Phoenix has a pest problem. Because of all of the rain this spring, termites are infesting houses at an alarming rate, costing homeowners hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars.
Marcia Schultz of Mesa is one of those homeowners. She's lived in her house for 12 years.
"We've never had bugs at all," said Schultz. "I was cleaning out the closet and there it was."
Schultz is referring to mud-tubes, tunnels the termites use to travel into your home and usually the most visual sign you have an infestation.
"All I need to do is spend this money, that was basically the initial thought," Schultz said.
Hundreds of dollars later, Varsity Termite and Pest Control -- a Mesa, family-owned company -- drilled holes into Schultz's foundation and sprayed the chemical to dissolve the insects.
"With the rains, the termites are staying active," said Don Swim, co-owner of Varsity Termite.
The termites have been so active that Varsity is booked a month out. So how do you prevent this from happening to you?
"It's just something that happens," Swim said.
He means that aside from a preventative spray, you, basically, can do nothing. In fact, experts estimate that in every acre of land, there are between 20 and 50 termite colonies and it's just luck of the draw if the insect picks your home.
"I would recommend them doing a yearly inspection, inspections are free," said Swim.
Treatment, on the other hand, is -- on average -- $400 to $800, if there is no structural damage.
For Schultz, the problem was almost inevitable.
"Our neighbors had termites," she said.
If you're really paranoid, one of the other preventative measures is to keep plants away from the base of your house.
Plants require moisture, which attracts termites.
