Termite inspections and Treatment

Termite swarming season is almost upon us. If you are a homeowner, you are probably already aware of how much damage termites can cause, even if you have never dealt with termites personally. Oftentimes, when we receive calls about termites, one of the main questions homeowners have is which method of treatment works best for termite infestations.

There is no universal answer to this, and the truth is that each different termite service requires a different approach. Sometimes the best solution for dealing with termites involves using more than one method of treatment on a home simultaneously. To help clear up some confusion on this topic, we will be posting articles on each of the popular treatment on the website, and these will be available to help you if you find termites in your home.

The oldest and most popular form of termite treatment is liquid treatment. This method can be used to deal with existing termite infestations or used as a preventative measure to keep termites away.

Originally, the goal of liquid treatment was to create a barrier in the soil around a home that termites could not pass. This method made use of specialized chemical compounds that prevent termites from getting moisture from soil that was essential to their survival, and termites would be repelled from this barrier.

This was very effective in some cases. However, this could cause problems if the barrier was not applied to a sufficient degree because termites could sometimes find untreated areas to bypass the barriers. This method is also less effective in homes with slab foundations or partially underground levels because technicians cannot access the entire exterior without intrusive drilling. If the treatment is applied carelessly, it can sometimes act to force the termites to a different part of the wall instead of the foundation. This can allow them to do significantly more damage and remain undetected in a location that they normally would avoid.

In more recent years, however, many of these problems have been resolved. Many of the newer liquid treatment products are non-repellant, and slowly poison termites with a chemical compound that they cannot detect. This slow acting poison can be spread between the termites and can rapidly infect and destroy the entire nest. This has helped to reduce, but not entirely eliminate, the problems with lack of complete exterior access for treatment. Liquid treatment is particularly useful in homes that have exterior access on all sides, as they require much less intrusive treatment to get complete protection.

Liquid treatment cannot always be redone annually. Depending on the products used, it can be as much as five years before another layer of treatment can be safely applied. While this is not a permanent solution, liquid treatment does not require regular inspections that are associated with bait stations, and is often cheaper in the long run.