Termite Damage - First-Hand Accounts

No one will deny that termites are pests. But to dismiss them as merely that is to categorize them along with mosquitoes and flies – creatures that no one wants around, but which we have to live with. This is a mistake. Termites can destroy a home, the furnishings in it, and by doing that ruin a family’s finances and negatively impact the future.

If this sound like scare-mongering, the following horror stories of termite damage will demonstrate how terrible the consequences of a termite infestation can be.

The New (Nightmare) Home

One year ago, a family in San Diego finally bought a long-awaited house. They put their heart and all their resources into updating it to make it their dream home. They spent almost a year on the project, happily suffering the discomfort of first living in a motel and then living in a work in progress. When everything was done, they contacted the home insurance company to upgrade their policy to cover the new and improved home and its contents. That is when the axe fell. The house was found to be uninhabitable as over 75% of the structure had termite damage. Termite infestation had been part of the pre-purchase home inspection and it had been clear then. But no termite protection had been arranged during the renovation. The end result was that the family had to pack up and leave; it took them years of living in a cramped rented apartment before they could repair the damage to their finances. As for the house, it was auctioned off for peanuts on an “as is” basis.

The Room of Stored Horror

A house proud family in Orange County took good care of its home. Some years ago, they spotted a few termites and called in pest control to get rid of them. Since then, they never had a problem, or so they thought. One day they decided to do some spring cleaning and finally got around to the store room where all the nice things they had been collecting for years had been kept for when the 3 daughters got married. The door was opened and they were greeted by a huge termite colony eating away at everything that was in the room. The financial loss was huge but perhaps even worse was the emotional suffering caused by the loss of what they had been collecting over the years. If only regular termite treatment had been done!

All the above stories are true and there has been no exaggeration. The danger with termites is that they arrive unnoticed and start their destruction unseen. In many cases, it is only when the damage has reached an advanced stage and the signs become obvious that action is taken to get rid of them. Unfortunately, by that time the cost of repairing the damage to the structure and replacing the interior furnishings that the pests attacked can be huge. In extreme cases, the family’s bank accounts could be drained. Recovery could take years and during that time, everyone’s lives will be affected. Prevention is better than cure is a trite old adage, but it is true. Spending a small amount to have your home protected from damage by a professional termite control company is essential. If you have a termite problem, or suspect that you do, using a professional termite control service to get rid of it should never be delayed.