Many wait to act until there is a problem

Indianapolis, IN - February 22, 2007

Subterranean termites have become a menace — a $5 billion thorn in the side of homeowners all over the country. That’s the amount of damage subterranean termites do to homes on average each year, according to the National Pest Management Association.

What makes this property damage so tragic is that homeowners can take action to prevent it.  Unfortunately, that is often not happening. Consumer research conducted for Dow AgroSciences, makers of the Sentricon^® Termite Colony Elimination System, from 2000 through 2006 shows that while two out of every three homeowners admit to being “concerned about termites,” only one out of three has ever had his or her property treated.

What’s surprising about the research results is how consistent it is in major metropolitan areas in different regions of the United States (see chart). Termites attack homes in every state but Alaska, and the problem is severe in Southern and coastal states.

Percentage of Homeowners Concerned About Termites, Never Treated for Termites (Average from 2000-2006.  Source:  Ipsos-Insight)

City/Region	Concerned About Termites	Treated for Termites	Never Treated for Termites
Tampa, Fla.	75%	32%	68%
Orlando, Fla.	74%	32%	68%
Jacksonville, Fla.	76%	37%	63%
Atlanta, Ga.	76%	44%	56%
St. Louis, Mo.	65%	28%	72%
Nashville, Tenn.	70%	36%	64%
Long Island, N.Y.	71%	38%	62%
Kansas City, Mo.	70%	32%	68%
Tulsa, Okla.	71%	32%	68%
Houston, Texas	76%	33%	67%
Dallas, Texas	71%	30%	70%
AVERAGE	72%	34%	65%

“This research tells us that, while homeowners with active infestations are taking care of the problem, their neighbors without termites are taking a wait-and-see attitude,” says Dave Maurer, marketing manager for the Sentricon System. “That can be a dangerous thing to do, considering that it can take up to five years before termite damage becomes visible.”

Subterranean termite swarming season, the time when winged “swarmer” termites leave their colonies to create new ones, is right around the corner, and it is often how homeowners find out their home is infested. Unfortunately, termite swarmers usually only appear when the colony is mature and damage is under way.

An Ounce of Prevention

No house is termite-proof unless it and everything inside of it is made of concrete. But there are things homeowners can do to prevent termites from easily accessing food sources. Experts suggest:

• Minimizing or eliminating the use of wood mulch around the foundation
• Keeping wooden fences, planters and other items at least 2 feet away from the home’s foundation
• Stacking firewood and scrap lumber away from the home
• Keeping air conditioner condensation and other water away from the foundation
• Keeping an eye out for mud tubes, discarded termite wings and other signs of termite activity

While these are helpful tips, they are no assurance that termites won’t attack what is most people’s largest investment. The best protection is to have a pest management professional conduct a termite inspection and consider a preventive treatment to help stop termites before they reach the home.

Treatment Options That Work

Controlling subterranean termite infestations doesn’t have to entail digging up expensive landscaping, drilling holes into the floors and foundations of a home, or injecting hundreds of gallons of toxic chemicals into the soil. Termite baiting systems like the Sentricon System are minimally invasive and environmentally friendly, using only grams of termite bait when and where needed.

The Sentricon System is the No. 1 brand¹ in termite protection that detects and stops subterranean termites from attacking homes by eliminating termite colonies — not just individual termites. Ongoing service by an authorized pest management professional using the Sentricon System protects the home from future termite colony invasions.

For more information about subterranean termites and to determine whether a home is at risk, visit www.termiterisk.com.

¹ Ipsos-Insight

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For Editorial Information:

Lisa Frymark
Bader Rutter & Associates
262-938-5467