# Ma’am, you have a problem!



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Got a call from a long time customer yesterday. Her parents 2nd floor stool was really loose, handle broken... 

I’ve done a fair amount of work there for her, never came across and other evidence before. This bathroom is above their kitchen, along with a cast tub. What do you think the rest of the structure looks like? I called my carpenter and sent these pictures, he has major concerns as well. He’s dealt with insurance companies before and said this will not be covered. I’m thinking, if it’s as bad as it could be a repair would be in the multiple of hundreds of thousands of dollars!


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

If her ceiling is dry and there were no drip then it may be carpenter ant sawdust.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

That was my thought too. She did say they have been battling large black ants HO style for a number of years.:huh: but old man is stubborn and cheap.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Then they are in big trouble, these guys dig where there is moist wood. When I bought my house I had a big problem with them.

The exterminators were crooks. They wanted to spray. I did heavy research, the spray was useless. It was their way to reduce the population but keep coming back every year for money, forever!

It took me 3 years to completely get rid of them. I removed the front deck, back deck, back exterior wall. I discovered they had eaten a joist in the basement and it broke in 2. The previous owners put reinforcement but the weight of the house settled there.

I also had to treat the huge trees on the church yard. They had made huge tunnels. After the third year after they were gone the huge tree turned orange. A huge wood pecker tore up the whole bark in 2 days as I watched him peel chunks.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

I've become an expert, seriously. Huge black ants with gray stripes. Every spring the queen sends out recon queen ants that fly around looking to repopulate. Then she sends huge abdomen egg layers. You can see them 20 feet away. After satellite colonies have been established the drones go back and forth digging wood. 

In the tree they have a doorway tunnel and a bigger one is a sentry ant. The only way to get rid of them is to use special bait. Protein based pellets which smells like dried fish meal. They either eat protein or then they switch to sugar. This is where you use a syringe filled with poison sugar syrup. They bring it back and store it. They dwindle a little bit but they keep storing until winter where they feed the colony and feed it to the queens.

Its a long process!

I've trapped a guard ant in a jar and he lived 3 weeks with a tight lid, no food or water. I caught a queen ant left in the jar. After 2 weeks I put in a dead ant which she ate and she lived for a total of 6 weeks!


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I just let her know. I suggested calling a exterminator for now. Thanks!


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

OpenSights said:


> I just let her know. I suggested calling a exterminator for now. Thanks!



You are welcome!

Like I said the exterminators here didn't know jack. Spray and all other stuff is junk its useless they'll be back.

The only stuff that works is : Bayer Carpenter Ant Control Kit, carpenter Ant Gel, bait


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Spray some Raid and fill the holes with wood putty, good to go! :thumbsup:


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## acesfour (Apr 22, 2014)

I bet the whole house structure has problems. I had a house once where carpenter ants ate an entire screened in porch structure. Had to be torn down and rebuilt. That material does look basically like sawdust and i am willing to bet it comes from ants. She needs to make certain the whole sewer line doesn't come down through the ceiling.

Tracy
Aces Four


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Tango said:


> You are welcome!
> 
> Like I said the exterminators here didn't know jack. Spray and all other stuff is junk its useless they'll be back.
> 
> The only stuff that works is : Bayer Carpenter Ant Control Kit, carpenter Ant Gel, bait


Thanks for recommendation Tango. I just bought Bayer termite/carpenter ant killer over Spectracide brand. I have some termites in my fascia board I need to take care of. I'm replacing the heavily damaged ones and will treat the ones with minor damage.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

You are welcome.

Be careful where you put the pellets so that pets don't eat the poison, it smells like fish meal. Some type of box where they can't chew through.

The pellets does wonders on earwigs, they love it and DIE!! :turned:


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

*Home Inspections?*

Here's where a competent home inspector would have saved you.

Big surprises like ant infestation could have save you lots of money and stress.

I work with a few inspectors and scope the laterals for prospective buyers.
Don't understand why ALL home buyers don't get inspections.

I'm also a certified inspector but there's more money in drain cleaning but I have a hand full of investors I work for. 

Maybe you walked into these properties knowing these problems (?)

Good luck with the Ants.

I thought Borax was a good deterrent?


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I do sewer inspections for a realtor, usually the general inspector is there as well. Pisses him off when I notice a big code issue outside of the main line. “I’m not here to point out code violations!” I retort “I’m here to keep people safe, alive and prevent potential property damage.”

The house in this thread... I don’t think anything thing will be done. Mom and dad are broke from being used by a grandson and baby mama, daughter is paying my bills... I just fear the day it collapses.

In the back of my mind I want to call code compliance, but at the same time I don’t want to be a cop/ahole.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

It's their house and its their decision if they want it fixed. I come across people where there are no p-traps, they don't want one or the dishwasher outlet is connected on the wrong side. They don't always want it done right. 

2 months ago I told the home owners their copper pipes in their condo on the second floor were corroded and needed a repipe. They only wanted a repair. 3 weeks later it pinholed again. Their choice.


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## jnohs (Jan 27, 2012)

Price that shoit out. 
Pull and rest toilet 389
Remove and reset flang to proper height mounted to subfloor 389
Remove and reinstall vanity with new trap 489
Remove existing flooring and install new subfloor 889
Tile floor 889

Customer to supply or reimburse for tile grout and saddle. . Tile to be purchased today in stock 
If any additional work is needed to complete this job that is not descirebed in the scope of this contract ther may be cost in addition to this contract. 

Sign on the bottom and we will have you back tigether by the end of the day.


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