We just bought a 25-year old home and I’m worried about termites. How do we know whether the house has termite protection? What do we need to do to protect our new investment from wood damage? P. F., Norfolk, MA

A termite baiting system can protect your home

Good for you for being proactive. Too many people wait until they see evidence of termites. At that point, damage has been done.

Start With a Termite Inspection

When you bought your home, the real estate agent or the lending institution should have arranged for a termite inspection (see Real Estate Termite Inspections – Who When, and Why?). Presumably, your new home passed the inspection or you would have heard about it. If your home didn’t have a termite inspection prior to purchase, you might want to schedule one now for your own peace of mind.

There’s no good way to know if your home is protected unless you have evidence from the previous owners of a recent termite treatment or baiting program. When your home was built, it had to have a termite pretreatment. But, depending on which pesticide was used and whether or not the treated soil has since been disturbed, that 25-year old treatment may no longer be protecting your home.

Consider a Termite Baiting and Monitoring System

Depending on what a termite inspection finds and the inspector’s recommendations, you can choose either to do nothing, have a full conventional termite treatment, or install a termite baiting system to provide ongoing protection for your home.

At Colonial, the bones of our termite protection program is the Sentricon Colony Elimination System which is an innovative termite baiting program. Termite monitoring stations are placed in the ground around the perimeter of your home. Foraging termites find and feed on the treated wood in the stations and carry it back to the colony. Termite bait stations provide you with a permanent, ongoing termite monitoring program…and peace of mind. The bait stations are always there, ready to intercept termites before they reach your home. Give Colonial a call today to schedule your termite inspection.

For more on termite baiting systems:

• Protect Your Home with Termite Bait Stations
• How Do Termite Bait Stations Work?
• Why Choose Termite Baits? – Advice From the Pros

Photo credit: fonticulus / Foter / CC BY-ND