Date:    3/22/04
Contact: Cam Lay, (864) 646 -2150
Writer:  Tracy Outlaw, (864) 646-2144

It's termite season again -- Clemson's 
DPR suggests ways to protect your home

	CLEMSON - Springtime -- warm weather, flowers and of course 
--insects. The most visible and dangerous insects to homeowners are 
termites.
	Beginning in spring, termites swarm out of their colonies to 
reproduce, lay their eggs and form other colonies. 
	They burrow upward through cracks in bricks or in the cement of
the foundations. They attack the wood of a house feeding on its 
cellulose. 
	Over time, support timbers are hollowed, and the whole 
structure of the house is weakened; so the basis of termite control is 
to establish a chemical barrier between the soil, which is a termite's 
home, and the wood of a structure, which is a termite's food source. 
	Because buying a home is a family's largest single investment, 
termite damage can be a huge financial hit for them. 
	"The entire southeastern United States is a high-risk area for 
subterranean termites," said Cam Lay, assistant department head of 
Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). "With more 
than 25,000 new homes constructed in South Carolina each year and the 
immense high-risk for termites in the state, it is not a matter of if 
an unprotected home will be attacked but when."
	The structural pest control industry does an estimated $269 
million worth of business in South Carolina, and DPR is the sole 
regulator.
	DPR issues detailed standards on how termite treatments must be
performed as well as licensing, which is obtained when operators pass a 
comprehensive certification exam and demonstrate financial 
responsibility for property damage and public liability.
	Despite DPR's best efforts, some pest control companies operate
without a state license, use the wrong chemical or don't apply 
pesticides in the right places. 
  	"We can't stress enough the importance of selecting a 
professional, licensed pest control operator," said Cecil Hernandez, 
DPR specialist in the Charleston office. 
	Businesses licensed by DPR will have a departmental decal and 
their name and business license number on their vehicle. Their 
technicians will also carry an identification card that verifies that 
they have been adequately trained. 
	To protect your home or business when hiring a pest control 
company, Hernandez suggests the following guidelines:
	·Look for the yellow pesticide sticker on company trucks. It 
	must include business license number, company name and 	
	location.  
	·Call DPR to learn whether a firm is licensed or has a history
 	of violations.  
	·Get several bids, which usually are free, from more than two 
	companies. 
	·Ask the company for references and check them out or ask
 	friends and neighbors to recommend a firm. 
	·Get a termite contract. Contracts are usually written for five
 	to 10 years. The contract should cover damage, which is 
	treatment and repair. 
	·Have your house inspected regularly for termites. 
	For assistance or to report a violation, Lay advises contacting
the nearest DPR field office or headquarters, located in Pendleton, at 
(864) 646-2150.
			END