Could your Ann Arbor Area home have termites?
Termites are wood-destroying critters which eat wood and may love to eat your home. In Michigan they usually enter from the ground and or from the dirt around the house. Your house could be their next meal. To identify them, Orkin has a pest identification page and will give you a free inspection per the web site.
You can watch the termite video for prevention ideas.
In Ann Arbor Michigan we usually have mud tubes made by subterranean termites.
- Mud tubes on interior or exterior walls. These look like little cigars of mud and are highways. They're made of excretions.
- Mud tubes hanging from the ceilings. Stalagtites, yes hanging tubes to get to their next meal.
- Visible wood damage. Termites create tunnels in the wood, and once you know what you are looking for, you can detect the pattern.
- Sawdust or droppings. This is saw dust next to the wall, or beside a fence post or deck post. Some termites have white or black pellet droppings known as frass.
I saw Bob Grob, inspector, take a screwdriver handle and tap on a door jam once and the handle penetrated the wood which appeared in tact to me. The wood veneer was paper thin and revealed the termite damage inside!
As a home buyer, you will probably want to have the home inspected for termites, or wood destroying ants. Your lender may require this report. Most inspectors bundle this with the inspection, just be sure to ask what the charge is. If they are discovered, uncover the damage and activity to determine cost of repair or mitigation. Usually the seller will pay for treatment, but this is negotiable. Sometimes there can be termite evidence but the insects have been gone for years and are no longer active.
In Michigan you can prevent termites by a treatment plan, and (see video above):
- Keep all lumber and firewood several feet away from the house
- Keep all wood supports/porches away from the foundation, and remove all wood-to-earth contact.
- Keep mulch and wood chips away from the foundation
- Repair any leaks at faucets or watering systems
- Keep plants away from foundation
I purchased a house with termites; it had a termite contract from Terminex. You can sell a house with termites as long as there is full disclosure. There was a court case in Brighton, MI of the seller being sued for damage. He disclosed he had termites, but got rid of them. He did not hire a professional to get rid of them and in fact drove them further into the house. There was $70,000 dollars of damage discovered by the buyer when they renovated the bathroom.
Ann Arbor Real estate can have termites, especially by the Chain of Lakes. Just have the house inspected. Ask your Ann Arbor Area Real Estate Experts for our industry resource list.
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