Termites, and the damage they can cause, are a primary fear of every homeowner. Unfortunately, for every emotion there is a con artist looking to take advantage of it. It might not seem as if a free termite inspection could harm you in any way, but we want to caution you to be on guard against potential scams.
Obviously, no one has anything to gain from performing the free inspection itself. But what the inspector “finds” can often lead to problems. There are several common termite inspection scams going on out there, including…
Planting termites. Be wary of any termite inspector who claims to have found termites in your home. They might even produce a few of the critters! But sometimes, these are brought in to show you as “evidence” before selling you an expensive termite treatment and/or repair work. And that brings us to…
Repairs in “hidden” damaged areas. It is absolutely true that termites can often do extensive amounts of damage in “hidden” areas of the home, like attics, crawl spaces, subflooring, and the like. That’s why this scam is so realistic and therefore convincing. If the damage was “hidden”, then it’s completely believable that you haven’t noticed it until your free inspector discovered it! They then sell you on extensive and expensive repairs to these areas of your home.
This type of damage, and the required repairs, can actually happen. But you want to be careful about believing these stories and paying for the repairs. Ask to see the areas in question, and look for the damage yourself. Then, monitor the work closely as it is being performed.
And of course, the number one way to protect yourself against termite scams is to hire the services of a licensed, reputable pest control company. Watch out for these guys who go around knocking on doors, offering free inspections… They’re often just trying to sell you on services and repairs that you don’t actually need. Call us to perform an annual termite inspection, and we will give you the truth about what is – or isn’t- going on in your home.