Treating for Termites

While you can try treating your house for termites yourself, you will probably want to leave it up to a professional so that you know it’s done right. There are many pest control companies who specialize in termite eradication and control. Much like choosing a termite inspector, you want a company you can trust.

Again, ask for credentials and certifications. See if the company is a member of any pest control societies and organizations. Do they have recommendation letters from previous customers? If so, ask to see them. They’ll probably be more than willing to whip them out for you. You can even take it a step further and call the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed against the company.

You’ll probably want to know what the company will do to get rid of your termite problem. The easy thing to do is just ask them for a complete explanation of their treatment methods. But we’ll cover some of them in this section if, for nothing else, just general information so you know what they are talking about.

If you have a particularly bad termite problem, the exterminator may suggest that you have a tent fumigation done. This is for bad infestations that extend throughout the structure, and it is probably the most radical of all termite treatments.
With tent fumigation, you will be required to leave your home for a minimum of three days. The chemicals that the company uses are strong although they won’t cause damage to anything in your 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 the termite colony living in the soil.

Commercial termite bait systems are a relatively new technology. The most widely used bait products are applied very similarly. The initial installation of any baiting system involves plastic stations being inserted into the ground around the periphery of the structure approximately every 10 feet.

Inside these stations are untreated wood monitors. The stations are usually inspected every month for termite activity. If live termites are found in the station, a toxic bait will be placed inside and 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 the bait instead. Certain bait products are intended to be used by themselves, while others can be used in combination with spot applications of liquid termiticide (applied only to areas where termites are active) or a complete liquid treatment.