Treating For TermitesWhile you can try treating your house for termites yourself, you will probably want to leave it upto a professional so that you know it’s done right. There are many pest control companies whospecialize in termite eradicati... Read more

Treating For TermitesWhile you can try treating your house for termites yourself, you will probably want to leave it upto a professional so that you know it’s done right. There are many pest control companies whospecialize in termite eradication and control. Much like choosing a termite inspector, you want acompany you can trust.Again, ask for credentials and certifications. See if the company is a member of any pestcontrol societies and organizations. Do they have recommendation letters from previouscustomers? If so, ask to see them. They’ll probably be more than willing to whip them out foryou. You can even take it a step further and call the Better Business Bureau to see if anycomplaints have been filed against the company.You’ll probably want to know what the company will do to get rid of your termite problem. Theeasy thing to do is just ask them for a complete explanation of their treatment methods. Butwe’ll cover some of them in this section if, for nothing else, just general information so you knowwhat they are talking about.If you have a particularly bad termite problem, the exterminator may suggest that you have atent fumigation done. This is for bad infestations that extend throughout the structure, and it isprobably the most radical of all termite treatments.With tent fumigation, you will be required to leave your home for a minimum of three days. Thechemicals that the company uses are strong although they won’t cause damage to anything inyour home except for exposed food.Termite baiting is becoming increasingly popular as a way to treat for and prevent termites.Instead of attempting to protect a structure by creating a barrier between it and the termites,baiting targets the termites themselves. Termite baits are designed to suppress or eliminate thetermite colony living in the soil.Commercial termite bait systems are a relatively new technology. The most widely used baitproducts are applied very similarly. The initial installation of any baiting system involves plasticHow To Win Your War Against Termitesstations being inserted into the ground around the periphery of the structure approximatelyevery 10 feet.Inside these stations are untreated wood monitors. The stations are usually inspected everymonth for termite activity. If live termites are found in the station, toxic bait will be placed insideand the infested monitor may or may not be removed.The idea is to get the termites that have been recruited to the wood monitor to now pick up thebait instead. Certain bait products are intended to be used by themselves, while others can beused in combination with spot applications of liquid termiticide (applied only to areas wheretermites are active) or a complete liquid treatment.How To Win Your War Against TermitesDo-It-Yourself Termite TreatmentWe are increasingly becoming a world of people who like to do things ourselves. Whether it’sbecause we want to save money or just like the satisfaction of taking care of our own things,sometimes we like “getting our hands dirty” and learning how to do new things.Even termite treatment is possible for the avid do-it-yourselfer. There are a variety ofcommercial products on the market with professional strength that you can use. They areavailable in many places, but we suggest you look in a home improvement store to find the bestselection.There are two ways you can approach do-it-yourself termite treatment: termite baiting andchemical application.Let’s first take a look at termite baiting. Since this is probably the easiest way to approach do-ityourselftermite control, it seems like a logical place to start. You won’t be working directly withchemicals, so it is probably the safest way to start as well.Take a quick survey of your property. Draw a rough graph of the home. On this graph...you canshow locations of doors, windows, gutter down spouts, air conditioning drains, stumps, firewood,bushes, etc.As you walk around the perimeter of your home, take note of damp conditions which areconducive to termites caused by shade, poor drainage, air conditioner condensation, etc. Markthese on your graph.As a rule, you should position bait stations at 8-10 feet intervals. However areas that areconducive to termites such as the following conditions, it would be advisable to have baitpositions placed at closer intervals.How To Win Your War Against Termites Less