We’ll look at termite heat treatment cost, including several factors that can influence average prices for this procedure.
Termites are among the scariest pest problems to have. While they stay out of sight, for the most part, the destruction of property can be swift and massive. This is about all we will say about the havoc caused.
In this guide, we will try to calculate the cost of treating termites with heat. Why are we interested in bringing up such information? Well, it is to help with your decision making.
More times than not, people dwell on the cost implication for the type of termite treatment they need. The reason is they need to find ways to maximize cost to their advantage.
You should be able to achieve that by the end of this article.
Average Heat Treatment Cost for Termites
Before conducting heat treatment for homes, there’s the need for occupants to move out.
So how does this affect thermal treatment quotes? Heat treatment requires covering of the structure. This is necessary to hold and raise the temperature to unbearable levels.
Home or structure thermal treatment will cost an average of $1,150 to $3,000.
After encasing the structure with a tarp, industrial heaters are used to heat the air. This allows the heat to be raised at sustained levels to a specific temperature (usually 140°F).
The cost of heat treatment can either be charged on a square foot basis or determined based on the size of the dwelling.
The average cost per square foot for heat extermination ranges from $1.5 to $2.5. A pest management service typically charges between $700 to $3,000.
Settling these costs doesn’t exclude you from the preparation process. In other words, you’ll still need to remove items that can be easily damaged by heat.
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Cost of Heat Treatment by Termite Type
The species of termite to be treated plays a significant role in determining cost. Also, heat treatment won’t be effective for all types of termites. This will be explained shortly.
The major types of termites include drywood, dampwood, and subterranean termites. Each of these types is found around or within structures. However, subterranean termites like the name suggest build tunnels below the ground.
Heat treatment cost for drywood termites ranges between $200 to $1,900. Those for dampwood termites fall within the $350 to $3,000.
Are you waiting for the heat treatment cost for subterranean termites? Sorry to disappoint you. Heat treatment isn’t as effective on subterranean termites as it is on dry and dampwood termites.
Subterranean termites will require other forms of treatment.
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Inspection
Before heat treatment is applied, there needs to be an assessment of the problem. This procedure seeks to identify the level of infestation, the extent of damage caused as well as the most infested areas. All these come with a price tag.
A pest management service will charge you a fee range from $100 to $300. Some other pest control services will provide this service free of charge. Don’t get fooled though. Free termite inspection doesn’t translate to efficient control services.
It takes more than that to define a pest company as reliable.
During an inspection, certain areas of the home are inspected. These are the most likely areas to find termites during an infestation. Inspection of floors, door frames, cabinets, windows, and crawl spaces are done.
If there’s a termite presence, it should be noticed in any of these areas.
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Who Pays for Termite Heat Treatment?
A lot of times when heat treatment cost is discussed, controversies are likely to result, mainly between landlords and tenants. This argument also generates a lot of questions.
So, which party is expected to bear the treatment costs? This depends on many things. One, the landlord is expected to treat a termite-infested property before a new tenant moves in. Secondly, such a landlord should have entered into a contract with a pest management company.
On the other hand, a tenant should not encourage termite activity by keeping or scattering logs of wood around. These are part of the things which attract termites.
Above all, the lease agreement should bear the terms of the agreement. Both parties are expected to have a complete understanding of this agreement before signing.
As a tenant, you should foot the heat treatment expenses if the problem is noticed after you move in.
However, termites only pop up after some time of unseen activity. So, what if you just moved in not long ago? You’ll have to refer to your lease document for clarity. It is advisable to have a thorough understanding of this document as it can save you lots of expenses.
For homeowners, there is no question about who will foot the bill. You have the sole responsibility for this action. Any delay will only result in damage to your property. And such damage could be very severe too.
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Cost of Moving Out for a Termite Heat Treatment
This is an often overlooked area which is very vital to our understanding of heat treatment costs.
A lot of people only focus on the cost incurred by the actual heating process, but this procedure attracts indirect costs as well.
First, you’ll need to rent a hotel or make alternative lodging arrangements. This adds up to the overall cost.
Consider that you wouldn’t have to rent or make such lodging arrangements if there wasn’t a need to treat your property. If you have a family or keep pets, such expenses will certainly increase.
This additional cost also includes feeding expenses among others, unless you have extended family willing to take you in.
Thankfully, heat treatment will at most take a day or two.
Termite heat treatment costs can be influenced by all the factors we’ve discussed here. You would need to have a solid plan on how to go about the whole process. This plan includes comparing price quotes from different pest management services.
Also, you’ll need to discuss and if possible bargain with your exterminator for a better deal.