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Termite Exterminator
updated: Dec 17, 2010, 2:23 PM

I have what I think is evidence of termites in my house. Can anyone recommend an exterminator they trust? I am looking for a business or person who can confirm the bugs are termites, and can exterminate without tenting our house or forcing us to move out. I live in the City of SB. Thanks!

Places People Are Talking About:

	Anacapa Termite	Escalera
Hilton Pest Control	Hydrex	Mission City Fumigation
Precision Environmental	Sotheby's Realty	South Coast Fumigators
Termite Pruff

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 128390	2010-12-17 02:40 PM
Call Sotheby's Realty, they deal with them all the time and could recommend someone.
COMMENT 128393	2010-12-17 02:49 PM
I just had my house fumigated by South Coast Fumigators at the beginning of the month. everything about it was great.
COMMENT 128397	2010-12-17 03:06 PM
Lenz is incredible and they even have a termite expert. They use IPM (Integrated Pest Management) techniques when they can and are locally owned.
COMMENT 128401P	2010-12-17 03:13 PM
Thanks so far! Does "fumigation" = tenting and moving out? I'd really like to avoid that type of extermination. If I actually HAVE termites, of course...
COMMENT 128422	2010-12-17 03:55 PM
An unusual approach uses heat to take care of termites AND mold/mildews. Precision Environmental out of Ventura is a great company to work with. It's a single day process and you don't have to stay away. The only issue is that because they heat up your house, you have to remove candles, chocolate, wine, exposed photos and anything that might melt. They cover your electronics with a material the protects them. I, however, found this to be a great opportunity to do some serious cleaning and got rid of a bunch of old stuff as well as finding some long lost record albums...(Which needed to be removed as well). If you call.... ask for Jeremy.
COMMENT 128428	2010-12-17 04:13 PM
Every house has termites; even new lumber has termites. Just go to a hardware store and buy a product called "Term-out" in a tall flo-green spray can. Follow the directions on the can -- basically you just enlarge the "kickout" hole and spray the stuff in there and spackle the hole closed -- and the termites will be gone. Have you ever seen a building fall down because of termites?
COMMENT 128429	2010-12-17 04:25 PM
Lenz for sure. They stand behind all of their work. Check out their website: www.lenzpest.com Their general pest department is amazing too!
COMMENT 128440	2010-12-17 05:01 PM
After the treatment by Hydrex failed to eradicate my termites, I called Lenz. They did the job successfully. I've also used Escalera. I would recommend getting bids from Lenz and Escalera.
COMMENT 128452	2010-12-17 05:33 PM
fumigation is 48 hours of being out of your house. it really wasn't as big of a deal as people make it out to be, plus it kills just about every other kind of pest in your home while they are at it.
COMMENT 128453	2010-12-17 05:35 PM
We've had good luck with Escalera. The options besides tenting aren't good. You'll hear about heat or electronic waves, but the jury is out on if any of the alternative methods really work. I second getting the stuff called "Termite Pruff." You inject it in their holes and then put some silicone over. Fixing any dry rot and water damage and spot treating problem areas could save you from having to tent for many years.
COMMENT 128459P	2010-12-17 05:46 PM
The guy at Hydrex cannot do the job right because he spends most of his time posting hate comments at Noozhawk and Daily Sound.
COMMENT 128465P	2010-12-17 06:07 PM
So many thanks! Edhatters to the rescue again. Thanks for your time posting and sharing some great info. I will investigate my suspected areas further and I really appreciate the info on the do-it-yourself methods, before stepping up to the pros. Thanks too for the pro recommendations! The tenting isn't an inconvenience for me as much as it's about my wacky cat. He's showing himself to be a true nut-job scaredy-cat meanie-head in his old age. His last vet visit required a vet, the tech, 2 beach towels and me to try to hold him down so the vet could get his temp. We were not successful and the vet said if I were thinking of bringing him again she'd insist on knocking him out first. I'm not sure where I could stay for 48 hours without him hurting himself or other humans. :-( 128428 - no but I've seen a wooden fence succumb. If that can happen, I'd rather it not to my house.
COMMENT 128471P	2010-12-17 06:36 PM
I would also echo Lenz. Also if you do not want to tent call Anacapa and ask for Alex, often they can find a way to avoid the tenting. I would strongly advise against Escalera. Rick's ethics are questionable. Good Luck!
COMMENT 128472P	2010-12-17 06:42 PM
128471P - We recently had our home tented by Escalera and were happy with their bid and their service. I don't understand your comment about Rick Escalera's ethics and hope you will respond with specifics.
COMMENT 128549	2010-12-18 08:10 AM
We've used Escalera for the past 15 years on the 2 houses we've owned - first recommended by our realtor. They've been great. Once I was convinced it was time to tent but Rick inspected our house and said our problem was minor - no need to fumigate yet. We've found them to be honest business people and we'll use them again.
COMMENT 128608	2010-12-18 09:53 AM
LENZ! Good people, locally owned.
SBBOOKWORM	2010-12-18 10:27 AM
Another vote for Lenz. Have done 4 different houses for me. Always great.
COMMENT 128645	2010-12-18 11:26 AM
Using commercial fumigation is extremely toxic to humans, well documented if you dig a little bit. Levels remain in your house, on your walls, on your furniture, bedding, etc. for a very long time. Mainstream fumigators will of course tell you that it is safe, but do your homework.......There are alternatives. You can use heat but a great option is to use a company that uses commercial grade borax. It is labor intensive but very thorough and you get a 10 year warranty with it-any signs of re-infestation and it is dealt with promptly. If you use commercial pesticides you are getting all of the residual effects. Spare yourselves, your pets, your kids, your guests.........We had great success with Rick Bradley Pest Control, and there are others that do this as well. Good luck, and keep pesticides out of your life!
COMMENT 128654	2010-12-18 11:49 AM
I'd also recommend Anacapa Termite. I had an inspection done earlier this year by a guy named Alex and was very satisfied. I followed him around and under the house and he showed me the extent of the infestation/damage. His report was thorough (which makes sense, since the more repair work I give him the more money he makes), with itemized estimates for fumigation and repair. I only had the fumigation done since the damage wasn't serious, and because another contractor told me to use a carpenter for any repairs, rather than the exterminator. The company that showed up to do the fumigation was from Oxnard. I guess a number of the local exterminators have deals with this company, so when they tent your house they just put up the advertising banner of whichever company the homeowner went through.
COMMENT 128660	2010-12-18 11:58 AM
Escalera Pest Control is a fine business and so is Lenz and Hilton Pest Control. You could call them, get an inspection and bid and use your own judgment. They use South Coast Fumigation and Mission City Fumigation who are also very reputable. As far as your cat is concerned, once you put him in a crate, then you can board him at the Cat and Bird Clinic. Their Veterinarians and staff are excellent and will take really good care of your cat. Take a few days off and stay in a hotel or motel near the beach and call it a vacation!
SPLASH	2010-12-18 12:43 PM
Ten years ago the sellers on the house I was buying at the time used Escalera. I had to call them back twice to finish up the work they were supposed to do. Also, they told me of a specific place that would be prone to termite damage, but apparently did not actually test it themselves as part of the inspection that was done for the house sale. Just a few months later the contractor who was working on that area showed me the extent of the termite damage in that area, I could not believe that Escalera didn't include that in their original report. I might have gone back and talked to them about it, but just getting them to fix the repair jobs they left undone was enough to put them on my "Do not use" list. In all fairness, this was ten years or so ago and maybe it was just one bad employee. But I'd start with any of the other suggestions here first.
EARO65	2010-12-18 02:15 PM
Have used Escalera and Lenz, both good. We need to termite about every ten years here. Any new work done will bring those bugs back, no solution. A cousin had the electric treatment, they zapped her computers. Did a lot of damage. Did replace the computers, but she was glad she had a backup of the material she used in her work. Tenting is just fine if you follow instructions.
COMMENT 128722	2010-12-18 03:23 PM
If you live on the south coast you all have termites to some extent. Dont leave any wood on the ground around the house or you will attract subterrainian termites that will build tunnels into your tasty home. there is not much you can do about the "flyers" that look like flying ants. If you see mounds of sawdust looking pellets you have termites that need professional attention. I have used Escalera many times and am very satisfied with their work and ethics.