Over the years, homeowners in our stores have been asking, “How do I treat termites?” No matter how hard one might try, you can’t perform an effective termite treatment without the correct products. To help you understand the types of termite treatment for getting rid of termites, we hope you find this article informative.
Signs Of Termites
Discolored drywall, peeling paint, hollow-sounding wood and pinpoint holes in the drywall are common signs of termites. You can check further by seeing if the wood has become hollow if you have determined that water leaks are not the cause. Moisture can also bring about pain bubbles on wooden surfaces; mainly if the termites have eaten up to the layer of paint. You may also check a series of pictures showing the damage from termites, carpenter ants and powder beetles to help you differentiate between the types of damage. Professional pest control companies are also specialists in detecting and assessing the severity of termite infestations.
While other species of termites exist, these are the two most common species responsible for most damage to people’s homes: Subterranean termites and drywood termites.
Active Termite Infestations: In the case of an active infestation, we usually suggest that the Pest Control Service Company do the work for Subterranean termites. Many factors, particularly the home (slab or basement) construction, affect the treatment method. If you are determined to treat active termite infestation, please call us before you start professional termite treatment or effective termite control.
Drywood Termite Precaution: When an existing colony sends out flying termite swarmers, a drywood termite infestation typically occurs. Most cases of drywood termite require a well-thought termite control plan from a pest control operator.
Doing your termite control project, such as applying chemicals to pests such as termites, is not for everyone.
Termite Prevention
Effective treatment to prevent termites is typically less prone to error for the average homeowner than treatment for an active infestation. Professional termiticides and termite bait systems are available to assist in the treatment process. Even if you are considering DIY termite treatment, you can get a free professional termite inspection.
Knowing the methods can help you understand how to eliminate termites, the best ways to treat the issue and prevent it from recurring. At the same time, you should leave termite removal to the professionals. There are two effective methods of control of termite. You may use liquid termite insecticides (termiticides) for liquid barrier and soil treatment or use termite bait. Some people are choosing both options.
Liquid Termiticides
Barrier termite treatments are done to prevent the entry of termites into the structure. These liquid treatments or foam prevent termites inside the building from entering the soil to obtain the moisture content needed to live.
If you choose a liquid termite procedure, it will give you quicker results, and you can apply the finished solution near the termite infestation. If you have an existing termite infestation, using a liquid termiticide may mean that you need to drill to reach the termites. Drilling through concrete or slab and pumping the volume of the finished solution required for the erection of the termite barrier may be too difficult for a homeowner. Such treatments are non-repellent, so termites do not notice them and bring the poison back to the entire colony with them after they come across it.
On the other hand, if crawl space clearance is present, you can dive around your home, doing your termite work wouldn’t be that hard. The concept behind a liquid termite barrier is to completely enclose your house in a pesticide barrier that upon contact will poison termites. It can also be applied around wooden structures, wood piles, or tree stumps, although it is generally used around the house’s entire foundation. However, its efficacy as a surface spray does not last as long as it is used in a trench. The technology of non-repellent insecticides, such as Taurus SC and Termidor SC, is an advance over other termite insecticides that only offer repellent options.
With repellent termiticides, even the smallest gap in the treated soil can be detected and exploited by termites to gain entry into the foundation. They’re going to find ways around it. The use of a repulsive termite chemical is a significant shortcoming in traditional termite control chemicals. Due to the poison’s transference effect, there is a very high chance that you can kill colonies of termites.
Taurus SC and Termidor SC are non-repellent insecticides, meaning that they are undetectable by termites. Termites cannot see, smell, taste or avoid Taurus and Termidor foam. Taurus is a standard version of Termidor and is more affordable.
The available chemical barrier pesticides in the market are designed to last no longer than 5-10 years. Termite Monitors and Bait can be used as a companion for controlling subterranean termites or as a stand-alone treatment method.
Termite Baits
Other than injecting chemicals into the soil, the termite bait can be placed directly into the ground outside of the structure. Termites will collect the poison and return it to their colony, passing it on to all the other termites. The technology of baiting systems for termites is continually changing and improving. We are currently recommending the Trelona ATBS Termite Bait System.
Baiting the termite colonies is simple and can also be used as a monitoring tool to detect termite activity when it is not a threat to the structure. Fighting a termite infestation with termite baits involves placing bait stations around the home strategically for the termites to find. You can easily install the bait stakes around the perimeter around your house in the soil.
Termite bait eliminates and controls under conditions where the structure cannot be treated with soil termiticides or concerns about pesticide usage, even in systems where soil treatments have failed. Termite baits also need periodic monitoring and maintenance. However, not all termite baiting systems are equally successful and not recommended as the only protection against termites.
We think that baiting is a job best left to professionals for these and other reasons. Save yourself money, time and stress by first going to the experts.
Seeking The Help Of Professionals
There is no DIY technique or off-the-shelf product purchased at a home improvement store that includes a guarantee or ensures that your home will remain protected from future infestations. There is still considerable risk in the DIY application of termite treatment, even if you read the instructions several times over. Average homeowners do not have the necessary knowledge, training or experience to locate termites deep down in the home, develop the ideal treatment plan, properly apply chemicals for termites and eradicate them for good.
In your home or under your home, termites’ presence is a severe problem and professional pest control professionals should treat it. Through a guarantee that protects your home from future damage and covers the cost of treatment should termites return, most professional termite control companies provide additional protection.