According to TIME/CNN Magazine:  

“U.S. scientists last week admitted that one war is being lost-this year the 58 U.S. varieties of termites, frail, pale, ¼-inch-long insects, will destroy some $50,000,000 worth of property (by boring into and eating the wooden framework of buildings), and almost nothing can stop them. This equals the annual damage done by rats, mice or weevils, and exceeds that of tornadoes, earthquakes or arsonists.”

It’s a good idea to have a pest inspection every two to three years.  For a nominal cost, a termite inspector will crawl under your home if it has a crawl space, check the attic if accessible, look underneath sinks and basins and walk the perimeter of your home checking for signs of termites or dry rot.

“Water sources and wood scraps are big issues in damage prevention,” says one termite inspector.

Once a pest report is generated, it is divided into two basic categories:  Section I repair items and Section II repair items.  Section I is an active infestation or damage by wood eating organisms (termites, wood boring beetles, etc.).  Section II is a condition that, over time, would likely lead to Section I damage, if not mitigated (plumbing leaks, earth to wood contact of siding, decking, etc.).

I recently viewed a home in Berkeley CA that had $70K worth of termite/dry rot damage.  This was a flat roof home and had years of deferred maintenance.  The roof was not replaced for decades and the rain was allowed to seep into the supporting framework around the perimeter.  In this case, the inspector drilled “test holes” top see if wood remained or it was just shredded wheat.   In this case, an ounce of prevention would have certainly been worth a pound of cure.