SolveYourProblem
Article Series: Pest & Bug Removal
How
Do I Get Rid of Bugs & Pests?
Do-It-Yourself
Termite Removal
Termites are insects that no home owner wants
to discover within their home. Termites are wood-consuming
insects that can damage and destroy any home that is infested
with them. These small insects primarily feed on wood, paper,
books, insulation, and swimming pool liners and filtration
systems. It is possible for homes to become infested at any
time, but checking for termite infestations before buying and
selling a home is of utmost importance. Each year, termite
elimination costs American home owners approximately $2 billion.
Most people would recommend getting professional help for a
termite infestation, but there are some do-it-yourself treatments
home owners can use to save money.
Do-it-yourself treatments can help home owners control and
eliminate termites. Generally, there are two categories of
termite treatment, which are liquid treatments and
baits. Soil-applied
liquid termiticides are a well-known treatment that provides
a long-lasting chemical barrier than can exclude termites in
the ground from entering the home. The liquid termiticides
will kill termites in the building’s structure as well, because
it prevents them from returning to the soil. Liquid termiticides
are available in repellant and non-repellant.
Repellant
chemicals repel termites away from
structures, and these products are only meant to be repellant
and not lethal
to the insects. Some repellant termiticides include Demon TC,
Talstar, and Dragnet FT. These liquid termite chemicals are
primarily used in preconstruction treatments and in areas where
fast control of subterranean termites is desired. The newer
termite liquid chemical treatments are classified as non-repellant.
Some of the newer products available for home owners, include
Premise®(imidacloprid), Termidor®(fipronil), and Phantom®(chlorfenapyr).
These non-repellant products work by killing any termites that
tunnel into the treatment zone. Non-repellant products are
more reliable than repellant products in eliminating termites.
Applying
a chemical barrier can be a very difficult and complicated
process, and home owners should consider other options before
taking the do-it-yourself route. Usually termiticide labels
will have specific instructions on how to perform treatments
along foundation areas. Masterline Premethrin Plus C is a termite
repellant most often used for do-it-yourself applications,
and is a long lasting repellant that does not wash away. Termidor
and Premise are most widely used by pest control companies.
There are several products needed for applying a chemical
barrier to the foundation, including a small shovel and a five-gallon
bucket. The shovel is used to dig trenches around the outside
perimeter, and the five-gallon bucket is used to mix the termiticide
so that it can be applied four to five gallons at a time into
the trench holes.
For patios
and porches, home owners will need a hammer drill,
which can be rented from a tool rental center, a two-gallon
bucket, a long plastic funnel, rubber gloves, trebor plugs
and cement. The hammer drill is used to drill holes into the
cement slabs, the two-gallon bucket is used to mix the termiticide
so that it can be applied one to two gallons at a time into
the drill holes. The plastic funnel is inserted into the drill
holes and used to disperse termiticide below porches, patios,
and slab foundations. Rubber gloves and goggles should be used
to provide safety for home owners applying the chemical barriers.
A small amount of cement should be mixed into a small bowl
with water, and used for patching holes made with the hammer
drill.
Many
termiticides also have instructions for performing wall foaming,
which is effective for getting rid of termites within
the walls. The other termite treatment category is baiting.
These
baits consists of palatable food combined with a lethal substance.
These baits can be installed below ground in the
yard in cylindrical plastic stations, and other bait traps
may also be installed indoors over active mud tubes. Baits
may be used alone or combined with liquid treatments to help
totally eliminate termites. Home owners may find do-it-yourself
termite treatments effective, but it may be best for many to
consult professionals before applying a treatment.
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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