Webster’s dictionary defines insidious as “ having a gradual and cumulative effect: subtle, developing so gradually as to be well established before becoming apparent.”
Often, termites are present but not apparent. As examples, in a slab construction house, all the wood framing is usually covered with sheet rock. In a colonial with a finished basement, only a little wood is exposed. So, we may see no signs of termites but it’s very possible that termites are present and active but not visible.
In many cases, we see termite “mud tunnels” or other signs of termites without seeing any live termites. In fact we very rarely see live termites, because they are insidious. A wall can look completely normal and yet when the sheet rock is removed, massive termite damage can become apparent.
Sometimes termite damage is minor and simple to repair. But sometimes termite damage is very extensive and expensive to repair.
There are too many possibilities to discuss them all in this email, but, our strong recommendation is, every wood structure should be protected with an annual termite inspection. Even if somebody says “we never had a problem” they should still have an annual termite inspection. The inspection cost is minimal compared to potential repair costs.
I recently called some extermination companies for pricing information. Annual termite inspections cost range from $100-$135 per year. Termite treatment ranges from approximately $600-$1,200 depending on the size of the house. Feel free to reply to this email if you would like an extermination company recommendation.
For more related information click on this link: https://safeharborinspections.
