The Real Cost of Termites

Causing $7 billion in damage every year, termites are not your typical bug or pest problem. The cost of termite damage can be devastating for many. They swarm and multiply so quickly that they can cause a significant amount of damage within days. The damage they leave behind is not limited to a couple of random wood chippings on the outside of your home either. Termites hollow out all wood they can get to, leaving some homes with no support.

The best way to reduce costs from termite damage is to prevent an infestation from the start. The biggest problem, however, is assuming that your home is protected without getting a second opinion. At Delta Pest, we believe that it is important to make sure your home is ready to withstand termite season than to end up paying thousands of dollars to restore your home.

Termites Will Destroy the Structure of Your Home

As you may know, termites eat wood, and nearly every home in the South is built with wood. Even if the exterior of your house is made with brick, the interior panels that keep the frame of your home up are usually made of wood. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates the annual cost of termite damage nationwide ranges between $1 billion and $7 billion. In our years of experience in termite control, we have seen homeowners pay from $500 to $100,000 in termite repair costs.

On top of paying a hefty bill to repair your home from a termite infestation, you will also have to pay a professional termite company to come and remove all the termites in and around your home. To prevent another termite catastrophe, a technician will also have to add preventative termite treatments to keep the termites from returning.

Don’t Rely on Homeowner’s Insurance to Cover the Damage Costs

You may think that your insurance company will soften the blow by covering the cost of termite damage. This is a big mistake. Nearly every insurance agency’s standard homeowner policy makes it very clear that their policy will only protect you from unpreventable damage in your home – the key word here is unpreventable. While you cannot prevent a hurricane from forming in the Gulf and tearing the roof off your home, insurance companies believe you can prevent termite damage.

One of the few exceptions when your homeowner’s insurance may cover the cost of termite damage is if your home completely collapses or if a colony of termites cause a secondary problem like if they chew through a wire that sparks a fire in your home.

Termite Extermination Can Still Be Expensive, But Can Save Your Home

Getting rid of termites before they begin to cause any damage can save you money and the headaches involved in repairing your home’s foundation. Typically, homeowners can expect to pay $300-$950 in termite extermination , depending on the size of your home. Although removing termites may not be as expensive as repairing termite damage, termite removal is still more expensive than taking preventative measures before the problem erupts.

If you are worried that your home might have a termite infestation, a few common signs of an infestation include:

A swarm of winged insects in or around your home
Cracked or bubbling paint combined with termite droppings near the areas.
Wood that sounds hollow when tapped
Mud tubes on exterior walls, wooden beams, or in crawlspaces.

Termites Move Quickly, So It’s Best to be Proactive Than Reactive

A common mistake people tend to make is waiting for a termite problem to arise before acting. By the time you discover that there are termites in your home, most of the damage is already done. Formosan termites can tunnel underground to the inside of your home within days, meaning you have a short window of time between termites colonizing and causing destruction in your home.

An underground protection barrier can protect your home for approximately 10 years. However, you should still have a professional termite inspector come check your home every two to three years. When you sign a contract with Delta Pest, we provide our customers with extra protection by providing termite inspections every year. After all, no one wants to suffer the costly price of termite damage.

Don’t get stuck with an expensive restoration bill. Contact the termite experts at Delta Pest Services in Baton Rouge for the best termite control, starting with a free inspection and estimate today.