Termite Monitoring?

[David Stone]

I purchased my home about 2 years ago.  It had termites (or some bug infestation) at some time in the past, but no evidence of anything recently.  The prior owner used a termite monitoring company that set green bait traps around the house and checked them once a year for evidence of termites.  The cost is about $400 a year, and they check the traps once a year.  However, if there are termites, they only pay for remediation -- not to repair any other damage caused by the termites.  I asked what the usual remediation cost was, and the guy said $1,000 to $2000.  I pointed out that it didn't make much sense to pay $400 a year to insure against a $1-2,000 risk, unless there was a high risk of getting termites again.  I asked whether I was at a heightened risk for getting termites because the house had them in the past.  he said not really.  None of my neighbors have this monitoring system.

Is this just a rip off?  I'm I missing something?  I can see the argument that having the monitoring would identify a termite problem quickly, and hopefully before they had time to do much damage.  But it seems very expense for what it is.

Thoughts?

[EightFingers]

Sentricon?

[fredhargis]

I wouldn't do it and agree with your assessment. If you're concerned, get an exterminator to do an inspection every other year (or 3 years). Around here the inspection is free, and since they hope to sell you an extermination they do a pretty good job.

[JosephP]

Pay for an inspection every couple of years instead of having a salesman out.

Where are you? Most of US termites are subterranean - meaning they don't want to be exposed. To get from outside into the house they'll build a tunnel on the side of the house/on the foundation. Keep soil and plants off of the foundation.

You can buy monitoring traps yourself. Or just stick some 2x4 in the ground and dig them out every 6 months to see if termites have been in them (and learn difference between carpenter ants and termites).

[EatenByLimestone]

You can do the monitoring yourself. The big thing for monitors is their placement. Rarely are they installed correctly.

Checking them once Year is BS. If you’re doing it. Check monthly any time the soil is over 50F.

I don’t believe that you’re more apt to have an issue if you have in the past, but you obviously have/had a colony somewhere around your house so there is a chance that you’ll have them again.

We’ve had houses that were treated in the past and the monitors found a new group trying to move in.

There are numerous types of termites in the USA. I think you’re in NY, so we only have subterranean. Down south has the Formosian. They’re scary. They’ll start at your roof and work their way down.

[Snipe Hunter]

I can't answer your questions but I do deal with termite inspectors quite a bit with my job.

Some guys are great. Some aren't. The good ones are almost always independents. The big companies tend to be more about up-selling than inspecting. Most all of them will include a warranty but it only covers remediation inside the home, not repair or bait station.

Most guys who find old termite damage will recommend termite bait stations and a contract to service the bait stations. Better safe than sorry. I've never heard them called monitoring stations but maybe I'm just not aware of it..

In MD, you have to be employed by a licensed exterminator to perform a termite inspection for a real estate transaction. But the actual inspector doesn't need the license.


There's a company who does them for $45 and they have inspectors all over the place. Big local company covers MD, DC and VA. The $45 gets them in the door and their inspectors live off commission from remediation and up-selling warranties. They're in and out in 20 minutes. Maybe 30 if there's a crawlspace. A 1 year Remediation warranty is included in the $45 unless there are active termites. But a damage warranty is additional.

The independents are about $125.00 with no warranty and they're at the house over an hour. These guys are also real exterminators.

[barnowl]

Termites cant be exposed to sun so the build mud tubes to get to the wood.

https://budgetbrotherstermite.com/termite-mud-tubes/

[JosephP]

Termites cant be exposed to sun so the build mud tubes to get to the wood.

https://budgetbrotherstermite.com/termite-mud-tubes/

That is true of Subterranean termites.  As  EatenByLimestone said, there are others.

David, listen to EatenByLimestone...that's what he does.

[EatenByLimestone]

The mud tubes keep the humidity up.

[FireWood]

rather than spend $400 a year on monitoring, I'd consider spending ~$100 or so on a control product like Dominion 2L, and treat the soil around your house.