How to Select a Termite Control Service
Roger E. Gold, Michael E. Merchant and Grady J. Glenn
Professor and Extension Specialist in Urban Entomology; Assistant Professor and Extension Urban Entomologist; Research Assistant, Center for Urban And Structural Entomology
Retaining the services of a competent termite control company is important because termite control requires specialized equipment and knowledge available only from professionals.
Termites, which are wood-destroying insects common in most areas of Texas, cause many millions of dollars of damage annually. Texas has two major types of termites: subterranean termites, which live in the soil and are found throughout the state; and drywood termites, which attack sound, dry wood and are most abundant in coastal areas.
Wooden structures in Texas have more than a 70 percent chance of being attacked by termites within 10 to 20 years. Termites may even begin attacking soon after construction. Properly treating the soil beneath and around the foundation with termiticidal chemicals before construction, called a pretreatment, reduces the threat of subterranean termites. However, because few areas in Texas have ordinances requiring pretreatments, only a small percentage of homeowners enjoy such security from termite problems.
Some helpful Extension publications on this subject, B-6080, “Subterranean Termites,” L-1782, “Drywood Termites,” and L-5233, “Formosan Subterranean Termites,” discuss the identification, biology, behavior and control of these insects.
If you suspect you have a termite infestation, the following steps will help you select a termite control service:
• Don’t panic.
Termites work slowly, so your house will not collapse or be ruined overnight. Do not become unduly alarmed if you learn that termites are, or may be, attacking your home.
• Take your time.
Do not permit anyone to rush you into buying termite control services. Take the time you need to make an informed decision. Delaying a few weeks makes no difference. There is always time to buy this service wisely and at your convenience.
Time is obviously more pressing if you are trying to sell your home and a real estate transaction is pending. If the infestation was discovered with enough time before closing on the transaction, a treatment can still be chosen and performed to the satisfaction of the buyer, seller and mortgage company. Closing can also be postponed temporarily until the treatment is completed, although this is usually not preferred by the parties concerned.
• If you are unsure about whether your home has termites, locate reliable pest control firms and discuss their termite control services.
Arrange for a thorough termite inspection, knowing that the costs of inspections, estimates and terms can vary significantly among companies. Request inspections from three or more companies. Ask for recommendations from friends and neighbors; this is one of the best ways to get an honest opinion about a termite control service.
A proper inspection should include a written report noting:
• The location of areas of active or inactive termite infestations;
• The location and number of treatments to be made to control the infestation. A diagram of the structure should be included, which is extremely helpful in indicating the location of structural features such as porches, utility accesses and areas of wood-to-soil contact, as well as areas with drainage or moisture problems in or near the structure.
• An estimated cost of control. Determine whether the estimate is a firm price, and be cautious if it is not. If you decide to obtain more than one opinion, quote or inspection, let each firm involved know that other firms were contacted. As the consumer, you are free to shop, but treat the companies with the same courtesy and respect you hope they will return as pest control professionals.
• Understand the various treatment methods or options.
Consumers shopping for termite control services have more choices than ever before. This is good, but it can also be confusing. Options include baits and soil barriers for subterranean termites, and fumigants and heat for drywood termites.
Baits versus soil barriers
One of the first decisions you will have to make is whether to treat using a termite bait or a conventional soil barrier treatment. Both approaches can be effective. Soil treatments are used to establish a “barrier” or “treatment zone” between the wood in the structure and the subterranean termite colonies in the soil. The chemicals may either kill or repel the invading termites, but either way the structure is protected if the applications are thorough. Chemical treatments should last at least 5 years under Texas soil and environmental conditions.
Baiting systems
Several choices in baiting systems are available from termite control services. Using baiting systems requires that the applicator have specific knowledge to apply the baits correctly. It also demands continual monitoring. Some baiting systems are advertised to be able to stand alone, or be totally sufficient for termite control; others are used in combination with liquid termiticides.
In general, baits require several trips to the job site for installation and monitoring. Control may take from a few weeks to more than a year.
Soil barriers
For the sub-slab method, holes are drilled in a concrete slab and pesticide is injected through a tube into the soil beneath the slab. This method is used inside the structure, mainly where pipes protrude through the slab, as in bathrooms and kitchens. Injection also may be required along both sides of interior support walls, one side of interior partitions and along all cracks and expansion joints.
At times the pesticide must be injected through exterior foundation walls just beneath the slab, such as when treating kitchens and bathrooms from the outside. To ensure a good, continuous chemical barrier, the holes should be drilled in the slab no farther than 12 inches apart.
Trenching involves excavating a 6- to 8-inch-wide, 10-inch-deep strip of soil next to the out-side foundation wall on slab homes. The process must remove all the soil from against the foundation. Homes on pier-and-beam foundations are trenched by excavating soil in an area 6 to 8 inches wide around all piers and pipes and along inside and outside foundation walls.
Trenching takes longer, but provides a better, more consistent barrier than rodding alone. Make sure that all soil returned to the trench is treated with termiticide.
Rodding uses a long rod with a special tip to penetrate the soil. The rod is usually inserted about every 12 inches. If applied properly, the pesticide creates a continuous barrier; however, using rodding alone is not recommended because it leaves gaps in the treatment zone. Rodding combined with trenching is preferred.
Combinations are sometimes used involving all three of the above methods. Sub-slab injection may be used on porches, patios, breezeways, driveways and entryways where separate slabs exist. Bath-trap areas of slab homes and areas where plumbing and electrical lines enter the home can be treated by sub-slab injection or rodding.
Foam, a relatively new technology, is used to apply termiticide to various construction features of a home. This formulation should be used to treat difficult areas such as chimney bases, dirt-filled porches and certain sub-slab areas. It is not suitable or effective for treating the soil directly. Liquid applications should be made first and then foam should be used as a secondary application method.
Alternative management
Sand barriers are an alternative to chemicals. In some parts of the world, sand with certain size particles (1/16 inch) is used to physically block termite entry into structures. It is not approved for use in Texas. The technology requires considerable knowledge on the part of the applicator, and is generally unsuitable for use outdoors around the base of a foundation unless the sand barrier can be held in place.
Fumigants are used to treat drywood termites, which do not need contact with the soil and can attack dry, sound wood. To control dry-wood termites, a structure is usually covered completely with tarps. The seams of tarps are sealed, and a fumigant is introduced. The fumigant is maintained in the structure long enough to eliminate the termites. The tarps are then removed and the structure aerated before people are allowed to return. The fumigant is very effective, but after the aeration, no residual is left to control subsequent infestations.
Other control methods include removing damaged wood containing the drywood colony, or drilling and treating wood where colonies are located. These methods can be effective, but for major infestations, fumigation is recommended.
Heat is an alternative treatment approved for use in Texas on drywood termites and wood-infesting beetles. It is not approved in Texas to treat subterranean termites.
Contact:
M. Susanto
0813.8650.1642
021-9604.6408
021-237.27.963
