Pest control warranties

Re-treatment guarantees are the common type. They usually mean the company will treat again at no charge within a defined period if the covered pest returns. The things to pin down: which pests are covered, how long the period runs, whether an annual renewal fee applies, and what voids it.

Damage warranties — often discussed in the context of termite agreements — are a different and much bigger promise, and are correspondingly restricted. Common conditions include annual inspections, keeping conditions such as moisture or wood-to-ground contact corrected, and prompt reporting. Do not assume any specific coverage amount or term; read the document.

What voids coverage is where the money is. Alterations to the structure, landscaping or grading changes, other companies treating the property, and unaddressed moisture are frequently listed. If you can't live with the conditions, the guarantee is decorative.

Renewals and transfers. Ask what the annual renewal costs, whether the price is fixed, and whether the agreement transfers to a buyer. Given Orkin's figure of an average $3,000 to repair discovered termite damage, this is worth reading carefully rather than skimming.

How to choose

Read the contract, not the brochure

Terms vary by company and state. No online summary — including this one — substitutes for the document you're signing.

Find the exclusions list first

It's the part that decides whether a claim gets paid.

Confirm the renewal price and inspection duty

Many agreements require an annual inspection and fee to stay in force. Diary it.

Keep proof you met the conditions

Inspection reports, receipts, dated photos of corrected moisture issues. That's what supports a claim.

Ask whether it transfers at sale

A transferable agreement is worth something to a buyer; get the transfer process in writing.