How To Prevent, Detect & Treat Termites : A Complete Guide
Fear of termites is very common. The fear is made worse by a lack of understanding about termites. Most people have a little to no knowledge about termite infestation, and cannot even tell termites from ants. Lack of knowledge and wrong methods to contain and eliminate termites do not produce the desired results.
Prevention is better than cure. The adage prevention is better than cure applies to termite control as well. Termites are responsible for billions of dollars of damage across the USA. The first step in eliminating termites is knowing if you have termites.
How to find if your house is infested with termites?
It is a misconception that termites can come from earth, waste pipelines, etc. To figure out if your house is infested by termites, probe woods in your house for hollow space and learn to distinguish between ant swarms and termite swarms.
How to differentiate between ant swarms and termite swarms?
Ants’ front wings are longer than their hind wings; their antennae are bent at ninety degrees. The front as well as hind wings of termites are equal in length, and their antennae are either straight or dropping.
Once you know the difference between ant and termite swarms, you can easily save your home from termite infestation.
How to prevent termite invasion?
Make your place less hospitable to termites. During construction, leave some space between wood and soil for ventilation. Also, always use a concrete foundation.
Knowing termite prevention features goes a long way in helping stop termite infestation of your home. We enumerate a few of the termite prevention features below:
- Ensure soil around the foundation is dry. You can keep the soil dry by proper grading and laying an effective drainage.
- Block all opening in all the structures – wooden or concrete – to reduce the risk of termite infestation.
- Leakages create dampness. Dampness in and around your home can breed termites. Fix any kind of leakages immediately.
- Don’t plant trees or other plants too close to your home. The roots of trees and plants can penetrate nearby walls and create a conducive environment for termites to breed.
- Storing wood or dumping wood debris closer to your home can be another factor for termite infestation.
By following these simple but effective steps you can detect and prevent termite infestation.
Now, let us turn our gaze to termite treatments.
There are different treatments available for termites. Both Non-chemical treatments and chemical treatments are effective and efficient in termite treatment
Non-chemical treatment
These are a few ways to keep termites at bay without using insecticide
- Physical barrier: Ensure to erect a strong physical barrier between your home’s wall and the outside area.
- Use steel frames and sand for the effectiveness of barriers.
These methods are not regulated by regulatory bodies as they do not involve use of insecticide.
Chemical treatment
Use of chemical agents in treating termite infestation is regulated by regulatory bodies.
These are some of the approved treatments for termite infestation in the United States
- Liquid soil-applied termiticides: Soil-applied barrier treatment is the most popular technique for treating termite infestations. However, termiticides must be used carefully. Improper use will lead to contamination of water bodies and won’t solve the problem of termite infestations.DIY approach in using termiticides is not a good idea. Always hire a professional who knows proper usage of termiticides.
- Termite baits: Several bait systems are easily available to help bring down the use of insecticide and tackle their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Bait systems use cellulose baits. These cellulose baits have a slow acting insecticide.
- Wood treatment: At the time of home construction, wood treatments are mostly used as a spray on application to safeguard wood.
Conclusion:
Prevention is the best way to tackle termite infestations at home. Many people mistake ant swarms for termites swarms. Lack of knowledge and misconceptions are a few of the biggest barriers in successfully treating termites. Gathering as much information as possible and adopting best methodologies can help in treating termites effectively and efficiently. There are chemical as well as non-chemical treatments available for termite control. Chemical treatments are regulated by regulatory bodies as they contain insecticides, whereas non-chemical treatments are not regulated.
Flex Pest Control is the best pest control in Arkansas. We offer you personalized services to save your home from termites infestations. Our friendly technicians guarantee effective and efficient treatment for termites infestation and secure your house in every possible way. The greatest benefit of employing us to control termites is that we offer you a refund if our services do not satisfy you.
