Termite Warranties, Know What They Cover

Clients of mine recently returned to their home here in Sun City Grand after spending the summer at their home base in Missouri. They purchased their winter home from me in the spring of 2009.

During the inspection period they had a termite inspection. At that time no termites were detected. The previous owner had a transferrable termite warranty on the home that was good for 1 year from the time it was purchased.

Since their return to Sun City Grand, they have gutted the home for a total remodel. Base boards have been pulled and the whole nine yards.

I received a call from them last week. After removing the base boards they discovered termites. Now these could be inactive termites, but what a surprise that was waiting for them.

I looked through my paperwork from their transaction and contacted the termite company. It so happened that the termite warranty was due to expire that same day. Yikes! Luckily the termite company extended the warranty for one month. My client drove down to the termite company and renewed the warranty.

As it turns out their warranty did not cover under the baseboards for whatever reason. So they ended up paying for treatment.

Termite Tidbits:

• There are more than 2,600 termite species throughout the world and 50 of those are native to the United States.
• Termites cause more than $5 billion dollars in damage annually.
• The Subterranean Termite is primarily what is found in Arizona. They look for food (cellulose) above ground and go underground for moisture.
• They attack from beneath the structure and gain access through the smallest of cracks and imperfections in the foundation or slab.
• There are multiple places that termites penetrate a home including faulty drain lines & raised foundations that extend from soil to structure to name a few.
• Termite tunnels are one sign of infestation or current/past activity.

Final Thoughts:

If you plan on adding a patio etc…to your home that butts up to the house you should consider a re-treat service with your current warranty provider. I’m not a termite specialist so contact your specific provider on how to proceed. They probably wouldn’t cover you with your current warranty if termites were to penetrate the area where the patio was added.

If you plan on purchasing a home in the near future or have recently purchased a home, get the termite warranty transferred immediately into your name (if there is one of course). Make sure you know when it expires and what the warranty covers.

I have called a few termite companies to find out about warranties. The type of coverage you have depends on the type of treatment plan you have or what the previous owners had. Don’t assume that just because there is a warranty that you are covered.

Check it out... I’ve heard many times, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when termites find a home. Better safe than sorry...your wallet will thank you.

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