Every year in the United States termites cause well over one billion dollars in property damage alone, far more than the economic cost of tornadoes, hurricanes and all wind storms combined. Having a termite inspection conducted in and around a home is not expensive, but having an active termite infestation eradicated from a home can be costly depending on the extent of the infestation and the degree of damage inflicted. Unfortunately, the entire eastern half of Texas is located in a geographic zone where termite activity is categorized as “very heavy,” while the western half is categorized as “heavy to moderate.” The high termite activity in eastern Texas is largely due to the well established presence of the invasive Formosans subterranean termite, which is considered the most destructive termite species in the world. Also, the Gulf Coast area is a hotbed for termite activity, as all termite species rely on copious amounts of water and high-moisture conditions in order to survive, which explains why the destructive insects thrive in southeast Texas. It is recommended that residents of east Texas have two termite inspections conducted on their property per year in order to avoid the economic burden of a termite infestation, while residents of west Texas should have one termite inspection conducted per year.
Many residents are under the impression that only old homes are vulnerable to termite attacks. While it is true that older homes are particularly vulnerable to termite attacks, termite infestations have occurred in Texas homes during construction, and it is not uncommon for homes in southeast Texas to become infested a mere four days after construction is complete. In some cases, an old home may be better protected from termite infestations than a new home, as old homes that are bordered by a termiticide barrier are less likely to become infested than a new home that is lacking such a barrier. While drywood termites are less common than subterranean termites in Texas, the former can be more difficult to detect and eradicate from a home. Subterranean termites can often be eradicated from a home with wood treatments or bait stations, but drywood infestations often require fumigations, as spot treatments can be a gamble. The only sure method of ridding a home of termites is to have a wood-penetrating fumigation carried out, but this is only a last resort, and recently developed termite control methods have proven effective while being far less of an inconvenience for the occupants of an infested home.
If your home became infested with termites which sort of eradication method would you prefer?