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A Termite History Is Normal in Phoenix<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s a saying among termite techs in the Valley: your home has a history of termites, has termites right now, or will get termites eventually. It sounds like a sales line until you understand the ground you\u2019re standing on.<\/p>\n
The desert subterranean termite is the most prevalent wood-destroying insect in the Phoenix area, and it lives underground. Colonies travel through the soil and build mud tubes up the stem wall to reach the cellulose in your home \u2014 wood framing, but also paper, cardboard, and other plant-based materials. They\u2019re already in the dirt under most lots from Glendale to Gilbert. Nothing about a termite history says the previous owner was careless. It usually says they were paying attention.<\/p>\n
\n Rule of Thumb<\/span> <\/p>\n Everything downstream depends on this. When you spot the classic warning signs \u2014 mud tubes climbing the stem wall, frass that looks like fine powdered sawdust, wood that sounds hollow when you knock on it, discarded wings on a windowsill \u2014 you need to know whether you\u2019re looking at a scar or a wound. Our guide to the three signs of termite activity<\/a> walks through what each one looks like in the field.<\/p>\n A termite problem that has genuinely been handled means two things happened, not one. The colony was eliminated, and the conditions that invited it were corrected. If the original infestation started because firewood was stacked against the stucco, that firewood should be long gone. If it started because a drip line was soaking the stem wall, the irrigation should have been moved. Eliminating the colony while leaving the conditions in place just resets the clock.<\/p>\n Conducive conditions to look for on your walkthrough<\/p>\n Sellers are not always trying to mislead you when they say the problem was taken care of. Often they genuinely believe it, because a company came out, sprayed, and left. That\u2019s why the answer isn\u2019t to take anyone\u2019s word for it \u2014 including ours. Bring in an independent, state-certified termite professional to inspect the property before you buy. KY-KO\u2019s termite inspections are free<\/a>, and they\u2019re Valley-wide.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n
\n A disclosed termite history with paperwork behind it is often a better position than a clean-looking home with no records at all. Disclosure means someone looked, someone treated, and there\u2019s a trail you can follow. Silence just means nobody has checked recently.\n <\/p>\n![\"Homebuyers](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kykopestprevention.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Buying-Home-With-Past-History-Of-Termites.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1\"\/)
![\"Homebuyers](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kykopestprevention.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Buying-Home-With-Past-History-Of-Termites.jpg?quality=89&ssl=1\")
Active or Handled? The First Question to Answer<\/h2>\n
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