Here’s hoping never to find termites
Ten years ago about 80% of homeowners did nothing but hope; the rest used a professional to come and look and spray once a year.
Very few took on the job for themselves.
Today that DIY percentage is increasing rapidly because the Colony Killer Termite Bait that professionals use is available to homeowners and termite monitors are placed on surfaces without having to be dug in.
Same principles, same results, no safety issues and significant money saved.
But you have to wonder: why are three-quarters of homeowners still in denial?
These are the usual reasons:
- I had a pest inspection when I bought the house and it was OK
- There was a barrier installed during the construction
- Building codes enforce termite protection
- Fingers crossed; it won’t happen to our house.
Here are some facts:
- about 150,000 homes were attacked by termites last year (that’s more than fires and floods combined and you pay a $thousand or so for that cover)
- the average bill was about $10,000 ranging from a few hundred dollars to $100,000+
- about a third of homes sold last year failed the termite inspection
- if a home doesn’t pass, the buyer walks away or offers around $50,000 less.
- those 150,000 attacked homes and every termite horror story you hear about or see on TV is the result of termites getting across or through a barrier.
DIY Termite Control Systems
It is the usual marketing ploy for pest controllers (and the manufacturers of DIY termite baiting systems — like us) to promote fear and scare tactics.
But selling fear is largely unsuccessful; think of TV campaigns about road accidents, smoking and all the other things we all believe will happen to someone else —, not me.
Buying termite prevention is always going to be a grudging purchase so I’m trying to mount an argument that the risk of a major termite event at your home is too high compared to the cost of defending it. The chances of you having to find the money to pay the average damage bill of $10,000 sometime in the life of your home are about 1 in 3.
Spreading termite monitors around your home is a once in 10-20 year event, at a fraction of the cost a repair bill could be (if you move, you can take them with you).
Only when (if) termites discover the termitraps will you need to buy the bait to feed them — which they take back to kill off the whole colony. Colony Killer Termite Bait costs $275 and enough to kill a couple of small colonies or a big one. You will probably be glad to pay the money when you know you are actually killing the colony and removing that threat.
For a pest man to come and inspect once a year and nothing else is $300 and upwards. If you get them to put monitors around your home the bill gets well over $2000 then nearly $1000 a year to come a few times a year to inspect them, and, if there is a strike, another fee for coming to feed them multiple times until it’s all over. OK, they are experts and know more about termites than you.
But it’s not that complicated. DIY is not only straight forward, it is hard to muck up the process once you see the manual.
So, What Are You Going to do About Termites?
Cross your fingers
Pay a pestie every year
Or do a proper job yourself, safely, save money and lose the termite anxiety complex?
