into the house inside a wooden headboard of a bedroom set that we had purchased from a furniture store in Florida (we were told that's quite common, as the warehouses aren't sprayed for termites)...as we were closing up the house for the summer about five or six years later, I noticed 'wings' on the window ledge in the spare bedroom....they had swarmed

the second time they came in inside brand new kitchen cabinets, when we remodeled the kitchen...it took about five years for us to discover them, just after we agreed to a purchase and sales agreement to sell....the buyer's inspector found the evidence of the little buggers, we had no idea. It almost cratered the deal...we had it treated and bought two follow-on years of coverage against them returning to ease the concern the out of state buyers had. Termites is a 4-letter word in the real estate market

so, they are here...and for that reason, I renew, so that when I do go to sell, a buyer won't be hesitant because I hadn't kept the coverage

Dean's also offers 1 year perimeter chemical injection system with termite insurance, (whatever that insurance is).
If termites did show up, I wonder if they could say termites were present before their treatment.

Most of the houses in TV are now over ten years old, and not everyone will have continued their termite protection, yet out of the tens of thousands on TOTV no-one came back to say that they have had termites here.

If even one person on TOTV who had not renewed the termite protection had subsequently had termites I suspect that they would have immediately posted to tell us not to drop the protection.

Either way, I have continued it to keep Mrs Fox happy. I just hope she drops that idea to dig elephant traps in the garden to protect the vegetables, because I'm fairly sure there are no pachyderms in the area.

This UF information about termites in Florida may be somewhat helpful.
Termite Distribution - Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences - UF/IFAS

I doubt that anyone has reliable statistics about the number of termites by location. (It’s hard enough counting humans by location for the US Census.) I believe the best anyone can do by location is the kinds of termites, rather than counts.

The numbers are low, the issue is what is your house worth and what is worth to you to have it protected. Termites do exist in Florida.

I hesitated to answer at all since this and another thread seem to be implying a doubt that termite insurance is necessary.

When I renewed my termite contract last year, I went with Massey. But, I also contacted Dean's. Massey provided a 10 year guaranteed renewable contract and locked in the annual renewal price for the first 5 years ($400 to treat and $79 per year for 5 years, with a possible increase after year 5). Dean's would not provide any guaranteed contract except for one year. They said that they will come out and retreat every year, but they would not provide an annual renewal price, and they would not even guarantee that they would renew the contract for an additional year. It was strictly on a year-to-year basis. That was totally unacceptable to me. Massey and Dean's are apples to oranges regarding termite treatment.