Pest Control - Older Termite Infestation -- Now Worried

Author

Older Termite Infestation -- Now Worried

mrwilsonthomas@yahoo.com

2005-06-29, 11:25 pm

In July 2003 we purchased a house that had a prior termite infestation
(when the previous second owners had purchased it in 1985). It is a
split-level home, with an "L-shaped" crawlspace under part of the
house. The family room and attached garage sit on a concrete slab. The
house is right outside of Philadelphia.

When the previous owners bought the house in 1985 and discovered the
infestation, they had to have one of the center support beams in the
crawl space replaced. The owners also stated that they had the "entire
family room treated" at the same time. They also had a yearly contract
with a pest control company, but said they didn't have any problems
since then.

Naturally I had an inspection done by another local independent PCO
(recommened by a friend) when I bought the house, and it was "clean". I
had another inspection done the following year by the same guy, and
again no problems were found. I asked him a few questions about the
1985 infestation, and he said that when the previous owners had this
infestation treated the entire house was probably done, not just the
family room. Also, he said that judging by the date of treatment,
Chlordane was probably used (you can see drill holes around the crwal
space and garage), which apparently lasts quite some time. He also
pointed out small holes that were drilled in the wooden beams you can
see in the crawl space that span from the top of the outside block to
the center support beam, so the wood itself was probably treated too.

Questions: was the entire house likely to be treated, was Chlordane
likely to have been used, and how effective was this stuff? Also, how
do you think would the wood itself would have been treated, and how
effective would this be as a line of defense?

Now, I am remodeling/expanding a bathroom in the lower family room
level, and found termite damage when I ripped down the old walls. I
called back my guy and he said the damage appeared to be older (you can
see the drill hole patches in the slab around the area from before).
They ate their way up all of the wood strappings from the ground to the
second-floor joists, and then ate across a few of those 2X10 joists as
well (one was damaged so bad it was like paper). This area also
happened to be underneath the second-floor bathroom, where some of the
floorboards appear to have been water-damaged from a previous leak --
would the water have attracted the termites?

Even though it appeared to be older damage, the PCO spot-treated that
area with Termidor just to play safe -- might as well do it now while I
have those walls opened up (and when I do replace those walls I am
using metal studs in that area). He also applied the Termidor to the
areas of the slab I trenched up to run new plubming, before I
recemented them.

I'm scheduling another inspection with him sometime in the next two
weeks, where he'll check the crawl space again (I am basically having
yearly inspections done) and we'll go from there.

Anyway, I'm starting to freak out and imagine that my house is going to
collapse from termites!!! So I think I want to have my whole house
treated again just to be proactive. Is this a good idea, or am I being
paranoid?

Lar

2005-06-29, 11:25 pm

[This followup was posted to alt.consumers.pest-control and a copy was
sent to the cited author.]

In article <1120077880.427909.308500@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
mrwilsonthomas@yahoo.com says...

Questions: was the entire house likely to be treated, was Chlordane

likely to have been used, and how effective was this stuff? Also, how

do you think would the wood itself would have been treated, and how

effective would this be as a line of defense?

Impossible to know if the whole home was treated without any
paperwork. Both spot treatments and treating all areas of the structure
are acceptable treatments...it may depend on how much money the home
owner was willing to spend or maybe just going on the advice of the
treating company on how much area to treat.
Just guessing the wood was treated with borate mixture. how
effective can depend on how well the solution penetrated into the wood
itself.
Chlordane was a very effective product when it was used, but if it had
breaks in it there would be call back as other products cause.

happened to be underneath the second-floor bathroom, where some of the

floorboards appear to have been water-damaged from a previous leak --

would the water have attracted the termites?

Termites would of found the moist wood..not really "sniff" it out
though.

Even though it appeared to be older damage, the PCO spot-treated that

area with Termidor just to play safe -- might as well do it now while I

have those walls opened up (and when I do replace those walls I am

using metal studs in that area). He also applied the Termidor to the

areas of the slab I trenched up to run new plubming, before I

recemented them.

I'm scheduling another inspection with him sometime in the next two

--
Lar

to email....get rid of the BUGS

mrwilsonthomas@yahoo.com

2005-06-30, 12:25 pm

Lar wrote:

quote:

> [This followup was posted to alt.consumers.pest-control and a copy was
> sent to the cited author.]
>
> In article <1120077880.427909.308500@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
> mrwilsonthomas@yahoo.com says...
>
>
>
> Questions: was the entire house likely to be treated, was Chlordane
> likely to have been used, and how effective was this stuff? Also, how
> do you think would the wood itself would have been treated, and how
> effective would this be as a line of defense?
>
> Impossible to know if the whole home was treated without any
> paperwork. Both spot treatments and treating all areas of the structure
> are acceptable treatments...it may depend on how much money the home
> owner was willing to spend or maybe just going on the advice of the
> treating company on how much area to treat.
> Just guessing the wood was treated with borate mixture. how
> effective can depend on how well the solution penetrated into the wood
> itself.
> Chlordane was a very effective product when it was used, but if it had
> breaks in it there would be call back as other products cause.
>
>
> happened to be underneath the second-floor bathroom, where some of the
> floorboards appear to have been water-damaged from a previous leak --
> would the water have attracted the termites?
>
> Termites would of found the moist wood..not really "sniff" it out
> though.
>
> Even though it appeared to be older damage, the PCO spot-treated that
> area with Termidor just to play safe -- might as well do it now while I
> have those walls opened up (and when I do replace those walls I am
> using metal studs in that area). He also applied the Termidor to the
> areas of the slab I trenched up to run new plubming, before I
> recemented them.
>
> I'm scheduling another inspection with him sometime in the next two
>
> --
> Lar
>
> to email....get rid of the BUGS

Thanks Lar! One last question -- do you think it is wise to have a
"preventive" treatment done to my house now, or continue to have annual
inspections and then treat if any problems are found then?

Lar

2005-06-30, 12:25 pm

In article <1120137625.185852.246180@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
mrwilsonthomas@yahoo.com says...

Thanks Lar! One last question -- do you think it is wise to have a

"preventive" treatment done to my house now, or continue to have annual

inspections and then treat if any problems are found then?

If termites show up, their "damage" should be minimal at best especially
if you are having an inspection on a yearly basis...a preventative can
help stop even that but you will be putting out considerable more money
out. It's more of where your comfort zone is on how you may want to
handle it.
--
Lar

to email....get rid of the BUGS

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