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Pay close attention to areas with high moisture, as termites are attracted to damp wood. Corinne Tynan is a highly skilled contributing editor at Forbes Home, with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in various areas such as interior design and home improvement. If your termite problem is small, you can turn to natural options like beneficial nematodes and essential oils. However, you may need serious termite killers like liquid, foam, or dust termiticides for a larger infestation. If you have a large colony in place or don’t feel confident that you can treat the bugs yourself, it may be worth calling a professional exterminator before your home is seriously harmed. Terminix has been battling termites for 95 years and offers advanced solutions.
Drywood Termite Identification And Control options – Forbes Home - Forbes
Drywood Termite Identification And Control options – Forbes Home.
Posted: Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
How long does termite treatment last?
In most cases, by the time you can clearly find evidence of termite activity, it is safe to assume the damage is already extensive. Termites can spread quickly, making it essential to take preventative actions as soon as you suspect a colony—or even beforehand if your neighbors report them. If you’re looking for a money-back guarantee, Orkin is another excellent choice, and Hawx offers solid customization options for homeowners seeking long-term pest control. The fastest way to get rid of termites is to call a professional pest control company like Orkin or Terminix. These companies have access to high-quality products that can eradicate termites more quickly and completely than conventional DIY methods.
Factors That Affect Termite Treatment Cost
Once it is determined that your home has a termite infestation, it is essential to identify how severe it is. Termite colonies can vary from just two termites to hundreds of them, while mature colonies can contain thousands to even a million termites. These large termite colonies can quickly cause damage to your home’s structure. These systems contain specially designed bait stations with cellulose materials to attract termites. In cases of wood rot, where damage is minor you can often DIY a repair by scraping out the rot, treating with fungicide, and then using epoxy resin to fill damaged spots.
Subterranean Termites
Once you have received a second and even third opinion on the source and extent of the wood damage, you can begin to address it—and address it you should. Though some termites are subterranean and some prefer to inhabit damp and decaying wood, still others prefer dry wood, making them one of the ultimate household pests. The best way to keep a termite infestation from occurring in a home is to eliminate excess moisture and prevent termites from accessing their food source. To remove termites’ food source, it’s best to relocate debris away from the home and keep firewood, paper, or lumber out of any crawl spaces and away from the foundation. If you’d like to save money and you’ve caught your problem quickly, at-home treatment is a viable option. However, remember that termite damage can quickly cause severe or irreversible damage to your home’s structure.
Most soil treatments remain active for five to eight years under normal conditions. Termite tenting is one of the most effective ways to get rid of unwanted pests, but it’s not the best solution for everyone. If you are allergic to pesticide or have limited time to spend away from the home, seek other options.
Termite Tenting FAQ
One thing that differentiates flying termites from flying ants is their two pairs of wings that are equal in size. Ants, on the other hand, have front wings that are larger than their hind wings. Unlike flying ants, they have straight, bead-like antennae, and broad waists.
Solved! What Are the Signs of Water Damage in Walls, and What Should I Do About Them?
If you notice them frequenting certain areas of your home, this should give you a good indication of the source of their interest in your home. Winged termites, also known as swarmers or alates, can be a nuisance this time of year. They are the sexually mature males and females of the colony that are attempting to reproduce and start a new colony.
What Does a Termite Inspection Consist of?
Every year termites cause billions of dollars in structural damage, and property owners spend over two billion dollars to treat them. This fact sheet focuses on how you, as a consumer, can identify and help protect your property from termites through effective prevention measures and appropriate use of termite treatments. First, you call a pest control company to order a termite inspection. The average cost for termite treatment can range from $10 to $20 per linear foot. However, it’s important to note that the price of termite treatments can vary significantly. It’s recommended to contact several local pest control companies in your area to get accurate and up-to-date pricing information.
Preparing for Fumigation
Telltale signs include subterranean termites’ mud tubes, hollow-sounding wood, termite frass, and discarded wings. Rattling or rustling noises might mean there are termites within your walls. Depending on which state you live in, you may be able to purchase some professional-level termite-killing products like liquid Taurus SC and Termidor SC.
Although flying termites aren't harmful, they may indicate a wider termite issue in your home, which can be a serious problem if not dealt with immediately. With more than 10 years of experience in the media industry, she has covered everything from the best gifts for new homeowners to how to remove a bird’s nest or move across the country. When she’s not wearing her writer’s hat, she’s chasing her two kids around their Dallas home, perfecting her baking skills, or reading the latest best-selling thriller.
A homeowner may be dealing with either dry rot, which is discolored but appears dry, or wet rot, which is softer and more outwardly degraded. If you need to eliminate a large infestation or aren’t interested in taking an at-home approach to pest control, consider professional extermination companies such as Terminix or Orkin. Business owners and homeowners spend more than $2 billion every year treating damage from termites, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To avoid becoming part of this statistic, you’ll want to start treating your home right away. Your technician will also strategically install termite bait stations around the perimeter of your home.
Remove any wood debris and mulch in your yard, and firewood stacked near your house. Termites can be mistaken for ants, but there are a few key differences between the two insects. All products and services featured are independently selected by our editors.
It’s generally easier to get rid of flying ants, and most homeowners can handle the job themselves. According to Webb, professionals may use different methods for treating homes. One would be to create a treated zone in the soil around the house with a liquid treatment material. Another method is to use termite baits that the termite colony members will feed on and spread throughout the colony, eliminating the termite colony or colonies in the area. They usually feed on the wood that frames and supports the structure, where they are protected from temperature and moisture extremes.” And where they are protected from your eyeballs.
The best termite control companies (like Terminix or Ehrlich) also offer guarantees that they will return and apply additional treatments if the problem persists. Additionally, depending on the amount of damage termites have done, it may be necessary to bring in professionals to repair any structural damage that remains from the infestation. The best way to get rid of termites is to not have them to begin with. According to Dupuy, “Preventive treatments end up saving you the most money.
