[Preventive Pest Management] Home Repair Headaches

You see the "big box" stores on television. Radio ads with voices of famous actors tell you that you can do it too — just like professional remodelers. Countless Web sites will tell homeowners just how easy it is to install a bathroom or repair that plumbing problem in the kitchen. Saturday television and radio programs have a seemingly unlimited supply of do-it-yourself shows.

A sluggish economy, elevated unemployment in many areas, as well as record low interest rates and poorly performing stocks have all prompted homeowners to look to their homes as a place to invest their time, energy and money. The home improvement industry has grown to more than $200 billion annually, including both the service and retail sectors. From basement to roof, homeowners are flocking to the do-it-yourself stores to stock up.

So how does this affect the pest management professional? Regardless of whether the house is being inspected for termites or if the house is under pest control contract, the do-it-yourselfer can really hamper the work of the pest management professional. Whether the issue is shoddy workmanship from unskilled homeowners or poorly designed home repair products, weekend home improvement projects can put a serious damper on the effectiveness of the pest management professional’s work. Let’s take a look at a typical house and the types of repairs and improvements the homeowner might tackle.

We all learned early on in our careers that in order to have a successful pest management program, regardless of pest, the first line of defense is the exterior. Even pests that inhabit the structure’s interior must enter somehow. Therefore, as we do our exterior inspections, we must be wary of obvious and sometimes not so obvious improvements and repairs. Once inside, pests can thrive in the warm, food rich, moist interior.

LANDSCAPING. With a large percentage of homes with lush landscaping under pest control contracts, pest management professionals will encounter numerous vertebrate and insect pests. Ground cover provides harborage for rodents, beetles and ants. Mulch, by holding moisture, sustains insect pests that can work their way into the house via foundation cracks or crawlspaces. For those in the termite control business, note that landscaping may increase the conditions conducive to infestation and may technically void warranties depending on the language. Also, landscaping will wreak havoc with not only liquid termite control in place but may also displace bait stations.

Pest control or termite technicians should document any noticeable landscaping change on the service ticket and supervisors should check this information to see if warranties are voided by landscaping. If so, the company should notify the homeowner pursuant to the terms of the contract. While digital photography would be an excellent way to document this, supplying technicians with such technology won’t be common for some time for many companies.

IRRIGATION. Drip irrigation has taken the place of daily watering chores but landscape bed drip irrigation keeps the soil moist and as we know, water is vital to pests. Because the soil stays wet, there is a constant source of moisture for the pests. If there is wood nearby, there can be ideal conditions for insect survival. Foundation treatments will be of no value to the pest management professional. According to irrigation specialists, most drip systems are timed so that they overwater the area. Besides supporting insect populations, overwatering will damage termite monitoring devices and as the latest technology includes electronic monitoring of bait stations, water-saturated stations may yield false positives for the frustrated technician. With drip systems, a false positive rate of more than 80 percent has been reported by numerous companies that I’m aware of. This leads to excessive time on site by the technician replacing monitoring devices.

Lawn irrigation creates nice green grass in the heat of the summer but can support the same types of pests found with drip systems. Also, irrigation systems frequently go out of adjustment and heads may spray onto the house or structural wood, leading to conditions conducive to termite and ant infestations and decay.

Any observations of out of tune sprinkler heads or excessive moisture due to drip systems should be noted by the technician and should be called to the attention of the homeowner. Again, management should determine whether these conditions void warranties.

ROOFING. The bold homeowner might attempt replacing shingles or repairing valley flashing on a roof. Look for shingles with a color that doesn’t match the rest of the roof. Homeowner repairs to flashing can be spotted by excessive off-color sealant and adhesive, which will frequently be left to dry on the flashing.

If a home repair is suspected, go into the attic beneath the repaired area and look for moisture or decay, as well as insect pests that might be supported by the moisture, such as roaches, ants and termites.

COSMETIC REPAIRS OF DECAY. Decay is common in warmer areas where there is a long season of humidity and rain. Decay is commonly viewed as a major irritation for the homeowner. In the case of a real estate sale, sellers and buyers can become emotional over decay. Sellers are usually forced to pay for repairs or do the repairs. Face it: most homeowners don’t want to spend their entire weekends working on their houses, especially if the repairs aren’t going to improve the value. The result is typically poor quality decay repair due to sloppiness and poor material choice.

Decay has been repaired using the following materials: chewing gum, glazing putty, caulking (most common), wood patch and driveway patch. After painting, it is hoped that the repair cannot even be observed. There are materials sold primarily for the cosmetic repair of decay. Some advertise that the wood is even stronger after repair and some even advertise that the repair is termite-proof (no data is presented by the manufacturer). Most of these products, whether two-part epoxy or single compound, are used to fill in decayed sections after removing the loose decay, sanding and then painting over. Also, some door and window framing, such as brick molding, is frequently cut off above the decay and replaced with new molding. Both of these repairs should tip off the technician that repairs have been made.

Look for any molding that has uneven joints. Always examine wood near the soil level on inspections. If fill in is suspected, place a flashlight on the surface of the suspect area with the light shining across the suspect area. Filled-in areas will have surface defects or "knitted" areas at the edges which will let the technician know that there has been a previous decay problem. Technicians can recommend to homeowners that garage trimming on concrete can be trimmed ¼- to ½-inch above grade to keep pooled water from wicking into the trim, which is the cause of decay.

PLUMBING. Plumbing defects and poor repairs generate the most concentrated moisture source in a house. Leaking toilet seals are often overlooked. If possible, technicians should inspect all pipe going through the floor from underneath the floor if an unfinished crawlspace or basement is present. Slab house traps should be inspected.

New clamp-type repair collars for leaking pipes indicate that there has been a leak present and should be considered a warning that a leak has been present. Polybutylene pipes had been used in the 1980s and leaks due to the pipes generated many class-action lawsuits. Polybutylene pipes in place should be suspect. Cut-off gray pipes in a house next to copper or clear water pipes suggest that the polybutylene pipes have been replaced, with some left in place by plumbers in a hurry.

Place a pad-type moisture meter on the wood floor near a toilet to get an indication whether the toilet seal is leaking. Place the meter near the rear of the toilet adjacent to where the wax seal would be.

If there is any indication that there is any concern regarding moisture above grade, a pad-type moisture meter should be placed on the walls or "drip" areas. Leaking roofs not obvious inside the attic can be verified by placing a meter on the drywall.

Make sure that when a pad-type moisture meter is used it is set for the correct medium; otherwise, a false reading will be obtained. Most meters have settings for wood, drywall and brick.

CONCLUSION. The do-it-yourself homeowner is here to stay. By staying one step ahead of the technology and taking the time to observe conditions in the homes you service, your company can provide an important service to your customers.

The author is a former technical director of the National Pest Management Association, former president of a Raleigh, N.C.-based pest management firm, and is currently on staff at NPMA. He can be reached at gbaumann@pctonline.com.