You might of heard this statement before from a real estate professional or a pest control company, and that is that there are three types of termites:
- Termites you had
- Termites you have
- Termites you are going to have
Here are some local facts about termites in the Phoenix Metro Area:
Arizona has subterranean termites; they live in colonies underground, in which they build mud tubes primarily along the foundation walls. These tubes consists of a network of tunnels from which they search for a food. However, it should be noted that they do not live in the wood frame of you house (like in the other areas of the country) because they are dependent on moisture for survival.
Other Arizona Termite Facts:
- It is estimated that one in twenty homes are infested each year by termites.
- Termites can fit through a crack of 1/16th of an inch to invade a home.
- Concrete homes are prone to termites as well as wood frame homes.
- A typical home infected by termites usually has three of four colonies… there are 1 million termites for each colony!
What can be done to reduce the risk of a termite attack?
- Remove any wood contact with ground. Any wood material should be at least six inches above the ground level.
- Be sure that the soil around the home is sloping away from the foundation.
- Eliminate excess moisture build up near the foundation. Be sure that water is divert away from the foundation and there are no leaking pipes or hoses.
- Do not allow wood support materials for landscaping and make sure firewood and other lumber is stored away from the foundation.
- It is a common mistake to store cardboard boxes in your garage.. this is a yet another food source for these subterranean termites.
Preventative treating is the best way to protect your home from termites. You can have this performed annually and will also receive a 1 year renewable warranty. If termites revisit your home the termite will retreat the premise at no additional charge.
There are several professional pest control firms, including: Truly Nolen, Orkin, Terminix, etc. Most treatments will costs around $500 and can go up to $2,000 if the company has to drill into the foundation for treatment.
