Common Questions Before Inspections

Most companies will do an inspection for free, yes, free! But do you work for free? Gas, labor, time, and the company has to pay the state for doing a report.... yes the company has to actually pay for the report they give you, so when a company says free- they have to make it up somehow, or logically, the business would fold. Home inspections usually run $3-400, so an average $125 for a termite inspection seems reasonable.

There are several kinds of termites and different levels of damage. An inspection will help determine what needs to be done in your specific scenario.

Be prepared for at least an hour, but depending on the size of your home and the situation, it may be longer.

We recommend a termite inspection at least once every three years or sooner if you suspect you have termites.

After the inspection, we will be able to help you understand what needs to be done to eradicate any infestation

Wood Destroying Organism... The technical name for termite report because the inspections cover much more than just termites.

We provide answers right away, but please provide us 5-7 business days to compile and distribute your official report.

In most cases the damage is undetected until a thorough inspection is made due to the fact that termites will eat the wood right up to the paint, leaving the paint as a shell until poked or prodded.

Little piles of saw dust, physical signs of wood being eaten in tracks, painted boards may feel hallow, and dirt flutes leading from the ground up into your siding.

Little saw dust piles with black specs. Sometimes, you will also see discarded wings.

Termites are year-round and don't have a beginning and end.

From March to November.

It all depends on the size of the infestation, how long the infestation has been there, and the damages they caused. Every house and its surroundings are unique, so there really is no average price. All Home Protection Plans are designed for that particular home remedy.

All depends on the products used and for what type of termite. Literally, from the moment induced (which is a contact kill), a solution like Bora care can last up to 25 years in certain areas.

We usually recommend staying out of your house for a time of around 2-4 hours. However, this may vary based on the type of service and might be up to a maximum of 24 hours.

Sometimes damage is minimal, but if the structural integrity has been affected, you should replace all the wood affected.

Yes, the old-growth redwood is much more termite resistant than the new, which all redwood in the lumber yard is new and therefore not really resistant to termites right alongside Douglas Fir. The Redwood trees are not allowed to mature, thus disabling the tree to get the full tannins, which allows the tree to be termite resistant.

Not usually, but over time, the wood will eventually break down, and termites will eat it- I've seen it before. Termites are scavengers!

Usually, people tend to call the termite company only when they spot termite activity. But termite damage has become one of the costliest repairs that Californian homeowners are facing in recent times. People have started to realize that termites might be eating away their homes without them knowing it. This has made preventive termite inspections an inevitable part of home maintenance.

Termites are tiny creatures but when viewed as a colony, they are an intimidating force. For example, a colony of about 60,000 termites (which is very normal) can eat one foot of a 2x4 beam in 5 months -all without being detected! While this is impressive for the little creatures, it definitely isn’t good news for the homeowners.

A preventive termite inspection could help identify termite activity at an early stage which in turn prevents the damage from progressing. This would save you a lot of money since no one wants to spend their savings on termite treatment.

Regular termite inspections will help maintain the structural integrity of your home. This also ensures that your home gets a good resale value. Usually, when a person buys a property, there is a termite inspection involved. Only when the buyer feels sure that your property is safe from termites is the valuation is done. Hence, keeping your property free of termites from the start is a great approach.

While it might look like a “no biggie” type of problem, a termite infestation can get quite exhausting. These little wood-munchers are very sneaky and hard to get rid of once they have settled comfortably. The sooner you find the infestation, the easier it is to get rid of it. Thus, to save yourself unprecedented mental turmoil, Zen-Cal maks sure to schedule preventive termite inspection on an annual basis. We remind you so you don’t have to think about it.

You should make sure you stay home during the scheduled date of inspection. Preventive termite inspection involves scouring through your house thoroughly for any signs of termite activity. You as the homeowner should be present to show the termite inspector around and give access to the key areas.

We will want to check the small closed areas like the attic, basement, sink, garage, crawl spaces and more since these are some of the common places where termite activity would be noted. It would help if you clean these spaces of things so that the inspector would have easy access to perform his/her job.

There are different kinds of termites and each has its own style of building colonies and creating living spaces. Only the termite inspector who is well-trained in this particular industry would be able to spot termite activity.

If there isn’t any termite activity found by the end of the inspection, then you can relax till the next inspection date comes.

On the other hand, if there are signs of termite infestation, then Zen-Cal Termite will have options for eradication. We will identify the type of termites, the extent of termite activity and suggest a proper treatment method to get rid of them.

Preventive termite inspection helps you find the termite infestation early if present. It is important to get the new house checked for termites before you buy it. Though newer homes are less prone to termite attack, they can still be located directly on a termite mound or nest. You will have no idea unless it is found!

If you already own a home, then getting a preventive termite inspection every year is suggested. Regular termite inspections would only take 45 minutes to one hour so make sure you spend this time for the maintenance of your property.

Consistent annual termite inspections are key to maintaining a termite-free house.

If you find any signs of termite activity in your house or if your neighbors have recently found termite infestation in their house, make sure to schedule an inspection immediately.