Replies

1. 
   MikeSmith | Mar 19, 2007 11:28pm | #1

   where do you live ?

   how old is the house ?

   is there a basement ... crawlspace.... slab-on -grade ?

   does it have a pressure treated sill ?

   what kind of  foundation do you have.... block, poured concrete, stone ?

    

   is the foundation clear from the sill to 8" down to the ground ?

   can you see yur foundation all the way around the house ?

    

   Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
1. 
   bobl | Mar 19, 2007 11:34pm | #2

   "can you see yur foundation all the way around the house ?"inside and out.is there any wood contacting the concrete walls and floors?since there is a contract in place, I would assume there was an infestation at some point.depending how long ago that infestation was will determine what chemicals were used.do you see any swarms any time during the year? 

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

   Baloney detecter    WFR

   "But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG

1. 
   linosdad | Mar 20, 2007 12:21am | #8

   HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY SWARMS...I THINK I WILL KEEP THE CONTRACT, WHICH SEEMS LIKE RELATIVELY CHEAP INSURANCE IF THE FIX COST CAN EASILY BE IN THE THOUSANDS...BUT I WILL CHECK TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY MONETARY LIMITS.  THANKS EVERYONE.

1. 
   xxPaulCPxx | Mar 20, 2007 01:30am | #10

   I live in SoCal, and termites are a big problem here too, though we get different kinds than you.

   Instead of paying $155 every year, put that money into savings and pay to have your house tented every 10 years.  That kills everything EVERYWHERE in your house - not just the places the termite guys can see.

   You are paying $155 a year for them to occasionally fix facia boards around the edge of your roof.  If that's worth it to you, more power to ya.  All the termites I found in my renovations on my house were in places the termite guys never go, like inside the walls, joists, and rafters.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

   Also a CRX fanatic!

1. 
   RichBeckman | Mar 20, 2007 03:42am | #12

   "Instead of paying $155 every year, put that money into savings and pay to have your house tented every 10 years. That kills everything EVERYWHERE in your house - not just the places the termite guys can see."

   Tenting kills the termites?? First I've heard of it. Maybe the one's in the house at the time. But there is still the colony underground....THEY'LL BE BACK! ...and it won't take ten years either.

   Rich BeckmanThis signature line intentionally left blank.

2. 
   john7g | Mar 20, 2007 03:57am | #13

   They'll be back for sure.  Been reading up again on termites lately for some strange reason.  Seems they don't move to a location and infest it 'til it's gone but kind of like to vary their menus by moving in for a while then leaving for a different meal then come back.  Tenting won't get them if their inside a surface.  What does get them is lackof water and they have to return to the earth for that.  Having the chemicals in their path is what finishes them off. 

3. 
   brownbagg | Mar 20, 2007 04:32am | #14

   $155 is not for killing bugs, its an insurance policy. chance of termite damage, around here, about 90%

4. 
   bobl | Mar 20, 2007 06:10am | #15

   "$155 is not for killing bugs, its an insurance policy"there is some confusion, at least in my mind.Is this $155 for yearly inspection and retreatment as required, or to fix damage by the termites?the inaccessable crawlspace makes me go ut-oh. treatment is done inside and out. 

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

   Baloney detecter    WFR

   "But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG

2. 
   MisterT | Mar 19, 2007 11:39pm | #4

   Man you ask a LOT of questions...:)Wars of nations are fought to change maps.

    But wars of poverty are fought to map change.

3. 
   john7g | Mar 19, 2007 11:59pm | #6

   All very good questions that many don't know about.  I see a lot of new houses with soil right up to the PT sill.  Doesntt matter much if the sill is PT if they have that short of a distance between soil and behind the siding. 

4. 
   linosdad | Mar 20, 2007 12:15am | #7

   THANKS FOR ALL OF THE RESPONSES.  I WILL ANSWER MIKE'S QUESTIONS, SINCE HE HAD THE MOST.

   where do you live ?  LONG ISLAND, NY

   how old is the house ?  ~57 YEARS

   is there a basement ... crawlspace.... slab-on -grade ? BASEMENT IS MOSTLY FINISHED, EXCEPT BOILER ROOM AND WORKSHOP; ALSO HAVE AN INACCESSIBEL CRAWL SPACE UNDER AN EXTENSION FROM THE '60S; NO SLABS.

   does it have a pressure treated sill ?  NOT SURE.  SILLS WERE INSTALLED IN 1951.

   what kind of  foundation do you have.... block, poured concrete, stone ?  MAIN HOUSE IS POURED CONCRETE; 2 EXTENSIONS ARE BLOCK.

   is the foundation clear from the sill to 8" down to the ground ?  YES.

   can you see yur foundation all the way around the house ? YES, FROM THE EXTERIOR, BUT ONLY PART WAY FROM THE INTERIOR.

   THANKS, NICK

2. 
   bobl | Mar 19, 2007 11:37pm | #3

   "What are the chances of getting termites?"
   sounds like they are in the area, these suckers are likely subteranian
   and so likely in the area since there was a treatment.

   " And how much does it cost to fix?"

   a new treatment I would guess at $1500-$2000, but that is a wild guess.

   how much to fix the house?, depends on the damage.

    

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

   Baloney detecter    WFR

   "But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG

3. 
   john7g | Mar 19, 2007 11:57pm | #5

   Damage all depends on the length of time they have before discovery & ranges from the incosequential no action to a couple of $K depending on where the damage is.  You ought to read the fine print on the contract and see if there is a monetary limit on what they'll pay out, kind of damage they'll cover and do the math from there.  Some fo the contracts have a low monetary limit and aren't very useful. 

   As for chances of getting termites maybe check with the local agriculture dept extension to get the most accurate info for your locale.  Here in GA it's not a matter of if, but when will a house will get them.  Have you searched google yet?  Looks like LI has a pretty good population of termites. 

1. 
   linosdad | Mar 20, 2007 12:22am | #9

   THANKS JOHN

   NICK

4. 
   frenchy | Mar 20, 2007 02:19am | #11

   linosdad,

       in Minnesota we have free termite prevention.. it's called winter.. ;-)