Termites

[carinab]

So, I'm going through the year end filing and I notice that there isn't an annual inspecition from our termite service (we've had a contract for the past six years). We started the service about a month after buying the house. While removing unbelievable amounts of asian jasmine off the brick, we found a mud tunnel about a half inch from a weep hole on the foundation. It seems we found an active colony just in time before they made it into the structure. But I digress....I call the company and it turns out they never received payment back in October. I find the invoice with the payment stub removed but can't find where a check was cashed. I renew over the phone paying by credit card.

Flash forward to this morning. The inspector shows up and does his interior and exterior inspection. A clean bill of health he says. No active termites.

I go up to the attic to stow a newly purchased artificial xmas tree (to replace the Charlie Brown tree we've used for the last ten years - got to take advantage of those clearance sales you know). While finding a home for the new tree, I find four vertical 2x4 boards that appear to have termite damage. A further inspection shows a 2x12 joist with some damage. The joist extends over towards an exterior wall. I don't know if the damage goes the whole way as I couldn't crawl over there. The exterior wall has no mud tunnels on the outside but it does have a faucet and a rain gutter stop point. In other words, that exterior wall has a water source.

So now I'm kinda panicky, I call my husband and he says to "hold off...Don't call the service company yet till I look at it. They might think it suspicious that you found termites so soon after renewing an overdue contract. You might find the contract in the meantime." I find the contract...and I quote:

"No liability for termite damage: The use of the pesticide is for the treatment of the termite colony and not for the treatment of the structure. [Compay] shall have no liability for the repair of termite damage to the covered property." And further on in the contract: "Customer expressly waives any claim for

1. regardless of whether [company] knew of, was advised of, or should have been aware of the possibility of such damages. The total amount collectible as a result of any litigation brought against [company] for
   1. will not exceed the total amount of all monies paid for services."

WTF...No really, I mean W in T blazing F...

So you hire a service to prevent infestation but if you end up with an infestation, too bad? And why in the world would my husband have signed up with a company that has this kind of contract. Is this a standard contract for the industry???

Since I doubt I will get much response/satisfaction with this pest control company, does anyone have a suggestion as to what to do about treating my attic/structure? I mean besides learning how to swing a framing hammer....

I read that tenting/fumigation doesn't prevent re-infestation. While websurfing I did find something called Boracare. It's a mineral salt that is soaked into all the timber in your structure to render the wood unviable as a food source. It's supposedly a "green" solution, i.e. not toxic to humans, plants, water, etc.

Ack!

Edited December 29, 2006 by carinab

[BrianH]

Think I'll go home and check my contract....

[dajarrel]

I can't understand a termite company not standing behind their work. The pest control company we use (can I say Terminex?) responded to our call about an infestation. As long as the damage was ACTIVE termite damage (read, you have to see the little critters), they would fix it.

Ours was the formosan termites and they were eating away when the inspector got here.

The next day the contractor was there replacing the damaged wood.

FWIW

dj

Edited December 28, 2006 by dajarrel

[bulm540]

I will read my contract too. Boracare is good stuff.