How To Get Rid of Termites

Drywood Termite fumigation treatment

2011-06-04T08:24:00.002-04:00

One phrase stands out more than others when it comes to drywood termite fumigation, including the phrase called the hidden enemy, It is called "the hidden enemy" for a reason, termites can stay undetected for a long period of time. There are various ways to treat drywood termites. You can do spot treatments. This type of treatment includes injecting the wood with a chemical or a foam and is not necessarily full proof.

Another type of treatment stands out more than others as being as close to 100% as possible and that is the drywood termite fumigation treatment. This treatment includes placing tarps over your house, sealing and injecting a chemical gas, this gas will sit in your home for a certain period of time. Usually between 18 and 24 hours and it is capable of penetrating the wood products of your house and killing the existing termites, now remember that the dry wood termites lives in the wood itself and never leaves unless it is time to reproduce and then only the reproductive termite comes out of the colony.

The big problem with Fumigation is the inconvenience to the homeowner and it is very time consuming. You usually have to be out of your house 1 to 2 days, sometimes more. The expense of this type of treatment is somewhat higher than most types of treatment.

I think the most successful type of treatment is the tent fumigation method.

Things to remember when you do a fumigation treatment;

You need to place all your food in plasticbags and seal them up with tape.
You need to remove all animals from the premises.
All humans have to be gone.
You need to be prepared to stay out of the house for 24 to 48 hours.
You should cut back all shrubbery from the house.

Now the good thing about this type of treatment is that it will kill just about any kind of insects inside the residence, but remember, youwill not necessarily kill frogs and lizards so do not use this as a way to determine if the job wasa success or failure.

Do yourself a favor and get more than one estimate or bid when ever you get a drywood termite treatment cost, also ask whoever is doing the estimates or bids to do a dry wood termite inspection and compare with two or three different companies the inspection results,method of treatments and prices.

The 4 different types of termites to know about.

2011-04-10T06:41:00.001-04:00

There are many different types of termites that we need to worry about, but basically there are four types in the united states that we should be concerned about. These four types of termites all have two things in common and that is, one they all do damage. And Two is they all eat wood.
1. The subterranean termite.
This lives below the ground surface anywhere from 1 foot to the 30 feet level, when they enter your home they must come in by building mud tubes, this is why is it is always important to be able to see your slab foundation, by being able to observe your slab foundation you can spot any tubes that come from the ground up the slab and enter into the home.
2. The dry wood termite.
Who unlike the subterranean termite only requires about 3% moisture to survive, so this termite can actually live in the wood without leaving the wood, it has its food source and its water supply in the wood itself. This termite will usually leave droppings and looks like small beach sand or saw dust piling up depending on how big the infestation may be from the. This particular termite usually takes a little longer to detect because it does not leave the area of infestation.
3. The damp wood termites.
For this termite to survive it requires a lot more moisture, 30% or more to be exact that is why you would normally find this termite close to wet wood, detecting the damp wood termite is usually done when there is some sort of structural repair going on.
4. The Formosan termite.
being one of the most destructible the Formosan termite can eat through wood with an alarming amount of speed. The Formosan can actually eat through a piece of wood 2x4x6 in about as much time as a subterranean can eat through a piece of wood that is 1x2x4.

It is usually a good idea to seek some professional help if you think you have a problem with one of the four termites listed above.

Seek out professional pest control help help.

Choosing The Right Professional Pest Control Company

2010-03-25T12:00:00.008-04:00

You might ask the question who is the biggest professional pest control company out there? I would say Terminex exterminators is a great company and are pretty much all over the place.

Orkin exterminator is also a big company. You do have other exterminator company's such as Arrow that are quiet large and reliable as some of the biggest companies out there especially in the United States.

I don't think it makes a difference what pest control exterminator company you use as long as you are happy with them, Terminex.Orkin or Western exterminating or the mom and pop down the street.

It all boils down to who and what you like when it comes to exterminating your residence or structures. There are a lot of Smaller companies that are as good as the big boys . I think the key in trying to find the best is how much home work do you or are you willing to do to find the right control exterminator company. Terminex exterminator services, Orkin exterminating, or Arrow exterminating. Choosing the right professional pest control will bring you plenty of peace of mind no matter what the subject, even if it is about ticks and fleas.

At the beginning of this artil I ask who might be the biggest professional pest control company out there but I think the best question is who would be the best most efficient professional pest control companies out there.

When I said it depends on you. It really does you should do the following.

Call the better business bureau
Get referrals
Call the office in your state and check on the qualifications and license

Just these three things can save you a lot of problems when you want to find a professional pest control exterminator.

Good luck on your hunt. And do the follow up, you will not be sorry

Do It Your Self termite treatment

2010-01-23T07:59:00.007-05:00

More and more, people are doing things themselves instead of relying on someone else. Some people just want to keep their expenses down; others want the challenge or the satisfaction of knowing that they are doing something without the help of anything else, giving us a great deal of pride. For these kinds of people, they can extend that spirit to termite treatment.
For more information on termites Click Here!

You can find many different products out there to help you with your problem that are very effective. Home improvement stores are the best places to find this stuff, but you can certainly find it in other types of ships.

If you want to do this termite treatment yourself, you can do chemical application and termite baiting.

Termite baiting should be examined first, because it's the kind of termite treatment that provides the most simple way to get your house clear of termites. You'll also enjoy greater safety, due to the lack of chemicals involved in this type of process.

Sketch the floor plan of your home after carefully examining the layout of the place. You'll be able to see every sort of ventilation or risk to your home, like firewood, windows, A/C drains, etc.

You can note all of the things in and around the house that are havens for termite infestation, due to their dampness and shade; anything that provides a dark, moist environment should be examined.

Every 10 feet or so around your home, set down bait stations. You can place the bait stations closer to each other in instances of areas that are very conducive to termite infestation.

Home Depot, Lowe's, and other types of home improvement stores have all kinds of termite equipment, like the baiting stations and wood attractants. With a little patience and effort, you can get rid of your termites yourself.

Termite Extermination

2009-06-16T22:00:00.004-04:00

Hidden infestation of termites sometimes called the hidden enemy can cause thousands of dollars of damage to your home before you even know it. You can’t hear them and normally you can’t see them. They get inside your home and eat at the wood structure until there is nothing left then they move on to another area. The only way to termite extermination is with fumigation soil treatment or other various methods.

Signs of termite infestation are sawdust like droppings, dirt or mud like tubes, trails of damage on the structure, damaged window sills (wood area) and swarming winged insects flying around, especially in the spring or fall.

Termites start in one area of your house then move on to another area by swarming or building mud tubes to travel through. They use your house to live and grow their colonies. Such is life in the insect world.

If the infestation is in a small area, a local or spot control treatment may be effective. However, the hidden termites in other areas will not be destroyed. Local treatment involves drilling and injecting pesticides into the infected areas as well as chemicals. Some termite exterminating can involve extreme cold. Liquid nitrogen is pumped into the walls of infested sites killing the termites. There is also a microwave spot method where microwaves are directed into the infested wood. Beware of the companies that claims spot control will take care of the whole house! They will not...

The only way to treat an infestation of termites is to treat the entire house!

Fumigation method of extermination of termites will require that you remove all pets and plants and seal food and medications. You may be required to stay out of your house anywhere from six hours to a week, depending on the type and size of termite infestation. Your house will be enclosed in a tent like type of nylon tarps and sealed with plastic, tape or other material. The termite exterminator will post a signs on your property when it will be safe to return. The treatment will be with a gas and is very effective for drywood termites. Because the chemical is a gas and dissipates as soon as the tent is down you cannot be sure there will not be a re-infestation of the termites.

For the heat method, all pets, plants, and other items that can’t take high temperatures need to be removed. Your home will be covered with tarps and hot air blown into it until temperatures reach 140 to 150 degrees F. The inside temperature of the structure (the wood) needs to be heated to 120 degrees F before the procedure will be complete. Once the heat is applied it will take vary amount of time before you can reenter your home. It depends on the building’s constructions, the size of the house and weather conditions. This method may not be practical for all structures because some buildings can’t be heated evenly. Once the termite extermination is done, you can go back into your house and live happily ever after.

Termite Company

2009-04-09T08:44:00.004-04:00

I was reading a article the other day and in the article a question was ask about choosing the right termite company or termite companies. The homeowners ask about how to know when and if the company he was using to get rid of the termites was doing a good job.
As a lay person you probably would never know if the company did a good job or not. Just do some back ground checks and go from there. If a company has a history of ripping people off then it will show up with BBB.

It seems the family wanted this house to be there home forever and was concerned that the termites were not gone. The home owner bought the home under the assumption that it was clear of termites. Now that they owned the home the termite company who gave the clearance letter was also going to treat the home. Now understand one thing. Termite inspections are visual inspection unless the person has a way of looking in the walls or has a dog that can sniff out termites. Even these various ways are not full proof.

The one thing I would do if you find you have termites and bought the home is have more then one company take a look and give a termite estimate on the cost to treat the structure. Do not just take for granted that the termite company who gave the inspection should do the treatment. They can and maybe will offer you a free or a discounted price to do the termite treatment. All termite companies that I know of carry a termite insurance to protect themselves from this type of mistake.

The type or how much the termite insurance covers varies from state to state. And termite companies do carry a termite bond. If a termite company does not offer a bond that can be renewed every year then I would not do business with that termite company.

You can use a local termite company, or go with one of the bigger termite companies such as Orkin, Terminex or Truly Nolen just to name a few.

Hire a Termite Exterminator or Do It Yourself

2009-04-07T18:28:00.003-04:00

Termites cause million of dollars of damage a yearly and thousands of dollars to your house! They are the number one cause of damage to any structure. It’s because they work slowly and quietly so you don’t know you have damaged to your house until it starts to show or you have a termite exterminator check it out for you.

If you suspect your house has termites then retaining a professional termite exterminator is a must. Termite exterminators have specialized equipment and knowledge you don’t have to get the damaged fixed and the termites eliminated. Always use a recommended or reputable company with the knowledge in termites not just any old bug company.

Take your time in deciding which termite exterminator you want to use. Since termites work quietly and slowly you have time to make the right choice. Note where the damage areas are and whether they are active or inactive. If you choose to do it yourself, there are methods and treatments readily available.

The “do it yourself” method can save you money but the disadvantage is if you don’t get all the termites then you will still have to have a termite exterminator come out to take care of the problem (which will cost you more money). Assess the extent of the termite damage and the current infestation, if you are confident you can do it yourself then research the different methods of exterminating the termites. Remember you have to check under the house and in crawl spaces, and check how and why they got in and fix these problems first or the termites will come back.

You can use the bait treatment or a chemical treatment. The bait treatment uses wooden monitors that you bury six-ten inches in the ground to lure the termites to them then use a bait to kill them. The termite chemical treatment is injected into the soil but can be harmful to the environment and dangerous if not used properly. Be sure to comply with local laws for chemical applications. Be sure and follow the label.

Hiring a termite exterminator is probably the best way to go as they have all the permits, licensing and equipment to combat your termite problem. Most termite company's would suggest you not try to solve your termite problem on your own. Just putting out a termite bait box won’t work. They have to be eliminated in a certain way. Also the damage needs to be fixed.

The advantage of hiring a termite exterminator is they not only have the equipment and licensing but they also offer a termite warranty and referred to as a termite bond. The warranty will include a re-treatment if necessary. Termite exterminators will perform a home inspection and give you a written plan for treatment cost and procedures including chemical labels and warranty information. In the long run hiring a termite exterminator will save your home as well as your pocket book.

Termite Treatment Cost

2009-03-08T21:00:00.000-04:00

Here are some things to consider before you can estimate a termite treatment cost.
Are you looking for some information on a termite treatment cost? What goes into figuring out what the termite treatment cost would be? Chances are you found this little article because you have some concerns about termites. So let’s look into some of the things that go into determining termite treatment cost. The cost of the job can be affected by many different things. It can include how long you've had the infestation, just how bad the infestation is and weather or not there are structural issues.
The size of the house has to be considered as well. Is the house or building two stories or not? All of these factors must be considered. There is more that goes into determining the termite treatment cost than you may think. Without seeing the building you are going to have treated it's really impossible to get an accurate estimate of the cost.
Did you know that Some Formosan termite colonies can eat two pounds of food a day. WOW! That could mean in a year you could be missing 700 pounds of wood! Aren't you glad you don't have a large colony of termites like that, or do you? It kind of makes you think “maybe the termite treatment cost isn't so bad” when you consider the cost of repairing the damage termites can do.
Here are some other things that go into a termite treatment cost. Is the building a one family or two family house? Is the building a commercial structure? Do you have a finished Basement or an unfinished basement or no basement at all? How long have you noticed signs that you may have termites? Is it less than a year, one to three years or is it more than that?
Some drilling may be required so do you have easy access to the outside walls of your house or building? Where do you see most of the termite evidence, is it in one or two places or more? Do you see activity on the inside or outside of your house or building? Do you see any mud tubes going up the side of your structure? I know it's a lot of questions but these are the kind of things you should be ready to answer when it comes to calculating the Termite treatment Cost.

Termite bond

2009-02-24T19:25:00.005-05:00

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Here are some things to think about before you choose a company for a termite Bond.
The first thing you need to realize is that all termite bonds are not created equal. A termite bond is sometimes called a termite contract. Do not confuse a termite contract or termite bond with a termite letter. A termite letter is all together something different. A termite letter is something a pest control company gives you after they have done an inspection. The termite letter is a report resulting from the termite inspection that will state if you do or don’t have termites. The letter will also note how much damage is done…etc. On the other hand, a termite bond is basically a form of insurance.

A termite bond and a termite contract are the same thing. To obtain a termite bond, a pest company will perform an inspection on an existing structure and determine how much if any damage has been caused by termites. Once the termite company performs the inspection and treats your house or building they will offer you a termite bond. A termite bond is basically an agreement between you and the termite company and usually includes a yearly inspection. If during that inspection there is evidence of termites the company will get rid of the termites and addresses any damage that has been caused by the termites. The initial cost is a large up front fee for the contract and then there’s a small renewal fee once a year.

Look for the following in your termite bonds or contract:

Find out how long the bond is for.

What species of termites does their bond cover?

Is there a deductible and if so how much?

Is it a one time deductible?

If termites are found will the termite company just retreat for termites or will they also pay for the repairs?

If they do pay for repairs is there a limit to the amount they will pay for the repairs?

What happens if the damage goes over the limit?

If you sell your house can you transfer your termite bonds to the new homeowner?

What happens if my current termite company moves their office or business out of my town or state? Can I get a rebate for the money I‘ve paid?

There are other things to think about when it comes to Getting a termite bond but this is a good starting place. So before you get your termite bond investigate all the issues you can think of.

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2009-02-01T13:40:00.001-05:00

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updated February 2008

Treating Termites

2009-01-01T14:51:00.009-05:00

Treating termites might be a problem and may endup causing harm to your home as well as the environment, which is why you will need to have all the facts. Treating termites can be difficult and complex, you need to make sure you want to do this treatment yourself or hire a reliable pest control company. You would also need to make sure you pick a honest exterminating service as well.

If when treating termites you decide to do the service yourself, then the more knowledge you have the more efficient the treatment will be. you really need to be aware of the different methods for termite treatment.
By this I mean there are basically 3-4 different types of termites, knowing what type of termite depends on what type of treatment you will use. Remember that termite treating equipment is essential to doing the proper treatment.

Questions to ask yourself.

• What type of termite do I have? Know the facts.
• Do or can I bait for this type of termite? Know the facts.
• What chemicals or bait do I need? Can I even buy the chemical? Know the facts
• What equipment will I need? How expensive is the equipment? Is it cost effective to do it my self.

What types of termites do I have, are they Dry wood or subterranean termites?
Are they damp wood or Formosan termites? Knowing the different types is very important.
Baiting versus chemical treatment is an important
question in treating for termites.
Should I bait or do chemical treatment? All of the above is so important. With some termites baits would be ineffective because drywood and dampwood termite colonies are inside the wood, not in the ground.

Wood destroying insects such as dry wood termites, powder post beetles, and wood borers are most effectively treated by using the tenting and fumigation method. For the past few years baiting has been used for treating subterranean termites.
Understand baiting for termites is like going fishing. The only way to catch a fish is to use a good bait so the only way to get rid of termites by baiting is to use a good bait and even then it is a miss or hit situation, if the termite does not take the bait then
all is in vain.

Again, ask for credentials and certifications. See if the pest control company is a member of any program such as BB, pest control or Chamber of commerce associations. Again installation is the key to thesuccess or failure when treating termites.

Natural Termite Treatment

2008-12-07T15:47:00.008-05:00

Natural Termite treatment

People are very conscious about the chemicals we use to fight against pests these days. This is why there are methods toward natural termite treatment to rid our structures of the pest. The use of chemicals is the most effective way to get rid of termites; you can always use the natural termite treatment to minimize to rid your home of termites and the damage they can cause to your home or building.

Natural termite prevention treatment is the use of control without using chemicals. Instead, various physical controls are used during construction, such as metal termite shields. If you discover a termite infestation, using a less toxic treatment is the preferred method. This means that natural termite treatment is geared toward keeping termites out before they can make a entry and cause damage.
The key is prevention whether you use a natural termite treatment to prevent termites from entering the structure in the first place. You use certain strategies to ensure they have no food sources that attract them.

Stop and think what would the first thing be to stop termites from entering the structure? If you’re thinking natural treatment then think to eliminate any food source or moisture. Since termites are attracted to moisture in wood and its food source is wood. Wet soil or wood is a area necessary for the survival of termites. Termites travel back and forth between the soil and their food source. In addition controlling moisture can help in the control of termites.

If your dealing with above ground foundations, then moisture barrier is the way to think, such as polyethylene 6 millimeters may be used to cover the area under the structure. This will reduce the accumulation of moisture in the sub-floors. Ventilation should be placed to provide air flow for houses with crawl spaces as natural treatment for termites.
Bathrooms, kitchens should be given special attention. Areas around the bath and sink drains leading to the outside (even air conditioning drains) should be considered as vulnerable entry points. If you can keep food and moisture controlled then there is a good chance you can control the entry of termites into a structure.
We must do everything we can to make sure that our Earth survives and natural termite treatment is a good place to start! A natural termite treatment is always great way to keep our environment healthy and environmentally friendly.

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Dry Termites

2008-11-12T17:16:00.003-05:00

Dry termites or rather dry wood termites is a problem that reaches the lower United States. This termite requires less moisture than the other termites, actually only about 3% moisture. what this means is every piece of wood has about 10% moisture. The dry termite has its food source and moisture plus home in one piece of wood.

The dry termite or dry wood termite is the less destructive of the termites as far as subterranean or Formosan termite.
What happens is if left unattended or untreated is the problem only gets worse, the swarmers or reproductive s will swarm out and mate up. I call these the princes and princesses of the termite world. Their purpose is to start new colony's. because this termite requires less moisture to survive they only need to get back into wood. Where as the subterranean termite requires 16-30% moisture to survive they will die if they don't make it back into the soil. So now you see the difference between dry wood termites sometimes referred to as dry termite.

The best way to eliminate the dry termite is to do what is called a fumigation or tenting. this is where a crew or company will come to the residence or structure in question and install a tent over the structure then shoot a gas called Vikane gas, also know as sulfuryl fluoride into the structure. Therefore killing the termites.
Just remember the best method of getting rid of the dry termite is to have it done by a professional exterminator. Using Vikane gas and fumigation is very safe, there is no residuals. No exterminator that I have ever known about has died from this process.

Termites In Mulch

2008-11-12T05:38:00.007-05:00

Termites In Mulch

First let’s get one concern out of the way concerning termites in mulch. The first concern comes from a problem in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. And the rumor was that you can get termites from the mulch and that is just about what it is, a rumor. The universities have written some articles on this matter. Some information comes from those articles.

Termites can be found in mulch, but their survival is poor and here is why: the ability of termites to survive the chipping process to create mulch is not good; the mulching process to make wood chips is usually enough to kill a colony of termites. The only way termites can come to your house by mulch is if you don't use a reliable source. Once the termite is separated from the colony the survival rate really decreases.

Even though it is possible to get termites this way it is not probable. The mulch application is important. Keep away from foundation of house at least 6”.

What normally happens is the mulch is placed up against the house and blocks the view of inspectors doing the annual inspection. For the most part the biggest scare of termites is the Formosan termite. This termite has been known to eat through plastic, lead, copper, plaster and rubber to search for moisture and a food source.

The termite in question is the subterranean termite. Even if this termite does not come with the mulch, the mulch will make a bridge the termites can cross with out coming in contact with the ground or chemical. Chances are you have the subterranean termite living in the soil somewhere on your property.
Getting termites in mulch can happen but would be rare.

What Does a Termite Look Like?

2008-07-28T19:29:00.012-04:00

What Does a Termite Look Like?

Most people who own a residential home or a commercial building, often ask themselves the question "What does a termite look like?" The reason is simple if you as a home owner know what a termite looks like then your well on your way to knowing how to get rid of termites, and possible save a lot of property damage that is caused by these tiny little pests. Most people say that a termite looks like a little white ant, but the reality is that because there is a hierarchy within these very social insects, what they look like depends on the position they hold in the colony.

So what does a termite look like? The worker termites most closely resemble small white ants. They are responsible for foraging for food that will sustain the colony. They are white and soft bodied and smaller in size – just like an ant. Soldier termites are responsible for defending the colony against predators, so they will look a lot like the worker termites except they have a larger head with mandibles that are used for defense.

The reproductive termites are black and have wings, they swarm out of the nest land to mate and to start new colony's , you might say they are princes and princesses. they will land and start going in circles until the female picks a mate.

I am not sure it is important to know how to identify the king and queen of the colony even if they are the ones who "rule" the colony. Chances are you will never see them anyway The queen termite is the largest termite in the colony. She has an elongated body that is usually lighter in color. The king termite is smaller than the queen and his elongated body is darker in color.

Termite colonies live below the ground in America. The worker termites go out and find food – usually in the form of damp wood, leaf debris, and loose cellulite matter. The workers then bring food back to the termite mound where members feed on the matter.

When you own property. Asking yourself "What does a termite look like?" is a responsible thing to do.Termites and termite damage Identification is so important.

needless to say, when you find the damage, the sooner you can start the treating process. Now when someone asks you "What does a termite look like?" you can now speak with authority!

How else will you know how to get rid of termites, unless you know what they look like.