Why Get A Termite Inspection?
Benjamin Franklin is notorious for stating that “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In Southern California, Specifically Santa Clarita, we measure things slightly differently.
Distance isn’t measured in miles, but in minutes, conveniently divided into “with traffic,” or “without traffic.” Well, in the termite world, “prevention” and “cure” are measured in dollars so perhaps if Benjamin Franklin were a Santa Clarita Termite Inspector he may say “$100 of termite prevention is worth $1000 of orange oil treatment or fumigation!”
That’s pretty much the formula, and there are few exceptions, but similar to personal health, most people are woefully behind on termite inspections, mostly because our city is so “new.”
In surrounding areas like La Canada, Pasadena and South Los Angeles, termites have already engrained themselves into the average homeowners psyche because civilization began there on a large scale so much longer ago.
Previous Article: How To “Termite Proof” Your House In Santa Clarita
Termites can invade a home the day after it is built and in ocassionally, in very rare cases homes are built with termite infested wood, but, by and large, homes in their first couple of decades are relatively spared from termite activity compared to their 40, 50 and 60-year old cousins.
That’s because the seismic cracks, additions, accidents, and upgrades to a home that may allow entrance to termites haven’t really been completed yet or been there long enough to yield termites.
Now about those cousins, the older homes. Pretty much anything built before the year 2000 is getting termites by now. Many of the modern track homes were built with sealed eaves and minor boracare treatments on the ground floor before the stucco was applied, but on average, the homes built during the housing booms of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, are rife with decorative wood beams, korbels, and out-croppings that succumb easily to dry-rot and drywood termites.
Wood is basically a really, really, really hard sponge that can soak up as much water as you can give it. To be classified as “Dry Lumber” (KD-15 or KD-19) at Lowe’s and Home Depot, the American Softwood Lumber Standard is only 15% to 19%. Termites can survice and thrive at moisture content levels as low as 24% in Santa Clarita. So at any given time, your home’s wood may be as little as only five moisture percentage points away from drywood termite infestation.
To make things even more nefarious, termites do not eat the outer layers of wood, only the inner layers (see picture) so unless a trained ear is hitting the wood or probing the wood to find their “galleries” (tunnels) you may go literally years without realizing you have an infestation.
Couple that with the fact that your average home built between 1960 and 2000 has over 85% of the wood covered with stucco or drywall, making it inaccessible to visual inspection and you can see why professional analysis is so important.
Fortunately, homeowner termite insepctions, if performed once every 1-3 years, are generally free and if termite infestations are found they can be treated with XT-2000 Orange Oil or Termidor products that don’t require a homeowner leave their home for a fumigation and are MUCH more affordable (remember our friend Benjamin Franklin?).
For a free homeowner termite inpection in Santa Clarita, feel free to contact Cardon Ellis at his Unipest Office at 661-BUG-7575 or 661-284-7575.
About Cardon Ellis
Cardon Ellis (Structural Pest Control Operator License #12256) is a 30+ year resident of the Santa Clarita Valley and 10+ year veteran of Santa Clarita Pest Control. Co-founding Unipest Termite and Pest Control with his father in 2009, Cardon enjoys the science, art, and humor of Eco-Friendly pest and termite control. He loves the smell of Orange Oil in the morning. Cardon Can be reached anytime at 661-284-7575 or visit www.unipest.com
The Santa Clarita pest and termite control company Unipest is the premiere residential and commercial pest control company for Los Angeles County. If you’re looking for pest or termite control in Santa Clarita or surrounding areas, Unipest prides itself on being your one-stop solution, and offer orange oil treatments, bee hive removal, fumigation, escrow inspections, removal of bed bugs, organic pest control and more. Residents and business owners are encouraged to call Unipest for immediate assistance!
