Termite Bonds: What Are They and Do You Really Need One for Your Mississippi Home?

Termites are a problematic pest to both notice and remove, which is where the termite bond comes in. Learn more about this protective warranty here.

  Did you know that termites cause five billion dollars worth of property damage every year? If you’re a homeowner, then it isn’t necessarily ‘if’ you’ll get hit by termites, but rather ‘when’. So if these pests are an inevitability, then what can you do to protect against them? The most pertinent option is what’s known as a termite bond. This type of contract offers long term insurance against these types of insects. If you’re curious about how termite bonds work, then you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll be exploring this type of contract and what it can do for you. Let’s get started!

What Are Termite Bonds and How Do They Work?

In essence, a termite bond works like an insurance policy between you and a pest control company. This type of contract can both pay for re-treatment costs and prevent future infestations. The price of the bond typically depends on the size of the property and house. The initial termite treatment can generally range between $1800 and $3000. Most of the time this price is a one-up fee that you won’t need to pay annually. However, annual or bi-annual inspections with a renewal of the termite bond typically cost about 10% of the initial treatment.  Initial termite treatments involve one of two termite systems, liquid termiticides or bait systems. While these prices might seem expensive, it’s much more preferable to dealing with the expensive damage caused by termites.  A big advantage of termite bait systems is that they never need to be repeated like liquid termiticides.  To further understand exactly what a termite bond covers, we’ll go over the two popular types available to people.

What Are Termite Bonds?

Generally speaking, the most common type of termite bond is a re-treatment bond. This type of contract treats and exterminates the termites whenever they’re discovered. This bond covers the entire cost of the re-treatment resulting in a zero out-of-pocket cost for the homeowner.

Why Are Termite Bonds Important?

It’s important to think of termite bonds like car insurance. No one likes thinking that they’ll get in a car accident. Unfortunately, the huge volume of cars almost statistically ensures that you’ll eventually get in one. The same goes for termites. The sheer size of termite colonies makes it almost inevitable that they will eventually infest your home. As such, it’s important to prepare for the worst. North Carolina State estimates that a fully grown colony can hold between 200,000 to 2,000,000 termite workers. On top of that, it’s estimated that one acre of land can contain two to three termite colonies. It’s important to remember that just because there’s a termite colony on your property doesn’t mean it’s infesting your home. However, termites are always looking for new food sources. As such, there’s a large possibility that one or two colonies will eventually expand into your house for a meal. When this happens, a termite bond can help reduce extermination costs significantly.

What Questions Should You Ask Before Committing to a Termite Bond?

It’s important to get the best option possible by calling multiple companies and seeing which one is right for you. All you need to do is ask these questions when you call:

• What type of service do you offer?
• How much does the coverage cost?
• How long does the bond last before it needs to be reviewed?
• Is the bond transferable if you move?

The company’s answers should help determine whether they’ll work out for you. After you find the right company, then organize an inspection. They’ll then send someone out to finalize the transaction.

How Do You Know If You Have Termites?

Unfortunately, all too often termite infestations go unnoticed in the unseen bones of the house. However, some signs can let you know they’re on your property. One sign is noise. Soldier termites bang their heads to ward off danger from the colony. Similarly, worker termites bite off the wood. If they’re close enough, then this chewing and banging can be heard. You should be on the lookout for flying termites, as this indicates that a colony is moving. Typically they can be seen flying around light sources or in swarms after a rainstorm. You can also identify them by their discarded wings. Next, you should look at the structure itself. Termites eat wood from the inside out. As such, you should inspect any viewable wood pieces in your home. If they sound hollow or papery, then it’s a good sign that you may have termites. You should also pay attention to doors and windows. If they’re hard to open, then inspect the area around the window or door. When termites eat it causes the wood to warp, which can make windows and doors hard to open. If you can get in close, then you should also look around for tiny tunnels in the wood. These are difficult to see, but they can be viewed on broken pieces of wood. The final sign of an infestation is termite droppings. This waste gets pushed out of their tunnels and appears on the floors as a black powdery substance. If you discover any of these signs, then you should contact a pest control company immediately. For more information, make sure to check out our full guide on signs of a termite infestation.

Why Are Termites a Problem in Mississippi?

Unfortunately, the large amount of dry wood and buildings in Mississippi make the state particularly prone to termite damage. Mississippi State University has determined that there are three different types of termite species that affect different counties in the state. These include the Formosan termites, southeastern dry wood termites, and the eastern subterranean termites. Of these different species, it’s the eastern subterranean termites that are the most common. Unfortunately, all of them are known to cause extensive damage to buildings. As such, it’s especially important for people living in Mississippi to invest in a termite bond for their property. This is even more true if you live in the southern part of the state. This is where the Formosan termites are located. As such, you have an even higher chance of being hit.

How to Prevent Termites in the Future

Termite prevention starts at the home-buying stage. You should never purchase a home without first getting it inspected for termites. Why? Because many homeowners may unknowingly (or knowingly) try to pass off a property that has extensive termite damage. As we mentioned earlier, the signs of an infestation aren’t always apparent from the outside. As such, an extensive inspection is necessary to make sure there aren’t any problems. If you do find signs of termites, then you should discuss this with the homeowners. Ideally, they’ll pay to have the termites removed and the repairs dealt with. But what do you do if you already live at a property that may have termites? First, you should cut off access to as much food as possible. This means moving any dry wood you keep on the property far from the house. You should also seal off any cracks you find in the wood. This will cut off access to your home. Any wood ground access is a perfect entry for a termite. So, if you can help it, you should eliminate this as much as you can. One solution is using a concrete base on any basement area you may have. We also recommend getting rid of as much moisture you can. Moisture rots wood which makes it particularly easy for termites to burrow into it. As such, you should get rid of any leaky plumbing, storm drains, or air conditioning units that may be dripping.

Need Termite Protection? Contact Synergy²

We hope this article helped you learn more about the importance of a termite bond for your property. If you want the best possible termite bond, then the key is to choose a dependable pest control company. But how do you find one? If you live in the Mississippi area, then look no further than Synergy². We’re a company that deals with all types of pests, including the notorious termites. Once you get in touch with us, we’ll send a qualified termite specialist to perform an inspection on your home. From there, we’ll give you advice on the best way to exterminate or prevent future infestations. Are you not having any luck with termites? We can get rid of your pest problem for you.  Learn more about our general preventative residential pest control services or request a quote for your specific problem here. Together, we will eliminate your pest problems once and for all.  Did you know Synergy² is a full-service pest company specializing in difficult-to-treat pest problems such as ants, mice, roaches and bed bugs? Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you.  We have over 270 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here at Synergy² Jackson Pest Control!