Of course, some houses and buildings stand a greater risk of becoming infested with termites than other houses and buildings. Considering that termites cause at least 5 billion dollars per year in property damage in the United States and up to 60 billion per year worldwide, you can understand why the government wants to minimize the degree of termite pest damage inflicted on structures located on public and private property. In order to protect homes from costly termite attacks, many state laws in the US require construction contractors to follow certain regulations that aim to minimize termite attacks. For example, many states are now requiring construction contractors to apply termiticide chemical barriers within the ground soil surrounding new houses. Most working contractors are also required to use only lumber that has been chemically or pressure treated to repel termites. There exists many more regulations, and in order to enforce these regulations, both private and government employed pest control inspectors and housing appraisers are trained to assess houses for their chances of becoming infested with termites.

According to data, termite attacks occur more frequently outside of homes than they do inside of homes. Landscaping structures and fences see the greatest degree of termite damage when it comes to residential properties. Therefore, properties with fences and wood-constructed landscaping structures are at a particularly high risk of sustaining termite damage. The age of a home is the most telling factor concerning a home’s chances of sustaining termite damage. One study found that houses aged 30 years or less had the lowest rates of termite attack, and houses over 70 years of age had the highest rates of termite attack. Certain features of houses, and the properties they are located on, can make homes unusually vulnerable to falling victim to permanent termite infestations. Houses that have active termite damage or signs of past damage are obviously at the greatest risk of becoming infested permanently. A homeowner’s history of termite inspections is also a factor in determining a home’s chances of incurring a permanent termite infestation. Not surprisingly, homes that have undergone a relatively small amount of termite inspections, or none at all, are at a much greater risk of becoming infested with termites for life.

If you are a homeowner, do you believe that you take the proper precautions to protect your home from termite attacks?