Did You Know That Homeowners Insurance Is Unlikely To Cover Termite Damage?

Did You Know That Homeowners Insurance Is Unlikely To Cover Termite Damage?

Destructive? Yep. Expensive? You bet. Not covered by your homeowners insurance? Probably also a yes.

Termites cause extensive damage to homes all across the Knoxville area, with species ranging from destructive drywood termites to dirt-loving subterranean termites.

No official numbers are collected by a government body, but the National Pest Management Association estimates that United States home and business owners pay out over five billion dollars a year because of termites. Without an insurance policy or a preventative pest control plan, termite infestations can become dangerous to your health and your wallet.

Termites won’t just effect furniture and firewood, but will weaken the very structure of a home. Some forms of termite damage include:

  • Buckling, hollow walls
  • Weakened support beams
  • Ruined furniture
  • Unsafe attic spaces
  • Drooping floors

Without immediate assistance from a qualified pest control company, your home could be facing a very real threat without the comforting support of an insurance policy.

Why Insurance Doesn’t Cover Termite Damage

Insurance companies don’t usually cover termite damage for a number of reasons that vary from provider to provider. It’s important to remember that insurance policies in general will apply to circumstances that are:

  • Accidental
  • Rapid or sudden
  • Unpreventable
  • Immediately perilous

While a termite infestation may feel like all of these things after an unfortunate discovery, the fact is termite invasions can be prevented with regular maintenance work and inspections completed by a certified pest operative. Reading up about termite behavior is a snap, especially through the informative blog posts found right here at Russell’s.

It might be surprising to learn that homeowners insurance won’t aid policy holders with termite-related property damage, but the result is very clear: Knoxville residents need to be aware of what kind of pests are around their home. To start getting more information about the types of termites and termite activity you should be aware of, reach out to Russell’s Pest Control today.

 

Russell’s Pest Control is Here for You

Pest control doesn’t need to be difficult to get. That’s why Russell’s Pest Control is proud to offer East Tennessee residents some of the most effective, safe, and results-driven techniques on the market for pest control companies today.

Termite protection is a cinch under one of Russell’s powerful residential care plans. With programs that cover more than thirty outdoor pests with quarterly visits, it’s impossible to miss infestations that may be creeping around your property.

Are you ready to protect your home from termites for the fall season and beyond? Contact our Knoxville office today to get the ball rolling. With or without homeowners insurance policies, Russell’s Pest Control is here to help.

Why Homeowners Insurance Will Not Protect Your Knoxville Home From Termites

Why Homeowners Insurance Will Not Protect Your Knoxville Home From Termites

Have you ever had to file a claim for home damages? It is usually a fairly simple process. You call your insurance company. Someone from the insurance company takes a look. The claim is filed, and you get paid. Simple, right? But it doesn’t always work like this. Sometimes, you find out that insurance companies don’t always payout. There are circumstances that can leave you holding the repair bill. Subterranean termite damage is often one of them.

Insurance companies view termite damage as preventable with routine maintenance. Why? Because termite damage is preventable with routine maintenance. The problem is that most homeowners don’t have the knowledge and tools to perform this routine maintenance. So it turns into a sort of catch-22.

Insurance companies perceive their role as protecting homeowners from sudden and unforeseeable diseases, like house fires and bursting water pipes. On a side note, if termites chew through your wires and cause a house fire, which can happen, you’re probably going to be covered. But insurance companies have very little pity when they think you’re responsible for the damage. If the damage is considered the result of neglect, you’re going to pay for it.

Imagine buying a home in a flood zone and not getting flood protection. Imagine buying a home on the tip of Florida without paying for hurricane insurance. It doesn’t make sense, does it. Well, living in Tennessee without subterranean termite insurance doesn’t make sense either. Those insects can be a serious threat to properties here.

How do you get termite insurance?

You invest in termite protection that comes with a termite-damage warranty.

If you live in the Knoxville area, we can help you with this. At Russell’s Pest Control, we deploy the Sentricon System with Always Active to protect man-made structures from the threat of these wood-destroying insects. This system targets termites, and only termites, and does not require trenching or drilling. It works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and it is backed by a $1,000,000 termite-damage warranty. Best of all, it doesn’t just protect you from the financial impact of finding termite damage, it keeps termites from damaging your property. Let’s see your insurance policy do that!

If you have questions or you’d like to meet with one of our licensed professionals, request a free, no-obligation estimate. We’ll take a look and give you the information you need to protect your equity.

Did You Know That Most Homeowners Insurance Policies Will Not Cover Termite Damage?

Did You Know That Most Homeowners Insurance Policies Will Not Cover Termite Damage?

Many homeowners have the impression that home insurance covers everything. But it doesn’t. In areas where there is regular flooding, you have to request flood insurance. If hurricanes are an issue, you may need to make sure you have coverage for hurricane damage. And if a threat is considered to be preventable through routine maintenance, many insurance companies will leave you holding the bill. Termites fall into this category. This kind of damage can be prevented through routine maintenance. The problem is that most homeowners aren’t equipped to perform this maintenance. Protecting a home from termite damage requires termite control knowledge, experience with this form of pest control, and access to the right products for the job. That is why homeowners turn to certified termite control professionals who offer a termite damage warranty. This type of warranty is like investing in termite insurance. Here are some things you should know.

4 Reasons to Add Termite Insurance in Tennessee

  • Termites in Tennessee are destructive. The termites we deal with are subterranean termites, the most destructive type of termite in the United States.
  • Termites are sneaky. If you don’t apply termite control correctly, you may not realize your efforts have failed until it is too late and you are left holding a significant repair bill that could wipe out a lot of your savings.
  • Termites are persistent. If you have a hole in your termite protection, it is likely that termite workers will find it. They never stop searching for food sources and they can travel as far as the length of a football field in search of food.
  • A termite warranty means security. Not only will your termite damage warranty pay for termite damage, it also comes with ongoing termite service from a professional who has the experience and training to make sure they don’t have to pay that money out.

At Russell’s Pest Control, we protect Greater Knoxville homes and business with the Sentricon® System with Always Active technology. Sentricon® is backed by a $1 million termite damage warranty and is scientifically proven to eliminate termite colonies. On top of this, the Sentricon® System makes the detection of destructive, sneaky, persistent termites a piece of cake. When termites try to attack your Knoxville area home, not only will your technician know it, you’ll know it. You can’t put a price on that. With liquid termiticide barriers, you never know if the money you spent on termite control was worth it. This causes some property owners to give up on paying for this essential protection.
 
Get your property protected. Get Sentricon®. Get real peace of mind. Russell’s Pest Control is a Certified Sentricon® Installer for the Greater Knoxville area. Contact us for a free consultation to get started.  

Are Termites Still A Threat In Tennessee?

Are Termites Still A Threat In Tennessee?

Termites are a pest that should never be ignored. The damage that occurs when termites are left alone can become severe. All you have to do is search for termite damage online and you’ll find an assortment of scary articles and unappealing photos. Tennessee has the perfect climate—moderate temperatures and humidity—for termites to thrive. The dropping temperatures of the fall season do not stop them from staying active, either.

Termite colonies are very efficient. They’re made up of different members that perform different duties within the colony to keep it functioning. There are workers, soldiers, and reproductive termites. Each of these members looks a little bit different. The workers are white in color. The soldiers look similar but have an elongated head and large jaws. The reproductive termites are bigger, darker, and have wings. The workers will forage for food to bring back to the other colony members who are doing their jobs. Cellulose found in wood, soil, and other organic matter is what they feed on. This is why the damage to your home can be so severe, they are eating away at the wood bit by bit. Termite colonies are very large in number, so with many mouths eating away, the damage can be quite extensive and costly. Termites are responsible for billions of dollars worth of damage each year in the United States.

One of these reasons termites are so destructive is that they can survive year-round. Their nests are built underground allowing them to escape cold temperatures. This means that during the fall they are still as active as ever. Don’t be fooled and think they are dormant. It’s extremely important to watch out for the signs of termites to catch them as early as possible.

Signs

  • A sure sign is seeing termites crawling in your home, though this is only likely to happen if you tear out a termite-infested wall.
  • Termites create mud tubes that may be noticed around the foundation of your home.
  • Small piles of sawdust could also be a sign of termites.
  • Tunnels in any wooden structure of your home could be termites. The structures could be crumbling or breaking apart. This is also a behavior of carpenter ants. Either way, it’s advised to contact a professional.
  • Any damaged or damp wood can easily attract termites.
  • Checking for termite activity outdoors could give you hints to what’s indoors. If you find damp wood infested with termites outside, it’s possible they’ve made their way in the house or are going to soon. Termite colonies grow fast and are always looking for more food sources.
  • Any damage done to your home could potentially be because of termites. If you’re noticing a sagging floor or unstable ceilings, seek a professional right away.
  • With some infestations, you can actually hear the termite activity in the walls. Try tapping on the wood and listening for a clicking sound.

It’s never too late to contact pest control. If you are struggling with a termite infestation, or if you’d like to prevent one, contact Russell’s Pest Control today. Our termite control plan provides the best termite protection in East Tennessee. At Russell’s Pest, our technicians will install the Sentricon® System with Always Active™, which is scientifically backed and proven to work. Check out our video on how Sentricon® with Always Active™ works and contact us today to get started!

Signs Of Termite Infestation Tennessee Homeowners Need To Be Aware Of

Signs Of Termite Infestation Tennessee Homeowners Need To Be Aware Of

When it comes to pests, there is a wide range of dangers associated with them, depending on what type of pest they are. Some pests are simply nuisances meaning that they don’t transmit illnesses and don’t do a great deal of damage, but are simply annoying to have around. Other pests are dangerous to humans and may bite, sting, or transmit serious diseases. Then there are the pests that don’t transmit diseases, but cause damages to homes that can be expensive and in some cases, irreparable.

The greatest offender of this third type of pest is the termite. While termites rarely cause bodily harm to humans in the form of bites or stings and are not known to spread diseases, they do cause billions of dollars in damage to homes in the United States every single year!

The biggest problem with termites and the reason they can cause so much damage is that they usually remain undetected for far too long. Oftentimes, by the time homeowners recognize that they have a termite problem, the termites have been causing damages to their homes for years!

In order to avoid termites and the damage they cause, it’s vital that you are proactive in taking measures to prevent them from invading your home, but you should first look for the signs of termites to make sure you don’t already have a termite problem.

Signs of a Termite Infestation

If you have a termite problem, the chances that you’ll see an actual termite are very slim. The greatest chance you have of seeing termites is when they are swarming. This typically occurs in the spring when a large number of the reproductive members of a colony come into plain view to find a mate and form a new colony. You can identify swarmers by their two sets of long white wings and by the fact that you’ll likely see a large cluster of these winged termites. If you see a termite swarm outside your home, your home may be at risk of a termite infestation.

Other signs of a termite infestation are so subtle that even some trained home inspectors or other professionals may miss them! One sign is long grooves created inside of the wood of your home. You typically wouldn’t notice this unless you’re doing renovations to your home. If you knock on a wooden beam and it sounds hollow or break off a piece of wood from your home and it feels light or hollow, you may have a termite problem.

Finally, if you have a major termite problem, you may notice peeling wallpaper, sagging floors or ceilings, windows and doors that won’t open or close properly, and bulging walls. If you see any of these warning signs, it may be time for a termite inspection.

How to Prevent Termites

Termites are attracted to moisture so it is very important to keep your home and surroundings as dry as possible. Establish good drainage systems around your property, repair any leaky pipes immediately, and replace any water damaged wood. In addition, here are a few other things you can do to deter these wood-destroying pests:

  • Keep wood and brush piles a distance away from your home and as dry as possible.
  • Remove dead trees from your property.
  • Keep your gutters cleaned out and free of debris.
  • Keep mulch at least two feet away from your home.
  • Most importantly, consider taking preventative measures in the form of termite prevention from Russell’s Pest Control!

Russell’s offers a comprehensive termite control service built around the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. As its name suggests, this system not only eliminates current termite colonies, it also constantly works to prevent future colonies from forming and invading your home.

Take action today to prevent costly damage tomorrow. Give us a call at Russell’s Pest Control today!

Why You Need Termite Protection Right Now

Why You Need Termite Protection Right Now

In February, we talked about getting ready for spring termites. Spring is when most subterranean termite colonies send out male and female winged reproductives to mate and establish new nests. We talked about the role moisture plays in attracting swarmers to a home and gave steps you could take to make your home less attractive. Then, in March, we talked about Termite Awareness Week and shared facts that property owners in Tennessee should know about termites, especially after the mild winter we just had. Now let’s talk about what you need to know in May that will help you protect your property.

The warm and humid weather of May makes it the perfect time for termites to be active. These are cold-blooded insects that slow down when it’s cold and speed up when it’s warm. They’re also moisture pests that need a lot of moisture to survive and thrive. May gives them the perfect conditions to grow their populations and establish new colonies quickly. If you didn’t take the steps we suggested in February and March, your home is at an even greater risk of a termite infestation. And the worst part is, you’re not likely to know it.

By nature, subterranean termites are sneaky. Even if we were to explain how to detect the presence of these wood-destroying pests, you may still not be able to see the warning signs. Subterranean termites are able to elude detection from even qualified professionals such as Certified Home Inspectors. And even an experienced termite control professional can miss termites during an inspection. Sometimes a professional has to get into a crawl space and use a flashlight and a mirror to check every cinder block pier under a home. If every detail of an inspection is not performed perfectly, termite shelter tubes, evidence of swarmers, and other subtle signs can be missed.

At Russell’s Pest Control, we employee highly-trained, certified professionals who do a thorough job of inspecting homes for termites, but they don’t have to with the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. Sentricon® with Always Active™ takes all the guesswork out of detecting and eliminating subterranean termites. Like its name implies, this system is always active. When termites come to feed, this system immediately begins the process of using worker termites to eliminate the colony that sent them. When they take the bait, your certified termite control professional will be able to easily tell.

Don’t let subterranean termites destroy your property, get your termite protection in place today.

What Can I Do To Make My Home Less Attractive To Termites

What Can I Do To Make My Home Less Attractive To Termites

Termites are a serious problem in Tennessee, due to moisture and moderate temperatures in the spring. Termites live in colonies with workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Termites build their nests underground, but the workers will venture out to forage for food. They look for cellulose that is found in leaves, soil and wood. They may enter homes through small entry points found in either foundations or the exterior walls. Indoors they will be found underneath floors and walls as they feed on the wood. They will work their way through the structural wood of your home. They are particularly drawn to wood that has been previous damaged by moisture. They will travel back and forth through tunnels as they provide food for their colonies. These colonies can grow to massive populations and can form multiple satellite colonies in various places around and throughout the inside of your home, increasing populations as they expand.

Preventing termites in the first place is your best option. To make your home less attractive to termites you should:

  • Keep mulch and other vegetation at least two feet away from your home

  • Store firewood at least ten feet from your home

  • Bushes should be kept at least a foot away from your home

  • Do not leave debris, stick, or leaf piles on your lawn

  • Remove dead trees and stumps from your property

  • Keep your gutters cleaned up to allow for proper drainage

  • Fix leaky pipes and clean up leaking water immediately

These tips can be helpful, but when it comes to termite elimination and reliable protection, it can be accomplished by a professional pest control company like Russell’s Pest Control in Knoxville and eastern Tennessee. We offer a comprehensive termite service and Sentricon® System with Always Active™, that will eliminate active termite infestations and prevent any more termite activity in the future. Russell’s Pest Control professionals know how much your home and money means to you, and can help you prevent termites and the costly damages that they cause. Our termite services can allow you to rest easy knowing your home is protected from termite damages. Don’t wait, call us today!

Never Too Early To Think About Termites

Never Too Early To Think About Termites

There is something refreshing about seeing signs that spring is almost here. Things like more daylight, spring ads on television or in the newspapers and warmer weather apparel making its way into stores, are all hopeful signs of the soon coming season. Immediately your mind goes to yard care, t-shirts, and a glass of iced tea. No matter what kind of a winter we have had, it is safe to say that a lot of us are usually happy to see the end of it for another year. Spring is also a good reminder that with the temperature rising so will the influx of pests. Termites are one such pest that you can be sure will be on the move this spring.

Spring is the time of the year when a termite nest has reached its limit in size and capacity. Swarms of these pests are often spotted making their way through fields and woods, and frequently neighborhoods. Often, we do not really know what we are looking at and will dismiss it from our minds as soon as we are out of sight of it. Unfortunately, these termites might just be looking for a way into your home. If they do get in, these swarmers will quickly establish a nest and get to work on building their population and eating everything in sight all without the homeowner ever knowing they are there.

The termite has a voracious appetite for anything that contains cellulose. Cellulose is found in many things in nature, including building materials that may have been used in your home, like wood. Their extraordinarily strong jaws tirelessly work their way through wood, drywall, paste, glue, and many other materials that can do thousands of dollars in damage to a building undetected until it is visible in the frequented parts of the home.

There is good news though. Homeowners can save thousands in repairs and treatment for termite infestations by working with a reputable pest control company, like Russell’s Pest Control, to prevent termites from entering in the first place. If your home already has termites, we can work with you to eliminate the current threat and set measures in place to prevent future termite damage. Russell’s Pest Control has worked with hundreds of home owners over the years, keeping their most valuable asset termite-free. Imagine the relief knowing that your home is guaranteed to be safe from termites all year-long. That peace of mind is well worth it. Call today to learn more about our quality termite services!

Why Every Home Needs A Termite Inspection

Why Every Home Needs A Termite Inspection

Termites. They are called “silent destroyers,” and for good reason. These pesky little critters can sneak into a home and start eating away at the insides of walls and support structures for months, and even years, without anyone in the home being aware of their presence. And if you think you would know if termites were eating away at your home, consider the fact that termites avoided detection in the White House. Yup. With all the security, and comings and goings in the White House, termites got into the walls and ate away at the West Wing for years, until the day termite swarmers were found crawling around on the interior walls, a mere 30 feet from the Oval Office!

Because termites are so sneaky, they end up costing property owners in the United States alone around $5 billion a year. They are simple organisms that do not require sleep, therefore, they are able to devour the wood of a home, nonstop, 24 hours a day. This is why it is so important to get a termite inspection and find these home-destroying insects before they have a chance to do irreversible damage.

How termites operate:

Termites build underground nests, and termite workers venture out from the nest in order to find food to feed the colony. Termites feed on the cellulose found in wood, leaves and soil. As they search, they do not care if they find a tree, a pile of leaves, or your home. And if they are able to get into your home through a crack in your foundation or walls, they will travel underneath floors and behind walls until they reach the wood they need to survive. They will then travel back and forth to the colony through mud tubes that they build between the soil and your home. And they will establish new colonies within your walls.

When these colonies mature, is when termite swarmers (winged termites) are sent out. But these can also go undetected, since they are only outside the walls for about a half an hour before they mate and disappear again. In fact, the only clue they leave behind is their translucent wings, which they shed after mating.

Why a home inspection isn’t enough:

Certified home inspectors are trained to inspect a home to make sure it has no defects that would cause problems for the lender when a home is being sold. While they may detect signs of a termite infestation, it is unlikely. However, professional inspectors that are specifically educated on detecting termite activity can tell if these silent destroyers are present.

Why choose Russell’s:

Our pest control technicians have a Category 7 certification (General Pest and Rodent Control AND Wood-Destroying Organisms). These highly educated technicians are specifically trained to know the signs of a termite infestation with the use of specialized equipment.

With experience in detecting and eliminating termites since 1971, you can trust Russell’s Pest Control.

When Should You Get A Termite Inspection?

When Should You Get A Termite Inspection?

When you’re standing on the side of the highway and your car is in a ditch, it is too late to get car insurance. If the doctor comes out with clipboard in hand and tells you you’re going to need a series of operations to correct some complicated abnormality in your body, it is too late to get medical insurance. You’re probably thinking you see where this article is going, but give it a chance. You will be surprised where we end up.

This case can be made for any unexpected disaster from hurricanes to floods and house fires to burglary. When you’re standing in the wreckage of an unexpected event, it is easy to see what you should have done to protect yourself. But there is a difference between termite protection and a termite inspection. We firmly believe that every home and business should have some form of termite protection; we are, after all, a pest control company. But not everyone needs a termite inspection. Here are the cases when a termite inspection is needed.

Selling A Home

If you’re planning on selling your home, you should make sure to get a termite inspection. Termites have been known to evade detection by certified home inspectors. These silent invaders live inside the wood of a home and often leave few signs of their presence. Make sure you have a pest professional do a certified termite inspection to prevent being left holding the bill. Like in the examples above, if the real estate agent for your buyer hands you a paper that shows that they found termites in your house, it is too late; but if you find the termites first, you can have the problem fixed and put the costs into the asking price of your home.

Buying A Home

If you’re planning on buying a home, the last thing you want to do is inherit someone else’s problem. When the papers are signed and you move in, it is too late. Don’t get stuck holding the bill. Make sure you get a certified termite inspection done on that new home before you finish the deal.

When You Suspect Termites

If you’re noticing that the fence in your backyard, the back deck, the patio, or any other wood item on your property has been chewed by termites, it is time to get a termite inspection. This damage will look like someone took a wood carving tool to these wood items.

If you notice a swarm of insects or shed wings around your home, it is time to get a termite inspection. Outside swarms are a warning of a potential infestation and inside swarmers are a sign that you have unknowingly harbored termites for years. In either case, it is important to get a professional involved.

Don’t wait till you are sitting in the middle of a disaster. Protect yourself with a certified termite inspection by calling us today. Here at Russell’s Pest Control we have the training and expertise to inspect and eliminate your termite issues quickly and discreetly.