Termite Prevention Day is August 17th. This day exists to educate homeowners on the dangers of termite infestation.
August is the perfect time for this because in hot and dry weather, many tend to see more bugs in their homes. This is because many species are more active in warmer weather because they’re out of hibernation and they need food and water.
RHI Home Inspections offers pest inspections standard with every inspection. This WDI inspection is highly recommended because insects can be present long before you notice them. It is especially important to accurately identify what pest you are dealing with so that you can take the appropriate action.
Due to this, we partner with vetted pest companies like T&G Pest Control owned by Ryan Fleming. We sat down with Ryan to hear more about his company and share out all the services they offer.
Tell us the T&G story.
“T&G started as a family-owned company back in 1984 and was run by the Williams family until November of 2019. When I purchased the company from the Williams family, my vision for the company was to provide trusted and guaranteed pest solutions people could trust, and affordable service for all things pest.
I wanted to grow a business with employees that were universal in being able to address multitude of pest issues for customers, while also providing innovative solutions in wildlife protection. It was also important to create solutions for crawlspaces and attics that reduce the probability of pest issues.
T&G have been living this mission ever since the creation of that vision. Due to this, our team have been able to give back often to the community we love and serve.”
What are some of the things you find that could contribute to costly repairs?
“Many issues begin when homeowners neglect their crawlspace or drainage around the home. This could involve moisture damage or ongoing termite issues. Moreover, this could also be scenarios that lead to moisture problems and conducive conditions for termite activity to be more prevalent. So, it is always a good plan to have the interior and exterior inspected by a qualified professional and they can inform you of things to watch out for, as well as future repairs or treatment to start budgeting for.”
What might look bad, but isn’t a serious problem?
“Regarding termite damage, people look at drywall, door frames, and softer woods or areas that are not actually supporting the house. These areas can accumulate cosmetic termite damage but are easily repaired and remedied with the appropriate treatment.
If it is caught in the first year of activity, everything is in the beginning stages and will be fine, which is why we recommend yearly inspections. It is always important to watch for swarming pests like termites or carpenter ants, which can signal an ongoing problem, even out in the yard before they get to the home.
Second, people often see spider webs everywhere around their home and pests caught in webs. This is completely normal and usually is easily remedied by simply treating around the house, removing webs, and nesting areas consistently between 1- and 2-month intervals.”
When should someone consider a pest inspection and/or treatment?
“Typically, that can vary. We always recommend getting an inspection a few key times yearly for termites once you own the property, before purchasing, and before selling your home.
Moreover, when building a home, it is always a great idea to either treat the foundation with a liquid termiticide, which will eliminate a colony as it tries to pass through the homes foundation, or in some cases customers elect to treat all of the exposed wood members directly while the home is being built with a borate product that also protects against termites and other wood destroying organisms.
Lastly, many elect to treat after the home is built and keep the invasiveness low, as treatments have advanced a lot over the years.”
What types of services does T&G provide?
“First, we provide normal pest control services, and they range from once a year to ongoing preventative quarterly or monthly options, but can also provide protection against things like rodents, mosquitos, or termite monitoring/warranty.
On the termite end of things, we provide pre and post construction termite liquid treatments around the foundation, as well as a baiting system alternative option. Borate wood treatments are also available and are directly applied to wood surfaces. This treatment will protect against termites, carpenter ants, wood boring, beetles, fungus/mold issues.
Our crawlspace care program covers things like clean up and maintenance, vapor barrier replacement to prevent moisture intrusion, ventilation, encapsulation, and dehumidification for efficiency improvement.
We also provide a full array of wildlife services and exclusion, along with the installation of cellulose attic insulation that contains natural pest properties that will assist in controlling pests.”
What prevention is key for homeowners to protect their homes from pests?
“They should be sure to always control all conducive conditions, like too many layers of mulch, ongoing moisture and drainage problems, and pest nesting and harborage areas. The most highly recommended defense against pests is constant treatment of the exterior of the home at least on a quarterly basis by the homeowner or preferably a pest professional.
The key factors are that most pests start on the exterior of the home, and by catching them there first, you reduce many pests problems, but not limited to any colonies working to set up shop. You also reduce spider population and their multiple pest food sources by having a preventative treatment in place.”
Nobody enjoys a pest infestation in their home. That is why RHI Home Inspections offers our pest inspection standard with our home inspection. This helps homeowners understand what their pest issues are and then we can help lead them to a solution.
That is why we provide our clients with vetted companies like T&G Pest Control so that issues and remedied and prevented in the future. T&G provides a wide range of services to help protect homes from invasion. Check out all their services on their website.