Do it Yourself Termite Control Treatment Tips, Pros and Cons

Termite control is one of the pressing issues for most homeowners, whether they are old or new. Many homeowners realized that controlling termites and its colony to grow big and wreak havoc on the wooden parts of the house could be a great savings for them. Not to mention the freedom of being free from stress and erratic high-blood pressure. Those you cannot afford to hire termite control contractor or just don’t trust them, resort to work on their own termite control treatment.

This post will tackle some tips on do-it-yourself termite control treatment and its pros and cons. Let’s dig deeper.

Termite control is needed because termites are more than a nuisance. Termites can cause costly structure damage. Therefore, termite control information is important to homeowners wanting to prevent termites or those facing an active termite infestation or a business owner trying to make the right decision about which termite control treatment is right and is the best value for his/her home and wallet. At the Homeowner Guide to Termite Control – Termite MD, you’ll find pictures of termites to help you identify which kind of termites you have; subterranean termites, Formosan termites, dry wood termites or damp wood termites.

Let’s cite and example. Drywood termites are secretive insects and are difficult to detect. They live deep inside wood and, except during periods when they swarm or when repair work is being done on infested homes, they are seldom seen. Colonies are small (usually fewer than 1,000 individuals), can be widely dispersed, and take years to mature. While a homeowner may initially detect the presence of termites when they swarm or if fecal pellets are discovered, inspecting for drywood termites and determining the extent of an infestation require experience. So learning how to detect and early termite infestation is the best foundation on how to manage pests.

While a professional termite treatment by a reputable company is a good thing, particularly if you are buying or selling a home, it’s possible to treat your home yourself without using a pest control company or toxic pesticides. Richard Fagerlund suggested to use the least-toxic methods of pest control.

On the other hand, TermiteTrap.com.au promotes the use of termite trap method. In trapping termites, they follow 3 simple steps. They are:

Step 1 – Placing the traps
Step 2 – Inspecting the traps
Step 3 – Adding bait

Termites live in nests underground, often quite a distance from where you may have found them.

Termite ‘scouts’ leave the nest to forage for food. By placing traps around your house and garden you provide termites with an easy to find food source – once they have found the trap – they move in, setting up home.

TermiteTrap.com.au suggested that it’s best to place the traps around the outside of the house, near expansion joints in concrete and near wood and wood piles in the garden.

DoMyOwnPestControl.com also promotes termite control to be done with liquids, termite bait systems, or both. Liquid termite spray products are fast acting, can be applied closer to the infestation, and require less maintenance. While termite bait systems are less intrusive, no drilling or trenching is needed, no expensive equipment is required, and bait systems can help you identify a problem before the termites reach your home.

But termite control has too many obstacles to getting a good and effective treatment for the homeowner. Read Do-It-Yourself Termite Control is Not a Good Idea where you find pros and cons of using traditional barrier treatment and baiting systems.

One reason why homeowners shouldn’t attempt barrier treatments themselves is specialized equipment is needed to do a proper treatment. Injection rods, concrete drills, a large tank with a pump are so expensive it is cost prohibitive for the homeowner. The other reason is homeowners don’t have skills and experience to do an effective treatment.

Right now, the baiting systems that have the best chance of killing the colony are those that contain an insect growth regulator (IGR). The worker termites take the bait back to the colony where it gets passed to other termites. The growth regulator does not kill the queen or adult workers, but kills immature termites by disrupting the molting process. When the adult worker termites die a natural death, there are no young termites to take their place. With no workers, the colony slowly starves to death.

You can watch this video to learn some how to do-it-yourself termite treatment.

There it is. I hope that this post gives you the right information and insights on how to do-it-yourself termite control treatment. Control termites now and save money and your home from further destruction.

Steps you Must Take for Termite Control

Termite infestation can be very frustrating. These small pests are known to cause extensive damage to furniture and wooden floors etc. Subterranean termites can bore holes through the soil and enter the homes. They are difficult to get rid of. Hence appropriate termite control measures are very important.  By using the following steps, you can control termite infestation and also minimize the extent of damage caused to your home and belongings.

As a part of termite control, a thorough inspection is a must to determine the extent of infestation. This can help you decide on the kind of remedial action that needs to be taken. For example, dry-wood termites are generally found in eaves, on wooden sidings and other exterior trims. For this purpose you need to carefully examine the outdoor frames, windowsills, roof eaves, stair carriages, and exterior electrical meters and fuse boxes that have been mounted on walls. You also need to take a look at the projecting roof structures like wooden trims, dormers, cornices etc.

On the inner parts of the house, you need to inspect window frames and trims and each and every room carefully. You can even sight faecal pellets and discarded wing structures if you have termites in the wooden floorings. Examine all wooden panelling and exposed beams completely and look out for signs of blistered painted surfaces as termites often tunnel through these.

After an extensive inspection you can try different alternatives for resolving the problem. If the damage is not very high, you can choose to not do termite control but must ensure monitoring on a regular basis to prevent it from spreading. In case of limited infestation you can remove the wooden panelling and use pressure treated replacement panels that not only prevent infestation but also wooden decay. Professional termite treatment Melbourne specialists may also apply wooden formulations for preserving the wood.

If the infestation is limited to one spot only, you can do a localized spot treatment. Aerosol injections, foaming solutions and dust applications are some of the options available for you. After application of these; professionals may even inject materials like Jecta to completely eliminate termite colonies. A re-application of one of the above mentioned substances can help protect your furniture and home for years to come.

For subterranean termites, two kinds of control substances are used: hormones and stomach poisons. Both of these are effective however, care must be taken to re-inspect the home carefully a few months after treatment. This is because; both procedures do not rid the home of the termite eggs completely. Also, another important point in controlling subterranean termites is to deny them water as they need this element to thrive. Bait boxes loaded with cellulose material is also a good way of termite control, albeit a slow one. This method is considered a lot safer than the use of harmful pesticides that can be injurious to the residents in the home.

Termite Inspections Melbourne: Facts and Tips

Your home is the biggest investment you will ever make. Naturally, prior to building it, it is recommended that you carry out termite inspections. Termites or white ants can cause extensive damage to your home and belongings. In reality, the builder is responsible for providing termite inspection and protection. Even when you are considering some additions to your existing home, it is better that you know the different options available to you in this regard. This way you can make an informed decision regarding termite inspections in Melbourne.

There are more than 200 species of termites in Australia. The most commonly occurring species is the subterranean termites which build their colonies underneath the ground. They feed on timber, plastic, rubber, fibreglass and many other materials. They can cause extensive damage to windowsills, doorframes, paintings, furniture, carpets, electrical wirings, books, clothing and other personal items.

Termite Inspections Melbourne companies can help perform an initial inspection and suggest various methods of termite treatment and control. These include:

• Chemical and physical barriers
• Use of termite resistant materials
• Landscaping and structural changes

While choosing a reliable company for termite inspection, you must ensure that the company has Public and Professional Indemnity Insurance so that chemical treatments may be covered by the same. The company should also use latest inspection techniques and gadgets which include Sounding, for testing the integrity of the wood, Listening equipment that can detect termite movement, moisture meters, that help indicate presence of termites which require moisture for survival etc. Borescope like devices also help professionals take pictures of active termites. Others devices include ones which can detect moisture as well as thermal imaging techniques that detect thermal variations.

Annual termite inspection is recommended on properties that are prone to infestations from these pests. Termite barrier and other protection systems can detect them, but do not completely stop them from damaging your property. Many times homeowners relax in the knowledge that their termite protection barriers are in place, but, in reality, they might have been compromised. Hence annual inspections are very important.

Termite Inspections Melbourne reports give you a comprehensive summary that includes information regarding:

• current termite activity
• proof of previous termite damage
• conditions around the property that invite potential termite infestations
• advice on minimizing the risk of infestation
• how often homeowners must have termite inspection and
• options for control and prevention.

Pest inspection also needs to be varied based on the style of the property: whether it is built on concrete slab-on ground or suspended flooring. In addition, the inspection must include all potential entry to timber structures, around perimeter weepholes, examination of the site to see which barriers are appropriate etc. Termite Inspections Melbourne is something that every homeowner must think about NOW and never procrastinate about.