A termite warranty is a plan that will extend beyond your homeowner’s insurance and help to make sure that your home is covered for termite damage.
As significant as this termite warranty sounds, there are, of course, costs involved.
With costs adding up for so many different types of home services, you may have a hard time deciding if the termite warranty is the right choice for you.
A termite warranty has some great benefits, but the decision to renew is a complicated one.
Here are some things you should know about your termite warranty and whether or not you should renew it.
Should I Renew My Termite Warranty?
If you already have a termite warranty in place, you should renew it each time that it comes up.
The reason behind this is that if you let your termite coverage lapse, starting it back up again could be quite costly.
Termite warranties are in place to keep your home continually protected and monitored.
When your coverage expires, and you have not renewed, most companies will make you go through another inspection and a full treatment setup.
This will come with a very high price tag.
The annual cost of a home termite plan is quite a bit lower than the initial cost of the plan.
This is a problem that some people have when they go to switch plans as well.
The cost of switching makes it worth it to just stay with one company.
Many people think that termite warranties are not worth the money.
However, when you have a claim, and you see how much damage termites can cause, the money you pay for your plan absolutely will have been worth it.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of a termite warranty and why you may want to consider purchasing or renewing yours today.
Benefits of a Termite Warranty
Having a termite warranty in place has some great benefits.
Knowing these benefits can help you justify whether or not this type of plan will make sense for you.
1. Peace of Mind
There are a lot of worries that go into being a homeowner.
You have to think about home systems breaking down and problems with all types of things like appliances, bugs, and even fungus in your turf.
It can be difficult to keep track of all of these issues and to stay on top of keeping your home in great shape.
Having your home treated for termites and then using that warranty to get you from one treatment to the next is the smartest way to protect your home and give you peace of mind.
We have enough to worry about on a daily basis, and termites should not be one of them.
If you struggle with worry and anxiety about house-related issues, a termite warranty is essential.
2. More Powerful Treatment
Some homeowners will try to treat their homes for termites themselves.
This is done with products that can be purchased in home improvement stores.
Although these solutions are most effective on a temporary basis, the most powerful treatment is going to be done by professionals.
The treatment that professionals apply will last for an entire year, and they will not necessarily need to come back and check on it.
They are so confident in their treatment of termites that they offer the termite warranty.
3. Warranty Protects Against Unforeseen Issues
Although you won’t expect termite issues to come up between treatments, it is a possibility.
Having the warranty in place is going to help ensure that any situations that come up between treatments are going to be covered because of the warranty.
For example, if there were some sort of issue with the formula used in the treatment or there was a gap in the treatment area, it would be covered.
Without the warranty, you would be financially responsible for the cost of the treatment and the damage that has been done to the home.
4. No Cost for Repairs
The most beneficial reason to purchase a warranty is that it will help you cover any costs that come up for repairs.
If your home is covered under a termite warranty and a termite-related issue occurred, you will not be responsible.
It is a bit like having insurance for a specific problem that could come up on your home.
How to Keep Termites Away from Your Home
Once you have had an issue with termites, you are going to want to do everything possible to keep termites away from your home.
Therefore, it is essential to make sure that you take all necessary precautions to keep termites away.
1. Hiring a Reliable Company
It is very important to make sure that you hire a reliable company for your termite control.
If you are purchasing a plan through a company that is new or does not have the proper certifications, you could run into difficulties.
These might include the fact that they may be using improper chemical substances on your property.
Anytime you are going to hire a pest control company, you must be aware of the products that they are using on your property.
Talk to your termite company about how they plan to treat an infestation and what chemicals they are going to use.
In addition, it is important to make sure that the company you use is good at communicating and keeping any appointments that they set.
If you live in an area of the country where termites tend to be a concern, there are probably many different termite companies you can use.
Talk to your friends and neighbors and see who they are using.
Usually, a company that comes highly recommended is going to provide much better results.
2. Entry Points
If you are concerned about termites coming back to your property, talk to your provider about entry points.
Many times, termites will come into your house through the dirt and the foundation of your home.
There can be ways to create a barrier around the home and block off these points of entry.
If you want to look at a home sealing process, it will likely help you protect against more than just termites.
Certainly, this is a process that will cost you a bit of money, but it will be worth it in the end.
3. Periodic Checks
Even though you pay for the treatment and you pay for the warranty, it is still worth taking a look at your property from time to time to make sure that the termite treatment is effective.
The more you check on your home and look to help prevent these types of problems, the better the results.
Although you will be covered with your warranty, it is still worth making sure that there are no difficulties.
The sooner you catch them, the less of an inconvenience you will have to go through to have them treated and repaired.
Talk to your termite professionals about the areas you should be periodically checking to ensure they are working properly.
How Long Does a Termite Warranty Last?
A typical termite warranty is going to last for twelve months.
The termite warranty is also sometimes referred to as a termite bond.
Each year, around the time your renewal is due, the termite company will come out and inspect the barrier that they have put into place to help protect against termites.
This will be looked at, considered, and then reported back to the customer.
As long as everything looks fine and there are no active infestations, the termite technician will let you know that things are safe until the next year when the inspection comes back up.
There are some companies that will offer a two-year warranty for termites, but that is very rare.
Most of the time, having a person come out and inspect once per year tends to be a smarter plan for the company and for the individual who owns the home.
Do I Need a Termite Bond to Sell a House?
Not all real estate transactions will come down to whether or not you have a termite bond, but it can be a big problem.
Prior to a home being sold, you will have to go through a variety of inspections.
One of those inspections is going to be a termite inspection.
If the home already has a termite bond, the inspection is sometimes skipped, and if there are any potential issues, they can be dealt with using the services of the company holding the bond.
This bond or warranty then usually has a cost associated with a transfer to the new owner.
The cost is generally minimal, but it helps to make sure that the home never experiences a lapse in coverage.
A termite bond is only going to make the process of selling your home all that much easier and uneventful.
What Does It Typically Cost for Termite Warranty?
The cost of your termite warranty is going to vary depending on where you live, the size of your home, and the company you choose.
In some areas, you may pay $150 per year, and in other areas, it could be $300 per year.
The real reason people start to consider keeping the warranty in place is that the cost of fixing problems caused by termite damage will be thousands of dollars.
The extra money spent on the warranty will be well worth it when you see that, to fix the termite damage, the costs could be close to $2,000 or more.
Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Termite Damage?
The purpose of homeowner’s insurance is to cover catastrophic events that come on suddenly.
The problem with termites is that they are not a sudden development.
Chances are they have been working away at your home for years and the initial damage seen can be much worse than you may have imagined.
For this reason, the typical homeowner’s insurance policy is not going to cover termites.
You should always confirm this before talking to a termite warranty company, but it will not be included for the most part.
This is a good thing to know before you run into a problem.
Most people like to get termite coverage almost immediately after purchasing their home.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now understand the importance of renewing your termite warranty.
Although there are lots of expenses that go into purchasing a home, there are some that make quite a bit of sense.
A termite warranty is one of them.
Choose something that helps you stay on top of the issues and keep your home in great shape for years to come.
The sooner you get a termite plan in place, the better your chances of never having a problem with them in your home.
The more time you leave termites to do damage, the more difficult it is to clean up their mess.
What about a Termite Barrier w/Formosan Coverage in South Florida?
Truly Nolen never checks year to year.
There are no bait stations.
It was done around the inside of the garage. The floors were even chiseled up then repaired.
Do I need to renew this type of Termite coverage?
I have for the past 3 years.