House Fumigation & My Safe

[dominic]

Looks like I may lean on a few of my hunting buddies to see if they'll store stuff for me. Yeah it's a good safe, it's bolted down, and I have an alarm system but I still don't want to look appealing to the stupid types. Now that I think about it, I'll probably hide the ammo as well.

Even then, the fact that I have a large empty safe will still likely draw any bad elements, if present on the crew or in their circles. If anything did ever happen, you can bet I would immediately point fingers at the fumigation company.

Now that I say all that, I do have a separate locked storage shed. Perhaps I should put in the effort to move the safe out there temporarily and avoid the whole damn thing. Let them think that the smaller rifle safe was my big concern all along.

After all this you're still going to tent? Its a needless expensive time consuming impractical solution when so many better, less expensive, more effective newer technologies are available. For the $4-5000 it costs to tent, with no long-term effectiveness you could hire a baiting service for a couple years. Tenting kills the termites inside, but doesn't keep them from coming back. Look into something else, like orange oil, or borates. Less expensive, less prep time, longer lasting.

[heyjerr]

Total cost for house and separate 300sq ft building is $2750. PlanetOrange performed the inspection and said they couldn't guarantee getting the job done because they can only do spot work. They can work with an enclosed wall but have to open up each area between studs by drilling a hole. Because this is in the kitchen behind tiles, they didn't want to do it....plus they said all of the framework around the windows would bring the labor up to the cost of just tenting in the first place.

So Yes, I'm still doing it. I want the termites gone. And this tenting comes with 3 years of followup visits and work. Would've loved if it could've been cheaper and allegedly more environmentally-friendly.

Oh, and the "warranty" for orange oil does not cover you if they later say you need to fumigate the whole house. Not much of a choice in my opinion.

[dominic]

Sounds like a deal then. Thats cheaper than I thought it would be. They using vikane?

[heyjerr]

Yeah, not bad for a two story building and the outbuilding (~50,000 cubic feet, IIRC). Yes to the vikane.

EDIT: just got a call from Planet Orange's fumigation contractor and the price comes in even lower due to them measuring for 33,000cubic feet. I then questions them on the square footage of the house and they confirmed. I'm awaiting callback on their requirements for "inspecting" my safe.

[JDay]

This ^^.

In fact when our exterminator discovered termites I assumed he would want to tent. But in fact, he said his company doesn't tent any more as there are so many better alternatives available. Also he warned us that a big tent over your house is an invitation to thieves.....as many have said here.

Yep. I recently had around 40 bait stations installed because of termites. OP, you should call Terminix.

[JDay]

After all this you're still going to tent? Its a needless expensive time consuming impractical solution when so many better, less expensive, more effective newer technologies are available. For the $4-5000 it costs to tent, with no long-term effectiveness you could hire a baiting service for a couple years. Tenting kills the termites inside, but doesn't keep them from coming back. Look into something else, like orange oil, or borates. Less expensive, less prep time, longer lasting.

It cost me around $2500 to have 40 or so bait traps installed in the ground around the perimeter of my house. The yearly fee for having them maintained is under $200.

[81turbota]

Have you told the contractor that you are going out of town? Even if you decline the job/open the safe, the contractor knows the safe is there. The presence of a safe implies that it contains valuable items. If you told the contractor that you're leaving town as a comment towards convenience, I would relocate the contents regardless if they see them or not until you return and have direct control over it.

[IntoForever]

If you're that worried about your safe, contents and any firearms related items here's an idea.
1) Remove all firearm related stuff.
2) Place paperwork and other crap in the safe.
3) When they inspect drop a random comment that the papers don't actually have any real value, just keeping them organized in case of a break in (or some such drivel).
4) Relax, they saw there wasn't any reason to break in and try to steal stuff later, you just look like a hoarder.

[CBR_rider]

Been there, done that not long enough ago. I went the tenting/vikane route as well; I was told/read that other options could not guarantee complete eradication of the termites already in the house. I would rather kill them all then spend more money without a tent and have a growing (literally) problem still inside the house.

Rather than argue about my safe I just literally emptied it of everything and lived at another house for three days.

[heyjerr]

Definitely some good feedback here guys. Planet Orange took the time to let me know that it's actually a requirement from the Department of Agriculture. They contract their fumigation to Driskell, who actually has this question listed in his FAQ (http://www.driskellfumigation.com/faq.htm#safe)

They told me that the Dept of Ag occasionally performs surprise inspections and will fine the company if they cannot account for the contents. That said, they can have the owner (or proxy) be "on call" to come down and open it in the case that such an inspection occurs.

All said, I'm leaning towards the latest suggestions to remove everything and leave relatively worthless items in there and just say the safe came with the house. You're right that the mere presence of a closed safe is enough of an invitation to thieves, especially once they hear how much I objected to it being open in the first place.

[fallfornoone]

Had my house tented back in Nov, was robbed. Will probably never do that again. Its a huge pain and no one takes any responsibility. I got some money from insurance but not worth it. just my professional opinion of course.

would definitely recommend you tent in the backyard if you go through with it. Also remove all traces of firearms.

[Nate]

Aside from already mentioned problems, a tented fumigated house can get over 120 degrees inside. You might not want your guns getting that hot. Just one more reason to leave them in the custody of a friend/family member.

Are you serious? Are they going to melt?

[saki302]

Years ago when we fumigated our house, I slept in my VW GTI up on the private driveway, .357 revolver in my lap.

No unwanted visitors that night

Earlier in the day we saw a van with 2 guys parked out front. If they came back, they probably go the idea they weren't wanted.

-Dave

[Marauder2003]

FYI

http://ktla.com/2015/09/05/10-year-old-boy-suffers-traumatic-brain-injury-after-termite-fumigation-florida-family-says/

[Citadelgrad87]

FYI

http://ktla.com/2015/09/05/10-year-o...a-family-says/

I don't get it.