Keep your Home Safe During Termite Season, Have a Holly Springs Realtor Help you Find a Pest-Free Home!

Our home is our biggest financial investment, and protecting our home should be a high priority.  We love North Carolina, but with it comes termites, and termites can destroy a home.  Spring is the swarming season for most subterranean termites, and they usually swarm on a warm day after a rainfall.   This Subterranean species is prevalent in NC, and they are called the reproductive termites or “swarmers”;  their job is to mate and start new colonies.

Here is a photo taken when subterranean termites swarmed an office after a spring rain came through:

Below is subterranean termite evidence found on the inside window sill of a home (on an outside wall) of a building that hosts a porch with a low crawl space; they chewed right up the wall and came out on top of the window sill.

Swarming termites are often confused with flying ants, but they can be distinguished by three simple characteristics

There are a lot of questions regarding termite control.

• How often does my house need an inspection?
• Does my house need a treatment?
• Are the chemicals safe?
• Can I save money using “DIY” methods?
• What is the warranty for an inspection?

All these can be answered by a professional termite company.  Also, even if you don’t see active termites, you can always examine the foundation of your home to see whether mud shelter tubes are present.  Subterranean termites build runways (dirt tubes) to travel between their underground nest and their food supply which is “your home”.  A professional pest control company can look for signs of termites; it can be hard to see termite activity in houses without a crawl space.

As a buyer’s agent, we always suggest our clients get a termite inspection during the due diligence period once they go under contract on their dream home.  A pest control inspection not only reports on active termite infestation, but also looks at any previous activity that may indicate a need for repairs.  Once inspected, and if termite evidence is not found, the client is usually provided with a termite clearance letter which usually includes a 90-day time frame in which the report is “good”.  The company that provides this letter is then on the hook for treatment if termites show up within 90 days from the issuance of the report. All extermination companies have different policies, rules and regulations, so you always want to check with the company before hiring them to make sure they guarantee their work and for how long. Clients can also obtain an annual termite bond on any current property that has been cleared by an inspection.  A termite bond is a minimal investment to guard against expensive treatment costs if termite infestation occurs while under the bond.  We recommend getting a termite bond since these pesky insects are widespread in this area.

Call Team Anderson Realty at 919-610-5126 to have a Holly Springs Realtor represent you in buying a termite free home!