NO NONSENSE COMMON SENSE
TERMITE CONTROL
THE Termpest WAY
Not all termites are the same
We begin with a thorough
inspection to determine what kind
of termite species are infesting your property. Are they Drywood termites? Subterranean termites?
There have been many instances of homeowners, contractors, and some inexperienced termite inspectors
misidentifying the type of termite infestation and then
prescribing the wrong treatment. This is more
common than you think because new species of termites have recently been found in South Florida that must be
identified under magnification to determine proper treatment. Always get a second
opinion.
Active or inactive
We try to determine if the termites are
active. Countless unnecessary termite
treatments have been sold to consumers who had inactive termite infestations. In many cases if no live
termites are found then treatment may not be needed.
Different treatments for different
termite species
If we believe you have an active
infestation we will prescribe the
proper treatment methods which will solve your particular termite problem. NOTE: Tenting a home for Drywood termites will not stop an infestation of Subterranean
termites (since they do not go down to the ground). And vice versa. Treating the ground for
Subterranean termites will not eliminate a Drywood termite infestation since these termites live above the ground
in dry wood.
COMMON SENSE ANSWERS
TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the two treatment methods for Drywood
termites?
If you can locate the infestation you can do a “spot treatment”.
If you cannot locate the infestation you may have to TENT the
building. Don’t be conned
by the NO TENT
termite control
scam. (Click here
for info on how this scam works.)
What is a spot
treatment? (click
here) Since Drywood
termite colonies live in a small localized area it is possible
to eliminate their infestations if they are visible without tenting the home. Baseboards, doors and
door frames are examples of areas which qualify for this treatment. Either the ELECTRO-GUN (click
here) or the drill and treat method could be
used.
If my house
needs TENTING how can I be sure the
termites are killed? Ask the
termite inspector if his company monitors their jobs.
By the way, most companies do not use this procedure even though the equipment is available to them.
If they do not then your job may be a TENTING
FAILURE. (Click here for more info about
the absolute importance of monitoring a “tenting” job.)
What are the
treatment methods for Subterranean termites? These termites are ground nesting termites so it follows that
their treatment involves treating the ground. This can be done in either of two ways. You may put a chemical
barrier between your home and the underground colony or you may install a baiting system around the
home.
What are the
differences between the two methods for Subterranean termites?
Chemical barrier
treatment
· If your
home has a crawl space underneath then this area can be effectively treated with a chemical. If concrete slabs are attached to your home these areas may
need to be drilled and treated. A chemical barrier which is designed to keep the termites away is
injected around the exterior of your home.
· If your
home is built on a concrete slab then holes will have to be drilled in all areas where termites can find a
way up into your home. You must get different proposals as to where the holes must be drilled because
many termite inspectors have a poor knowledge of building construction and may not propose a proper
treatment. You can treat 99% of a home but if you leave 1%
untreated and the termites find this area then they can still infest and cause serious
damage. This is especially true on many custom made homes
because they have different floor levels.
Baiting
systems
Monitoring
stations, as the one shown above, are placed around the perimeter of the home and other areas of the
property conducive to Subterranean termite activity. These stations must be checked on a regular basis and if
termite activity is present a slow acting bait should be placed
inside the station. The termites take this bait back to the colony where it is consumed by the queen and
other termites. The colony is then eliminated. It’s important to note that some baits do not eliminate
colonies because the termites die before they can take the bait back to the queen. Be sure
you find out which bait is being used.
Which method of
treatment is best – chemical barrier or baiting system?
The chemical
barrier treatment will keep
termites away (this is not the same as colony elimination) if the barrier is not disturbed - especially by
water. Also there are certain types of concrete slab construction where a chemical barrier cannot be properly
applied. Again you must get second opinions because, as mentioned before, some termite inspectors have very little
knowledge of concrete slab construction.
Monitoring systems
work best because if properly maintained and the right kind of bait is used (there are wrong kinds of
baits), the termite colony will be eliminated. Doesn’t it make COMMON SENSE to use a treatment method which
will eliminate a termite colony instead of just keeping them away?
Call us now for a
NO NONSENSE COMMON SENSE
solution to your termite problem.
South Florida, call - 305-895-6430
1-866-312-PEST
(7378)
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