A mortgage company may require a termite inspection, but Florida law does not.

If you’re an entomologist (I am not), I’ll defer to your expertise. I have no dog in this fight and was simply sharing photos I took of a friends home when she asked me for assistance.

She called Dean’s, with whom her recent deceased husband had fortunately renewed the protection plan.

The next day a tech came out and examined the damage. They agreed that it was termites and paid for the repairs and additional treatment. Again, I have no interest in this, financial or otherwise, and was simply sharing what I observed and learned.

That being said, a quick search of termite damage on moulding, revealed many images which were exactly what this lady experienced.

As other posters have mentioned, get the service or don’t. It’s a completely personal decision.

Get Deans to renew. Brings a little sniffer dog, checks the whole house then charges 1/3 of Massey. We did this several years ago. Was told to never give up your termite coverage in Florida!

Type of termite
 

They may not cover all types of termites. Be sure to ask. Based on personal experience.

I do my own & never ever had a bug problem. But I’m sure they’ll tell you theirs is better! So if that’s true why is there bug spray on the market & why aren’t more people complaining!

Tenting is generally down for dry wood termites which is completely different from subterranean termites.
Dry wood is caused by being inside wood in furniture, beams etc and take years to do damage. Don't see flying, and first notice what looks like pepper coming from a tiny hole. I don't believe Massey
Or Deans cover for dry wood when you pay for a termite contract.
"Typically, the use of fumigation methods (i.e. tenting) is essential for treating drywood termites that reside within the actual wooden structure, whereas in-soil chemicals, barriers, and baiting systems aim to target subterranean termites that live in the soil surrounding the house."

They don't charge 1/3 of Massey. In my case, they quoted more than Massey for treatment and annual inspections.

The $449.00 is for the 10 year policy. The $199.00 is the the yearly inspection. This is cheep protection. If you get termites the cost to get rid of them will make you wish you had taken the insurance policy and paid the yearly fee.

The $449 also includes treating the house by injecting a chemical in the soil around your house every 16 inches.

also believe they don't cover all termite classifications like massey whom i'm with

You kept a photo of amsoneobe else’s home damage! You must have a lot of photos.,

Why do you think his name is Photo?

Agree with you. Doesn’t cost much to do it yourself once a year.$30-$50 bucks a year, 30 minute job (just buy the good stuff. If you don’t believe me watch what thy do sometime.

It looks like termite damage that I have seen. They can eat most of a door frame, and leave a thin layer of wood at the surface. That is why an inspector will tap the surface of the wood trim and baseboards with a screwdriver to see if it collapses. When termites get close to the wood surface, they will see light and stop eating.

I got rid of Massey for a similar experience.

Everyone has their own take on this. After our initial building (and "assume" the lot was properly treated), hubby decided on the Spectricide stake system ( with the "popup" signal to indicate stake needs to be replaced. Been with it for about 18 years now, no signs of termites (other than when a stake's bait has been expended). The original cost ran about $35, think the last box was near $60 at HD, but a full box is not always needed each year. This would make some people uneasy, so they are probably better off to hire a pest service no matter what the cost, but mother in law had the leading service in the nation. She lived in a far northern state not known for a great deal of termite activity, but did get an infestation. That expensive contract she paid for for year because she felt better with the "guarantee", proved to be absolutely useless. Was much like the "insurance" one takes out with a moving company...sounds very comforting, but when something actually happens, just try to collect anything. The cost of an attorney is prohibitive for most people, and without one, or even with one, the end result is often not worth the effort. So my advice would be, do what makes YOU feel secure. If you feel better with a contacted service, you should do that regardless of cost. If you feel just a secure using a DIY prevention of some type, surface spray or stakes, then you might feel fine for much less money. Do what makes you feel most secure.

Good helpful info ! Thanks

Helping an elderly friend of mine document the damage. But thanks for your concern

I posted hubby has used the stake system for YEARS now. But also acknowledged this would make some people very nervous, don't think they would feel "safe" without a contract service, so one has to choose what makes them feel most relaxed. In the last 18 or so years, I know of one incident of of a home that had the (Asian ? Not sure that is the correct term) type of termite that calls for the entire home "tented", filled with poison that is left for a few days. Don't remember all the details, but IF I remember correctly, it was in the general area around Oak Forest. Not sure, it's been a long time, but made quite a new splash at the time.

Might add, so MUCH here (seems like more than most places but perhaps not !) is based on FEAR. Fear of NOT having a contract to inspect furnace and AC each year, fear of not having a contract to have house sprayed with chemicals inside and out to prevent insects, fear on not having a contract with a service to spray lawn for insects, to spray lawn for nutrients, just goes on and on. Probably best for each individual to decide what it takes to make them secure and comfortable, depending on their financial ability.

Thank you! Would you be willing to share the annual cost?

Except, they've never charged us for something they didn't do. If I'm not in FL, I can see them when they show up (security cameras) and we're charged accordingly...

great information…thank you !

They don’t start in the middle of the door. That photo seems ridiculous…subterranean termites start in the soil and work their way up in tunnels which Can easily be seen.

Not In the middle of a door.

Massey and Termites
 

Yeah, I had em for years and thay came at me that way. I told them to pull up their traps and get out. Without that protection now. Fine!

No idea what type of termites they were. Again, I’m not a termite expert. Never claimed to be.

As an aside, I did a quick check on the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences website. There’s a paper on the site, from 2022, which includes this photo and description.

I don't agree. Termites are not easy to detect. They eat wood from the inside out. Often, they are not detected until they have been residing in your house for several years and have done substantial damage. You don't see them because they hide from the light.

So you kept photos of damage to someone else’s home in YOUR files for over a year after she had the damage repaired so you can post it here to push termite companies?

Too much coffee this morning?

You’re funny. Have a great Sunday

STRUCTURE INFESTATION
If you find termite activity in a structure or a tree, please collect the insects with the soldier caste, if possible. Sign of infestation includes powder post accumulation (drywood termites) or mud tub (subterranean termites)

Cue The Twilight Zone theme song

Subterranean termites construct soil tunnels to shield them from the light. The tunnels are often detected on the outside of a raised house with a crawl space. But, if they are living under a slab-on-grade house, you may not see any tunnels because they have direct access to door frames, baseboards, drywall, or other parts of the house without the need to use a tunnel.

Whether to get a termite contract is a personal decision, but there are some people who have had termites eating their house for years, and they have no idea that they are there.

Don't they just put Termidor (Fipronil) in a trench around your house and you're good for 10 years? I mean....there is the inspection but isn't that completely unnecessary?

Joe

Typically, they don't dig a trench. They use a long metal conduit and inject the chemical in the soil every 16 inches around the perimeter of the house. Some houses may require holes to be drilled in the concrete slab. If it is done correctly, it will last 10 years. The termite contract covers an annual inspection and any retreatment or damage repair, if needed. If you trust the initial treatment, you could stop making the annual payments.

10-4 thanks :)