The termites are swarming! The termites are swarming! Lights off! Lights off! It's that time of year where neighbors put on their proverbial Paul Revere hats and alert us to clouds of -formerly subterranean- pests filling the skies.
I can tell you the first time I saw a smattering of silvery fairy-like wings on my windowsill, I flipped. I called panicked! My home would collapse by next season if I didn't act quickly! It's not that I was new to termites, I was new to owning a home. I had something worth protecting and I was ready to fight.
I picked up the phone and called my bug guy. I had questions. Where do these little buggers come from? What else can I do to protect my home? And, when should I be worried? Lucky for y'all I recorded that conversation on video.
Jeff Addison is the owner, and operator, of Pied Piper, a local, family-run pest control service. Jeff has thirty years of fighting termites under his belt and shared with me where termites came from, why they're so destructive and what you can do about it. It's all in the video below along with answers to your questions like:
"If they're outside, does it mean they're inside?!"
"What if I find termite damage in my home or a home I'm about to buy?!"
and, "What can I do with this bogus service I currently have?"
(*note: this interview is filmed outdoors in respect of social distancing, apologies for outdoor noise including 1-2 visits by a train).
Don't have time to watch? No problem. Here are the Cliff Notes from the video interview:
Where Did These Little Bastards Come From? Formosan termites (the pervasive type that eat your house) joined us by boat in New Orleans following WWII.
Why Are They So Heinous? Their colonies are massive, they like to eat, and they like to eat things made up of wood, like your house.
How Though? They live underground and they crawl up through the piers (stacks our homes are built on) and eat their way up. Or they fly around and land on roofs and gutters munching top down.
They Fly? Yep. When termites reach a growth stage, they molt, and find their destiny. Some become soldiers, some foragers, others swarm and mate.
What About These Swarms? End of May through mid June is 'swarm season.' Something triggers the newly molted winged beast and they fly in the thousands. Side note they're drawn towards light, hence, 'turn off your lights!'
What Can You Do? Protect your house with liquid chemical treatment (that goes below the surface of the ground), it provides an 'underground wall' to keep out the little buggers. And/or bait your house with a poison like Termador. The pests take it back to their colonies and shut down the colony. But also: keep your gutters clean, keep plants off and away from your house, get rid of wood lying around on the ground especially if it's near or even under your house.
If They're Outside My House Are They Inside?: Not necessarily. "They're cryptic, they're very secretive, but once discovered [and addressed] they run off." Still, get your home protected.
Are Store-bought Sprays Enough?: No and no. Sprays treat the surface but subterranean bugs need treatment that runs deeper. Subterranean treatments should last 7-10 years, check with your pest-control company.
How Common Is This Problem?: It's prevalent. According to our expert, as many as 50% of homes in New Orleans are not protected.
If My Neighbors Are Protected Am I?: No Sir. It's sort of like if your neighbors had a better theft-deterrent system, then are you ok? Not at all. You may even attract trouble by being the one without a plan.
Where Do They Damage My Home?: You're most likely going to find visible damage in crawl spaces and attics. It's not that these places are tastier it's that the damage is easier to see as the space is unfinished with dry wall and paint, etc. They also go after floors, walls, trees, etc. basically anywhere with cellulose
What If A House I'm Interested In Buying Has Damage? According to our expert, almost all homes will have had termites at one point or another. It's common to see damage on inspection reports. What you want to be cautious about is looking for signs of active termites during an inspection. If they're present, they can be treated and things can be prepared. You'll want to include both the treatment and repair in your negotiations.
Bottom line. Be smart, get protected, put in the work, and you won't have to worry about your home value being eaten by wood-eating insects.
I hope you found this information helpful. If you have questions about New Orleans real estate or caring for your property, please reach out. Please also continue to let me know your burning questions about searching for or living happily in your home, I'll do my best to provide the answers.
Voted Neighborhood Favorite by Nextdoor, Team Cool Murphy is a top-producing, licensed real estate team based in New Orleans, brokered by Cool Murphy, LLC.
Celebrated for her next-level creative approach to real estate, Elisa Cool Murphy is an award-winning, top-performing agent in New Orleans and the founder and leader of Cool Murphy, LLC.
Contact Her -
email: cool@coolmurphy.com
Facebook: @homeinneworleans
IG: @coolmurphynola
YouTube: @coolmurphynola
phone: 504-321-3194
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