WHAT ARE THEY?
Termites are little bugs that help nature with the essential job of turning fallen trees and other cellulose back into soil.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM?
They will also turn the wood in your house back into soil if you let them! Luckily, termites are not as aggressive in the northeast as in some parts of the country. Nevertheless, they still affect somewhere around 20% of the houses here.

WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?
Have a Home Inspector you trust look for structural damage from termites as part of the home inspection. If he/she finds termite damaged wood, he/she should tell you what to do. Minor damage may not need any repair. Major damage may need to be evaluated by an engineer or a contractor.

If your Home Inspector sees any evidence of termites, then a pest control company should advise as to what treatment, if any, is appropriate.

If your Home Inspector does not see any evidence of termites, you still may want to have a pest control company come advise. A good pest control operator is not only a specialist but he will devote more time to looking for termites than is practically allocated during a home inspection.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I OWN THE HOUSE?
Have a pest control company inspect for termites every two years. Because termites are covert by nature, they often are not noticeable, particularly when they are getting started. The sooner you catch them, the better. Termites will generally not do serious damage to a house in a two year period in this part of the country.