Termites: Prevention vs Reaction

There are two ways to deal with a problem: you can be proactive or reactive. But the necessity of proactive measures is dependent on the type of problem. Take scraping your knee, for example.

If you scrape your knee, what do you do? You put some ointment on it and apply a BAND-AID. Right? That is a reactive response, and, in this case, a reactive response is appropriate. Why? Because it is impractical to wear protective clothing all the time, and scraping a knee can occur at any time and in many different ways.

If you plan to crawl around on cement all day to lay down a tiled floor, you're not going to wait till your knees are all scratched up. You're going to wear something to protect your knees, right? Why? Because you know when and where the damage will occur, you can take direct proactive measures to prevent damage you know will occur. Let's compare this example to termite infestations and see if preventative or reactive measures are necessary.

Severity

If you scrape your knee, it's no big deal. It is easily fixed. A single scrape or bruise is not a problem. This threat lacks the severity to take preventative action. Crawling around on concrete can do a lot of damage. The severity of this damage warrants proper protection.

Termites are wood-destroying pests that can come up from the ground and consume a home's wood for years without detection. While one termite can't do a lot of damage to a home, thousands, and even hundreds of thousands, of termites can. And, if these insects are left alone to feed, damage accumulates over time. When termite damage is found, it is usually severe. The very nature of termite damage is severe. Termites eat channels in wood and turn sound lumber into brittle, breakable material. This damaged lumber must be removed to ensure a sound, safe structure.

Warning

Another reason we would take precautions when crawling around on cement is because we know there will be a greater chance of damage during that time. The same is true for scraping your knee, to a certain extent. If you know you're going to be doing something that increases the chances that you'll scrape your knee, you may wear protection, depending on how much you care about getting a scrape.

Termites give little warning, especially subterranean termites, the most destructive termites in the United States. These insects come up from the ground and feed quietly on a structure, often leaving little or no sign of their presence. If there is no preventative termite control in place, they can do significant damage without detection.

Are termites really as "undetectable" as everyone says? You may not be aware of this, but our own White House had a significant termite infestation discovered a few years ago when a swarm of termites was found inside the West Wing, a short distance from the Oval Office. If subterranean termites can elude the watchful eyes of White House staff, they can elude the watchful eyes of anyone.

This lack of warning and the severity of the damage they can do, make termites the type of problem that should be dealt with proactively. When you have termite prevention in place, it guarantees the safety of your equity and takes away the risk that you'll have to dig into savings to take care of unexpected termite damage. When you have ongoing termite prevention, you take charge of your finances. You decide how much you're going to allow termites to cost. And you defer all of the risks to someone else. That's smart.

If you live in our New York service area, let Parkway Pest Services protect your home or business from the threat of termite damage. When you have a preventative termite plan, you never have to wonder if your investment is being hauled away, one bite at a time. You never have to wake up and find out that the money you've saved for retirement will have to be diverted to a termite crisis. When you have preventative termite protection from Parkway, you're in control. We are one click away.