Residential Pest Control – Termites
Once Upon a Termite…
There was a time when there was basically one way to do a termite job: with organochlorine termiticides, of which chlordane was the most popular. But beginning in the early 1980s, individual states began banning the use of chlordane, and the U. S. EPA banned its use nationwide in 1988. The loss of chlordane led to a flurry of research to find suitable replacements, and many “replacement” termiticides came — and went. Thankfully, pesticide manufacturers stopped trying to “replace” chlordane and instead started “thinking out of the box” for new methods to stop these voracious pests. Out of this new way of thinking came two revolutionary approaches to termite control: termite baiting, and non-repellent liquid termiticides.
Termite Baiting using the Advance Termite Baiting System
Since the mid-1990s, termite baiting has become a viable, environmentally sound option in termite control. Environmentally, it’s good science: Less environmental product means a more earth-friendly approach. The Advance Termite Baiting method also means termite extermination can be accomplished without drilling into flooring or concrete inside or outside your home and using liquid pesticides. This makes termite baiting an ideal method for homes with wells on the property or homes with expensive wood or ceramic tiles inside the house. The Advance Termite Baiting System also provides the most significant bait load available in any containerized termite bait system, which means a constant supply of bait to eliminate the colony more quickly than most competing systems. Bigger bait loads also mean less frequent inspections are needed. Because there’s more bait available, we don’t need to monitor monthly, as some systems do. Instead, we can watch every quarter and still achieve rapid termite elimination — with no drilling and without liquid pesticides. This saves you money, as well as helps to protect the environment.
How Termite Baiting Works
Bait stations are installed in the soil around the perimeter of your home and in areas that we know to be conducive to termite infestation. (The installation process will usually take less than an hour. ) Initially, the stations are baited with a non-toxic wood attractant to avoid unnecessary pesticide use. The stations are monitored on a set schedule for termite activity. Your bait system will be inspected monthly for the first 3 months. All other visits are done within a 90-day time frame. We also perform an exterior pest control service at the time of monitoring. When termites attack a bait station, a non-toxic attractant is replaced with an attractant cartridge containing the active ingredient, which the termites continue to eat and carry to their nests. The active ingredient is an environmentally-friendly, slow-acting insect growth regulator that is passed through the colony members, causing complete elimination of the termite colony. Termite baiting is probably the most earth-friendly approach to termite control, and many of our customers prefer it. But it does have a couple of minor disadvantages. Firstly, it takes longer to achieve colony eradication than liquid treatments. Secondly, the stations do have to be monitored on an ongoing basis — forever — to maintain effective control. That’s why we also offer a second option.
Termite Control with Termidor
Termite baiting is a very popular termite control option, but many customers prefer conventional, liquid termite treatments. Liquid treatments tend to achieve faster control and require much less ongoing maintenance than termite baiting systems. That’s why in addition to termite baiting, we also offer termite treatment using Termidor, a revolutionary termiticide that is 100 percent effective in eliminating termite colonies, but whose active ingredient is effective at very low concentrations and is considered to be much more environmentally friendly than old-fashioned liquid termiticides. Termidor works differently than old-school “termite barrier” chemicals like Chlordane and Dursban. Unlike those and other earlier termiticides, Termidor is invisible and non-repellent to termites. They can’t see, smell, or taste it. It also has a delayed effect, so not only do the termites wander freely through treated soil, but they also live long enough to poison the rest of their colonies.
Termidor Application
Like liquid termiticides in general, Termidor is injected into the soil around your home using specialized equipment. In some cases, we may also apply the termiticide from inside the home (for example, adjacent to cracks and other penetrations through the basement floor) if needed to provide effective termite control consistent with our earth-friendly approach to pest control, we evaluate each job individually and design a treatment plan that will effectively eradicate the termite problem, but without applying more termiticide than is needed to do the job. Whichever termite control method you choose, you can be confident in our Pest Control Company’s commitment to quality, workmanship, and environmental stewardship.
Call Now for a Consultation
Choosing a termite extermination method isn’t always easy. Most people’s homes are their biggest investment, and protecting that investment requires careful consideration of all the options. We’re happy to come out and provide a no-obligation inspection, as well as help you decide which termite treatment method is best for you. Please call to schedule an appointment or to learn more about any of our high-quality pest control services.