Ep 3 - Termites and JCP Services - a podcast by Brian Cook And Kindra Cox

Following is some helpful information discussed on the December 19, 2019, episode of The Brian and Kindra Show, with Jake Persall with JCP Services.  This great information is really helpful for current homeowners in addition to customers who are interested in home purchase or selling their home.

  

To begin, here is a little termite biology lesson!  It is important to understand a little about termites, including their culture, habitat, and diet. Termites live in colonies and are social insects that have a social structure.   They live in the ground in a colony and though they are similar to ants, they are not as visible as an ant.  Jake mentioned that you won’t find a termite eating your cookies in the kitchen. They stay pretty well hidden in the ground most of the time. They travel in shelter tubes back and forth to their food source, but they always maintain their colony in the soil. 

 

A pest controller has multiple options to protect a structure. One method of protection is with a chemical barrier between the structure and the ground where the termites live. This kind of protection has been the traditional treatment for many years and is often applied as a liquid chemical barrier on the soil prior to a structure being built to stop the termites from gaining access to the structure. This type of treatment is standard and the main protocol, especially for new construction.

 

However, after a structure is built, the treatments change as it becomes quite a challenge to make a complete barrier between the structure and the ground around the property.  One method of treating an existing structure is to drill holes and inject a barrier, a liquid chemical, into the holes.  The holes are drilled 3-4 inches away from the wall or foundation and spaced approximately 10-12 inches apart.  

Another option that had not been used in this area as frequently, but is gaining popularity, is a Bait System. With the bait system installed around the property, the termites will find a bait station and they will feed on that. And then over time, poison out the entire colony.   The bait system works in a way that a termite, when foraging for food sources, even if they have already moved into your house and are feeding away, still have workers out looking for new food sources.  This bait system attracts them and helps clear out the colonies.  

Fortunately, termite inspections are affordable. They are roughly $100 to $150.  It's not a bad idea to have your property checked periodically.  If you see ‘pin-holes’, especially with dirt, that can be an indication of termites.  “Mud tubes” and places where your sheetrock seems to have space between the paper backing and gypsum are also good indicators that you might have a termite problem.  If you would like more information or have concerns, be sure to contact a professional today!  As always, Best wishes in your real estate search! 

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