In the desert Southwest there are absoultely termites lurking around most homes and having a proper termite prevention barrier in place is key. New homes will very typically come equipped with a five year warranty, so should you see any termite activity the original subcontractor that treated the home will come out to take care of the issue. However, after the five year warranty period expires it’s often overlooked to continue prevention techniques and/or barriers.
Some things you can do to keep your home in top shape and avoid termite problems and resulting large bills is to purchase an extended warranty (or similar service plan) and/or practice good lanscaping practices to avoid higher risk of termite activity. Most often we recommend a full retreat of the property which while sometimes expensive up front can prevent larger bills from multiple spot treatments for years to come. After this new application you should have a similar warranty period in place and any other activity will be covered.
Another avenue to mitigate your risk, regardless of whether you have a warranty or not, is to prevent conditions which are conducive to termites. This means making sure your yard drainage is away from the slab and structure of your home. Standing water near the foundation is a recipe for inviting in termites. Therefore be sure your landscaping and plants are a few feet away from the house too. You should also try to maintain a 4″ height between the outside ground level and the bottom plate of your home’s framing. This leaves a stem of concrete visible at which you can easily notice termite “mud tubes/tunnels” and keeps termites from direct contact with the wood framing of your home.
Practice these few tips and consider an extended termite warranty or service plan to ensure your home remains in top shape. Remember, many homes will experience some termite activity in this desert Southwest area, but it’s those left untreated that can have devastating consequences down the road.
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