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Home > Archive > Pest Control > June 2006 > Do I really have termites?
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Do I really have termites?
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| kathg5@netzero.net 2006-06-16, 5:25 pm |
| Hello, I have wood damage on a stair in my basement. No mud tubes but
the wood had has been eaten. The first man, Terminix, said that it was
dry rot not termites. Just a fee of $460 to treat carpenter ants.
Some of those I found and saved to show what's down there. The second
man, Orkin, dug around in stair riser and it sure looks like something
has been eating the wood. The cost of termite treatment and carpenter
ant treatment would be $2,400 total. My question is, can I take the
eaten wood some where to see if termites really were eating it? I
know I will have to call more companies for further estimates but who
does one trust? I would appreciate any suggestions Thanks, Kath
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| In article <1150490534.944370.236460@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com>,
kathg5@netzero.net says...
 Hello, I have wood damage on a stair in my basement. No mud tubes but
the wood had has been eaten. The first man, Terminix, said that it was
dry rot not termites. Just a fee of $460 to treat carpenter ants.
Some of those I found and saved to show what's down there. The second
man, Orkin, dug around in stair riser and it sure looks like something
has been eating the wood. The cost of termite treatment and carpenter
ant treatment would be $2,400 total. My question is, can I take the
eaten wood some where to see if termites really were eating it? I
know I will have to call more companies for further estimates but who
does one trust? I would appreciate any suggestions Thanks, Kath
It's impossible to say if someone is really a crook or not but both
companies you have called sent a SALESMAN, not an exterminator. They
get paid by commission, so the more they sell the more they earn. The
more they earn the more "bonuses" and points for end of year trips they
get. Maybe find a local, established independent company in the area
that someone you may know will recommend. You probably can find better
pricing on your ant treatments too, most parts of the country even
carpenter ants are really a non issue, I don't charge any extra for carp
ants than any other type of ant and many I know around the country do
the same.
--
Lar
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| gpsman 2006-06-17, 9:25 am |
| kathg5@netzero.net wrote: <brevity snip>
> Hello, I have wood damage on a stair in my basement.
It's pretty tough to tell just exactly what has damaged wood sometimes.
Without any termites or "evidence" it would be a pretty good stretch
to diagnose termites.
> My question is, can I take the
> eaten wood some where to see if termites really were eating it?
Probably not but you might call your local Dept. of Ag field office or
the entomology offices of the nearest college.
> I
> know I will have to call more companies for further estimates but who
> does one trust?
Termites have become such a "racket" practically nobody who has a
vested interest in finding termites.
Your damage may have been caused by termites during the previous
owner's tenure and successfully treated. I'd try to contact them
first. You may have had termites, but they left for greener pastures,
tough to say. It may be water damage, the softest wood rots first and
can leave galleries that can look very much like termite damage.
That's what I usually find when called to corraborate another PCO's
opinion.
My advice: No actual termites or hard evidence of termites equals no
termite treatment recommended... unless the expense of preventative
treatment isn't a burden and you're feeling a little paranoid. I could
always use the money.
Don't get in a rush, subterranean termites eat very little and take a
long time to do any real damage. Anyone who uses fear tactics to sell
you termite treatment should be escorted from the property.
-----
- gpsman
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gpsman wrote:
> kathg5@netzero.net wrote: <brevity snip>
>
> It's pretty tough to tell just exactly what has damaged wood sometimes.
> Without any termites or "evidence" it would be a pretty good stretch
> to diagnose termites.
>
>
> Probably not but you might call your local Dept. of Ag field office or
> the entomology offices of the nearest college.
>
>
> Termites have become such a "racket" practically nobody who has a
> vested interest in finding termites.
>
> Your damage may have been caused by termites during the previous
> owner's tenure and successfully treated. I'd try to contact them
> first. You may have had termites, but they left for greener pastures,
> tough to say. It may be water damage, the softest wood rots first and
> can leave galleries that can look very much like termite damage.
> That's what I usually find when called to corraborate another PCO's
> opinion.
>
> My advice: No actual termites or hard evidence of termites equals no
> termite treatment recommended... unless the expense of preventative
> treatment isn't a burden and you're feeling a little paranoid. I could
> always use the money.
>
> Don't get in a rush, subterranean termites eat very little and take a
> long time to do any real damage. Anyone who uses fear tactics to sell
> you termite treatment should be escorted from the property.
> -----
>
> - gpsman
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Lar wrote:
> In article <1150490534.944370.236460@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com>,
> kathg5@netzero.net says...
> Hello, I have wood damage on a stair in my basement. No mud tubes but
> the wood had has been eaten. The first man, Terminix, said that it was
> dry rot not termites. Just a fee of $460 to treat carpenter ants.
> Some of those I found and saved to show what's down there. The second
> man, Orkin, dug around in stair riser and it sure looks like something
> has been eating the wood. The cost of termite treatment and carpenter
> ant treatment would be $2,400 total. My question is, can I take the
> eaten wood some where to see if termites really were eating it? I
> know I will have to call more companies for further estimates but who
> does one trust? I would appreciate any suggestions Thanks, Kath
>
>
> It's impossible to say if someone is really a crook or not but both
> companies you have called sent a SALESMAN, not an exterminator. They
> get paid by commission, so the more they sell the more they earn. The
> more they earn the more "bonuses" and points for end of year trips they
> get. Maybe find a local, established independent company in the area
> that someone you may know will recommend. You probably can find better
> pricing on your ant treatments too, most parts of the country even
> carpenter ants are really a non issue, I don't charge any extra for carp
> ants than any other type of ant and many I know around the country do
> the same.
> --
> Lar
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| Hi Thanks to those who responded to my message. You've given me some
ideas for a starting point. Monday I will try calling my local
agriculture office and the natural history
museum here in the city. It is good to know that termites feed slowly.
Thanks again. I will post again if I am successful in getting
something done. Kath
Kath wrote:[color=darkred]
> Lar wrote:
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