Guest Post: Termite Control and Prevention

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Posted on January 5, 2011 with 5 Comments

This article is written by Erick D. Smith, a blogger from Southern California and writes about various home improvement topics. Check out Colonial Pest Control’s website!

Termite Extermination

Termites can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare, as they live off the wood that is so important to the foundation of a residence. Signs of infestation may include holes in wood, dirt tunnels, sagging doors and an accumulation of insect wings. Once they are inside a home, they may also cause damage to walls, carpets and other materials. Termites invade millions of homes per year and cause billions of dollars worth of damage in the process. Many homeowners are now desperately looking for ways to fight back and keep their homes intact. Fortunately, a number of termite extermination services are on hand to help combat the problem.

Barrier Services

Termite control services can help families combat the problems termites create. Professionals may use low-toxicity liquid termiticides in the extermination process. These chemicals immediately kill the insects and keep them from returning for years. Chemicals are used both inside and outside the perimeter of the home. Those used outside serve to block any termites from further coming in contact with the property and those used inside kill existing pests.

Bait Services

A more recent development, baiting, is used by many local Massachusetts termite control services. This includes the use of plastic tubes that contain wood. These tubes are then placed in the grounds surrounding the home. Baits are then inspected for any termites that crawl inside. Any tubes containing termites have the wood replaced with termiticides. This form of treatment acts slowly, as it must allow the affected termite to crawl back into the colony. Once there, the termite will in turn transfer the toxins to other termites, eventually leading to the destruction of the colony and resulting in a highly effective result.

Other Professional Services

For heavily infested homes, termite gas products may be used. In this case, all residents and pets will need to leave the home during this process while the home is tented for several days. Food will also need to be safely sealed and stored to prevent contamination. No one will be allowed to reenter the home until it is safe to do so. These gases leave no harmful residue.

Various forms of eco friendly termite extermination options have been developed in recent years. Thermal treatments pump extremely hot air into enclosed spaces that will kill termites and their eggs. Orange oil is another substance that can be injected into the wood and is fatal to termites while harmless to humans.

Prevention

Homeowners can also do their part to stop termites by educating themselves about the environment these insects prefer. It is essential to keep damp areas away from the home as termites seek out water. Old wood piles are breeding grounds for termites and should be removed as quickly as possible. Also remove any wood debris from yards, such as limbs that have fallen from trees. Another preventive measure is pre-treatment of wood on the home. However, the effect may only last up to a few years, often resulting in more drastic measures needing to be taken later. Since the most effective extermination treatments will last up to five years, be sure to consider a follow up plan with your professional service to prevent future problems. By taking preventive action against termites now, you can save plenty of money in home repairs later on down the road.

Tags: colonial pest control termite control

Category: Pest Control Industry, Termites, Termites