(Cam Lay) wrote in message om...
Termites are ubiquitous in soils pretty much throughout the US, and
their presence on your property isn't any more meaningful than the
presence of dirt. (Yes, there are fewer termites the farther north
one goes, but they've been found infesting buildings in Canada, so...)
The trick is keeping them out of your house.

The easiest way to do that is to simply have the house treated and
placed under a renewable warranty with a reputable pest-control firm.
Then it's their problem. THe alternative is to have the property
inspected every year and be prepared to spend the money for treatment,
and whatever repairs are necessary, when the termites are found.

Given that most of the susceptible portions of your house are
inaccessible to a visual inspection, you might consider one of the
technologies some of the other posters have suggested. Technology, as
has been noted, is no substitute for competence, and none of the new
technologies are any better than the guy using them. The microwave
device is very sensitive to your hand movements, and will also read
right thorugh the wall to whatever movement is behind it, for example.
And moistrue meters actually measure conductivity, so they can be
fooled by salts in the wood or on the surface of whatever you're
measuring. I've always been suspicious of the termite-sniffing dogs,
but there's some good academic research (finally) going on with them
right now, and it looks like a well-trained dog, properly maintained
and handled, can find temrites by scent even in hidden locations. You
still have to decide whether to open the walls for a look, etc. I
wouldn't go opening walls and ceilings just to have a look without
evidence of a possible infestation.

My "common sense" advice would be to go ahead and have the place
treated. You already know that termites are foraging very close to
your house. You have construction features that are vulnerable and
can't be inspected. Get some bids, talk to a few operators, and
figure out whether the peace of mind is worth the price.

Good luck,
C
http://dpr.clemson.edu
http://www.structuralpestexpert.com

I'd like to suggest those who have questions about termites and the like look at
http://www.structuralpestexpert.com
It contains some examples of problems often asked about here.

I've listended to Mr. Lay on educational radio for years.
I think he knows what he is talking about.
Tom Baker