Active Subterranean Termites Near a Private Well with a Prior Chlordane History
An owner of a 1,900-square-foot slab-on-grade home in Cape Coral reports a termite tube on the interior wall of a bathroom and mud on the baseboard. The home is on a private well; the well casing is about 35 feet from the east wall. The house was treated with chlordane in 1981, according to a faded sticker; no records exist. The soil is sandy and the water table is about 4 feet below grade. The owner will not leave the home for fumigation and does not want bait stations because they are ugly. A liquid termiticide label prohibits application within a stated distance of wells and requires a treated-zone barrier. The owner wants a lifetime guarantee and asks whether the company can just spray the bathroom wall.
1. Evaluate the practical treatment options for this active subterranean infestation, including the well setback and the prior chlordane treatment.
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The active tube is evidence of subterranean termites, so the goal is to disrupt the soil-to-wood connection or use a baiting program. A liquid soil termiticide may be applied only according to its label. The label setback from the well must be measured and respected; the applicator cannot treat within the prohibited distance even if that leaves a gap in the barrier. If the well is within the setback, the company should consider a bait station system, which uses less soil-applied liquid and can be placed away from the well according to the label. The owner objects to visible bait stations, but stations can sometimes be concealed in mulch or landscaping, subject to label directions. Drilling the slab and treating the interior void may help at the bathroom wall, but it is not a complete soil barrier and should not be sold as one. The prior chlordane treatment is not a reason to assume the house is protected; chlordane is no longer available, and its residual may be incomplete. The sandy soil and shallow water table should be considered in the application plan. Fumigation is not a subterranean termite treatment and would not solve the soil source.
2. What Florida treatment-notice, contract, and warranty issues should the company address before work begins?
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The company should provide the required termite treatment notice and a written contract before treatment. The contract should identify the target pest, the treatment method, the areas to be treated, the areas not treated, the label limitations, and the owner's obligations. It should explain that the company cannot guarantee a lifetime result and that the warranty, if any, has terms, exclusions, renewal conditions, and limitations. The owner should be told that the well setback may limit the treatment and that baiting requires monitoring and cooperation. The company should keep records of the treatment, including the product label, application rate, and a diagram. The contract should not promise eradication or lifetime protection. If the company offers a renewable warranty, the terms should be clear about retreatments and inspections. The company should also verify that the certified operator and applicators are authorized for the termite category and that the business is licensed under Chapter 482, F.S. The notice and contract should be given before the work, not after a problem arises.
3. How should the company respond to the owner's request to just spray the bathroom wall and to the demand for a lifetime guarantee?
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The company should explain that spraying the visible bathroom wall will not reach the soil colony and is not a stand-alone subterranean termite treatment. It may kill termites in the wall void, but termites can re-enter from the soil. The company should offer a labeled treatment plan, such as a soil barrier where allowed, bait stations, or a combination, and explain the limitations near the well. It should not promise a lifetime guarantee. A warranty can be offered for a defined term, with inspection and retreatment conditions, but it is a contract, not a guarantee that termites will never return. The owner should be told that the prior chlordane treatment does not make the house immune and that hidden activity may exist. The company should document the owner's refusal of recommended options if the owner insists on a limited spray. If the owner rejects all effective options, the company should decline to represent the spray as a complete treatment.