I just got an estimate to have my little cottage fumigated for termites. It's an older home, built in the 1940's. The man who gave did the inspection told me that it needs to be tented. Fortunately, it's a very small house. They will also be replacing some of the wood on the chicken coop and will replace the back door. Maintenance is a constant when you own property.
It will be a relief when it is all finished. I need to trim the conifers near the front porch so that they don't touch the wood posts. The material will be pulled taut between the posts and the trees. I have electric shears that work very well, and they are light and easy to carry.
I remember when we first moved to California from Seattle, Washington, my parents decided not to purchase an older, Spanish style home. Their offer had been accepted, but the house that didn't pass the termite inspection. Instead, they chose a newer home that was not as charming, but it was in excellent condition and in the top school district.
Many years later, they found another Spanish style home in a fantastic neighborhood. It was worth the wait. We didn't know the area when they discovered the first place. I'm glad now they didn't get it. In retrospect, I can see that it wasn't located in a very appealing neighborhood. My whole destiny would have been different regarding friends, dance training and schools. In those days we thought the whole house would fall down if you had termites.
Have you ever had them at your residence? They are common in California.
Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and energy to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them. Comments may take a few days to appear; they are moderated.
I don't know if termites are the same as what we call borer - tiny bugs which bore into wood, leaving holes. Tons of holes. Not many homes get it now as our wood is all treated before building.
ReplyDeleteI think so, swami rs. It will be a relief to get the problem fixed.
ReplyDeleteI did a termite inspection before buying this house. It was required by the bank.
ReplyDeleteI have to buy some termite stakes to place around the house. Termites and ants are a big problem in Florida.
Hi Nil, I did the same for the cabin. I will need to keep up on termite inspections with the cottage. I have been paying cash for all the repairs, and budgeting a certain amount each year.
DeleteHi! I was browsing so decided to drop in and read about your termites. No, we don't have them I think here in Wisconsin but we have plenty of other bugs!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place you have!
Hi Val, Thank you for reading and for commenting. I have never been to Wisconsin. Isn't that where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived? I love my place, too. Thanks.
DeleteI've not had to deal with them, but my great aunt and uncle's place had to be destroyed because it was so bad. They took good care of things so it was surprising - all looked good from the outside. Good you are having it taken care of before it gets to far. Your cottage is so charming, would be sad to let it go that direction.
ReplyDeleteThat's so sad, LL. I love this cottage. I would hate to see that happen. How tragic.
DeleteWe have a system here whereby the company puts baits in tubes all around the house to attract any termites. If the baits are taken,they replace the bait with a poison which kills the nest without leaving any chemical residue anywhere. We see this system as a less toxic method of control and it feels like insurance.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds excellent, emw. I will have to look into it. I am going to have to use chemicals now, but maybe I can switch to something like that in the future.
DeleteThanks Laurie. I think it probably is too cold for termites there. I love hollyhocks. Unfortunately, this year I think the rabbits have been munching on them.
ReplyDeleteTermites can be an issue here in Australia too, Stephanie. We built our home so that visual inspection is possible right around the perimeter of the house and used steel stumps instead of wooden stumps. We still keep an eye out for any signs of them though. Meg
ReplyDeleteThat was wise, Meg. These had gotten in around the windows. I am going to keep a careful eye on them in the future.
DeleteOh, no, not termites! I, too, had to do a termite inspection when I bought the house, but, haven't had it inspected since! May I ask what made you have the termite inspection done?
ReplyDeleteHI Bless, They had eaten away at the wood in the eaves of my roof, and gotten into the back door. It was very obvious. There were small piles of what looked like sawdust on the floor and at the bottoms of a few of the window sills. I replaced that wood, and am getting a new door.
DeleteGood luck with the termite tenting. We dodged a bullet about 5 years ago with them. I noticed a pile of "sawdust" outside a newly (2 years prior) installed French door so I called for an evaluation. It was just a localized infestation which was quickly taken care of with an injection of pesticide. They did spray some deterrent chemicals in the attic which is supposed to keep the flying termites from attacking. It is almost time to have the deterrent sprayed again as it only lasts about 5 years. My father's house was used by a local company as a training house for exterminators for years. The house has a tall crawl space underneath which is very unusual here.
ReplyDeleteHi Anita, That's fortunate that you caught them right away and got the injection. I am relieved to have them coming to fix this problem and to install a new back door. That's where most of them were living.
DeleteThankfully we don't get termites in England but it must be a constant nightmare as they do so much damage don't they. Is fumigation an expensive thing?
ReplyDeleteHi Cherie, It is, but in my case it is needed. Fortunately, my house is very small, so it's much less expensive than most homes.
DeleteTermites! Ackkkk!! Happy you will eliminate those critters soon. :-)
ReplyDeleteThere is a standing joke (with too much truth for comfort) that any home in the Valley of the Sun (greater Phoenix, AZ area) that does NOT have termites WILL have termites. My parents home had to be treated (not tented) several times in the 1980s and 1990s. There was so much new construction in the area that the colonies kept relocating. A good termite contract was a necessity!
My ex and I had to have the six homes we renovated in SoCal (1970s) treated as part of the inspection process. No termites at any of the locations, but local codes were very strict. That can be a good thing!
. I
Hi Taja, Wow, six homes in Southern California! I should have done this a long time ago. It is a relief to have it on the schedule. You have a lot of experience in real estate.
DeleteYikes, it sounds expensive to treat. It will obviously be totally worth it though. Lets hope that will be the last of the expenses for a while for you. It's been a tough year x
ReplyDeleteHi PP, I should have done this a long time ago. I put it off because of other expenses and repairs. There is still more work to be done, but I have a plan. I am fortunate to have a lovely cabin where I can stay.
DeleteGood luck with the extermination, termites can cause so much damage! Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mereknits. That's true. I am thankful that a solution is in the works.
DeleteStephanie, you would not have been impressed. They were in a 1920s - 1930s era redevelopment area that had been ignored for nearly 20 years. Can you say nasty? Very strict requirements regarding footprint, materials and residency. There were 12 small homes (a bit larger than your Pink Cottage) and the city could find only six semi-qualified individuals/couples. One other couple survived with us. The city rewrote the plan (one year as primary residence was required) and asked the survivors to develop an additional property each, which expanded to multiples when they still were unable to entice new home owners. The project finally gained momentum after nine properties were completed and people could see the potential. We lived in our first renovation for six years until we moved to Arizona.
ReplyDeleteConsidering that my ex was a scientist and I was an entrepreneur, I'm still amazed that we qualified at all. Apparently, the qualities that served us well professionally applied to home renovation. An interesting experience, but not one I would care to repeat!
...Taja
That was very smart, though. Real estate that does well can really help to pad your retirement and security.
DeleteTermite inspections are common, maybe by law even, for buying homes here. Never had them though! I hear the pesticide is a bit brutal. Andrea
ReplyDeleteIt is, but going without would be worse. I need to save the house.
Deletetermites are everywhere here, Australias' bush is full of them, they're food for many other insects & animals
ReplyDeletemy house was termite proofed many years before i got it & when i had the stumps redone they had to wait for an inspection to assess if it was still active; it was thankfully; i don't have gardens right on the house here like in previous places (all rentals) i put logs & sleepers down around my gardens & some of those have perished from termites, the black ants we have here eat them & keep them away. we also have echidnas in the area as well, plenty of termites around for them too.
good luck with your treatment
thanx for sharing
That sounds like a healthy ecosystem, selina.
ReplyDelete