How To Lower Your Home Maintenance Costs
Rave Reviews!
State To Monitor Deadly Citrus Pest
President’s Economic Stimulus Plan
The History of Cinco de Mayo
Don’t Forget To Read The Fine Print!

A large French force stormed Veracruz in late 1861. President Juarez and his government were forced to retreat. The French army moved from there toward Mexico City but they encountered heavy resistance from the Mexicans when they got near Puebla. The French army, which was considered to be the best at that time, had 8,000 men. The poorly equipped Mexican army only had 4,000. On May 5, 1862, while under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, the Mexicans were able crush the French army.

Unfortunately, the Mexican victory was short lived. A year later, 30,000 French troops were able to depose the Mexican army and capture Mexico City. Emperor Maximilian I was established as the ruler of Mexico. But, only three years later, in 1867, Maximilian I was executed by the Mexicans, along with his generals, Miramon and Mejia.

Time magazine put it so well when they said, “The Puebla victory came to symbolize unity and pride for what seemed like a Mexican David defeating a French Goliath.”

Many of you will be celebrating on Cinco de Mayo. After you have enjoyed your 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th margarita, why don’t you share this true story? After all that celebrating, do you think you’ll still be able to remember all the correct dates?

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

• Rick Jubak of Huntington Beach recommended us to Vicki & David Doss of Huntington Beach.
• Marc Cole of Huntington Beach referred our services to Samuel Choe of Cerritos.
• Todd Hartzog of Coto De Caza told Penn Bushong of Mission Viejo about our service.
• Tod Pitlik of Long Beach gave our name to Jim Calloway, also of Long Beach.
• Steve Denicola of Lake Forest referred us to Tom Rydzeski of Lake Forest.
• Sean & Trish Pfeiffer of Anaheim referred us to George Savvas of Anaheim.
• Bob Ulrich of Costa Mesa gave our name to Tom & Shelly Hope of Huntington Beach.
• Bill Richardson of Westminster recommended our services to Flint Smith of Garden Grove.
• Igor Belilovets of Irvine gave our name to Tanya Brandom of Lake Forest.
• Dick Mack of Orange recommended us to his neighbor, Nancy Ledford of Orange.
• Dena Duthie of Long Beach referred us to David & Michelle Donovan of Stanton.
• Jimmy Page of Santa Ana recommended our services to Tammy Frias, also of Santa Ana.

Termite Terry is reminding everyone that this is even more proof that his economic stimulus plan is working and that all of these fine citizens have received a FREE $50.00 gas card.

To participate, all you have to do is to find someone who needs termite treatment, repairs or monthly pest control service. And, if they join up you’ll get your $50.00 gas card, too!

I called your company with great anxiety. I had swarming termites in my bedroom. They were all over everything including my bed and sheets. I spoke with Joe Johnston and he assured me (with is extensive knowledge of termites and other insects) all would be well.

Joe came over to my house at the appointed time. He thoroughly examined my home and discussed with me his findings. It was decided that fumigation was my best option. Joe was able to answer all my questions and even made many suggestions on how to keep my home “pest free”. I felt very comfortable after speaking with Joe and hired Termite Terry Pest Control then and there to do my fumigation.

Getting ready to vacate one’s home requires a lot of thought and work. Joe did everything he could to help me with this. In addition to setting up the fumigation he booked me and my family a pet friendly hotel room. He also called the Gas Company to set up the turn off and turn on of my gas. Joe came over to show me how to bag all my food correctly. He even made sure that I knew I could call him anytime with any questions I may have concerning my upcoming fumigation. Joe and his staff showed up on the morning of the fumigation and walked me through the process again and I left my home feeling safe and secure. Joe found some food I had forgotten to bag and he kindly took care of it for me!

Two days later I returned to my home. The tent was off just when Joe said it would be. All was well. Joe called by the next day to make sure I was happy with everything and again assured me that I could call him if I had any questions or concerns.

I would like to thank Termite Terry and especially Joe Johnston for a job well done. I carry your business cards in my wallet to hand out to anyone I know who needs pest control.”

Kathi Ishizaki
Fountain Valley

A home needs to be maintained as well. Your home is probably your largest investment and if you’ll take care of it on a regular basis, it will provide many years of good use. And, history has shown that a well maintained home will see substantial gains in value over time.

In this article, we would like to talk to you about some of the most important maintenance items you need to address. The good news is that some of these items can be corrected at minimal expense. In fact, some of these items are perfect “do-it-yourself” projects! Here are 7 key areas of maintenance you should focus on:

1. Moisture Control is probably the best place to start a maintenance program on any home because, “Homes that stay dry usually have fewer problems”. Do you realize that something as simple as a one dollar faucet washer can cause a water leak and create massive damage to your home? That’s right! It only takes is a small leak to attract termites, dryrot and mold problems and any of those conditions can lead to monumental repair costs.

Periodically, you should take a walk around your home and check everything related to plumbing. Check all of the plumbing in your baths, kitchen, water heater and exterior water faucets. If you see any of these items leaking, you need to have them repaired right away. Do yourself a big favor and spend a little now so you can save yourself a fortune, later!

Keep a close eye out for signs of roof leaks. If your roof hasn’t been inspected in the past 2 years, it is probably a good idea to have a licensed roofer give it a check-up. Many homes develop leaks around chimneys and roof vents and these can be easily and inexpensively repaired with the application of a little roof sealer. Don’t ignore roof leaks because they won’t go away and they may eventually cost you a small fortune.

While your roofer is inspecting the roof, you may want to have him take a look at your rain gutters. Rain gutters are great for controlling moisture, but if they become clogged or develop leaks, they can create a lot of damage to your home.

Take a close look at your lawn sprinklers and make sure they are not spraying water on your home. Many, many homes are heavily damaged by these systems. You’ll be happy to know that many sprinkler repairs can be made by simple adjustments or the replacement of inexpensive parts. Check to see if you are “over-watering”. If so, cut back on watering times. This will help prevent damage and save you a lot of money on your next water bill.

2. Plants and trees can create a lot of problems that will lead to expensive repairs. You should keep all plants cut back at least 1 to 2 feet from your home. Trees should be cut back at least 4 feet away from the house and none of the tree branches should be left hanging over the roof. By doing this, it will help to keep your home dry, protect your home’s paint and help to prevent damage to your roof. This will also help to keep insects and rodents out of your home.

3. Door and window screens should be inspected. These will help to keep unwanted insects out of your home.

4. Vents on the side of your garage, subarea and attic should all be inspected. Make sure they are not blocked so you’re home will have the proper ventilation it needs.

Also, check the vent screens to see they are in proper order. These screens are important because they will keep birds, rodents and other small animals from gaining access. Remember that these pests can cause a lot of damage to your home, not to mention the fact that they can create a health hazard with all of their urine and feces.

5. Inspect the grading around your home and make sure that when it rains, all of the water drains away from your home. This is really important because you don’t want water to start collecting under your home. Excess water under a home can cause foundation settling and is very attractive to termites.

You can check areas around your home for proper drainage by pouring a large bucket of water out near your home’s foundation. If the water all runs away from the house, you’re in good shape. But, if it puddles up against the house, you need to fix it right away. In some cases, you may be able to solve your problem with a little time and a shovel. In other cases, you may have to bring in a landscape specialist to regrade your yard or perhaps, install a landscape drainage system.

While you’re doing your inspection, make sure that the top of all soil levels around your home are at least 5 to 6 inches below the top of your home’s foundation. This will help to prevent moisture, dryrot, mold and insect problems.

A lot of people have problems with planters around their homes because they fill up with rain water. This condition can bring on major problems and should not be ignored. Regrade the soil to provide drainage or if necessary, have a licensed landscaper correct the situation as needed.

6. Look for signs of earth to wood contacts. All soil levels should be at least 5 to 6 inches below exterior wood siding or other wooden parts of your home. If you allow wood to come in contact with the soil, problems with dryrot and termites are almost guaranteed to occur.

7. Check the condition of your home’s paint. If it has been more than 6 years, it is probably time for you to talk to a professional painter. A good paint job will help protect your home from the weather and it makes your home less attractive to termites. When you do hire a painter, make sure he does a good job in cleaning and sanding your home before he starts painting. Also, make sure he uses a good brand of paint and that he doesn’t “water it down”. A good paint job isn’t cheap and it pays to hire the best so you’ll get a paint job that will last.

Do you have a problem with ants, roaches, spiders or rodents and need help?  Or, maybe you have some termite or dryrot damage that you’d like to have repaired? Call our office at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and we’ll be happy to provide you with a complimentary inspection. You will get valuable, useful information and it may wind up saving you even more money!

As Benjamin Franklin once said,

“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

Until recently, the traps were monitored by technicians under contract by the Citrus Research Board, a grower-funded organization.

By transferring the task to the state, officials believe they will be able to respond more quickly and efficiently when these pests are discovered. This move will also allow growers to ship their produce to Australia. Currently, Australia will not accept imports from Asian citrus psyllid infected areas unless they are monitored by an official regulatory agency.

Asian citrus psyllids were first discovered in San Diego County in 2008. The insect has spread to Los Angeles and Riverside counties during the past 1½ years.

The citrus industry in Florida has lost $3.6 billion in revenues and 6,600 jobs over the last few years because of these pests.

Termite Terry strongly believes in “customer education” and this is an example of how he is doing his part to give back to the community. Whenever he does a presentation like this, he always wants to focus on the needs of his audience – these are not “disguised” sales presentations. In fact, he never even mentions his company or services until the end of the presentation. That is when he offers to help out anyone who needs more information or would like to have assistance with a problem.

Do you know of a homeowner’s association, property management firm or any other group in Orange County that is interested in saving money? If they would like to see one of these presentations, please call our office at (949) 631-7348 or send an e-mail to email@termiteterry.com and we’ll be happy to put you on our schedule. These presentations last only 15 minutes and if you like, Terry’s specialist will be glad to open up the meeting for questions and answers. There is no charge for this service and none of the audience members will ever be asked to make a purchase of anything, whatsoever.

The homeowner really liked Bob, so he called him back and asked if he could match the second bid at $5,800. Bob said that there was no way he could bring his price down that far. The homeowner decided to hire the “low bid guy”.

The “low bid guy” took out the old driveway, got everything ready so they could start pouring the cement and the homeowner was very happy. But, his smile went away when the concrete truck showed up and the driver said he would need to be paid. Next, the “concrete pump guy” showed up and he said he would need to be paid, too. The homeowner was really upset by these last minute charges. He got out his contract and re-read it. While looking closely at the bottom of the page, he saw where it said in fine print, “The cost of cement and concrete pumping are not included.”

Later that day, the homeowner decided to call Bob and he asked, “When you gave me your bid, did that include the cost of cement and the concrete pump service?”  Bob answered, “Of course, our bid included everything.” At that point, the homeowner’s heart sank. With the additional costs of the cement and concrete pumping service, he had just spent a total of $8,400! That was $600 more than Bob’s bid!

Ladies and gentlemen, when we give you a bid for our services, you’ll see that we go into a lot of detail so you’ll always know what you’re paying for. If you want to compare our prices to someone else’s, that’s alright. But, do yourself a favor and make sure they put all of their details in writing. Lastly, don’t forget to read their fine print.

When we got there, it didn’t take long to locate the problem. The rats had already eaten two holes into her laundry room and another large hole into her garage. With her permission, we opened up several areas of the wall. The walls were packed with the rat’s nesting materials and we wound up pulling out a total of 20 dead rats! We did some more investigation to find out how the rats had gotten into her home and discovered they were entering through the water heater room, which was adjacent to the laundry room and garage. We found the water heater room had been turned into a rat’s nest, with leaves and debris piled up 6 inches deep. We cleaned everything out and saw the rats had chewed 3 more holes through that wall to access the inside of the house.

The main reason this home had a problem was because the contractor who built this home left a gap, 1 ½ inches deep, under the water heater doors and that allowed easy access for the rats. This homeowner was very lucky that her whole house didn’t burn down because of all the leaves and debris piled up around that “flaming water heater”.  We recommended that she have us install new thresholds under the doors to keep out the rats and that she have us start doing a monthly rodent baiting service (on the outside) to help curb the rodent population around her home.

Everything worked out well that night and we had a very happy client. Lucky for me, my wife didn’t murder me and I was still able to take her out for sushi!