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Termite Control: How To Identify and Get Rid of Termites

Writer's picture: ibrahim elsiofyibrahim elsiofy

Updated: Oct 17, 2021


In-ground baiting stations are installed within the ground at periodic spacing round the outside perimeter of the building. Foraging termite workers discover the baiting stations, prey on the treated bait, and share this poisoned food with their colony mates, including the immature and reproductive stages. Bait treatments are slow-acting but ultimately end in the destruction of the colony.


When properly installed and maintained, in-ground baiting stations are an efficient long-term method of protecting buildings from termites. Because they're slow-acting, baiting stations are usually not used as stand-alone treatments to regulate existing termite infestations.


during this case, baiting stations could also be placed around the building as was common, but known points of termite activity also are treated with a liquid termiticide. The goal here is to quickly control the prevailing infestation with the liquid treatment then believe the baiting stations for long-term preventive control.

Several different brands of termite baiting stations are available. In most cases, the stations are originally baited with a bit of wood or other substrates that are attractive to termites but contain no insecticide. These stations are checked periodically, and when termite feeding is detected during a station, the old bait is replaced with a replacement bait that contains an insecticide and therefore the termites are allowed to continue feeding.

However, some brands of baiting stations include the active ingredient within the original bait. Active ingredients utilized in currently available baiting stations include noviflumuron, hexaflumuron, novaluron, diflubenzuron, hydramethylnon, and sulfluramid.


Some companies also produce aboveground baiting stations that are sometimes wont to control termites in special situations, like aerial colonies of Formosan termites. Dry Termiticides.


Dry termiticides are specialty products that are occasionally wont to control, or for supplement control of, dry wood or subterranean termites. Dry termiticides contain a dry granular bait substrate impregnated with a little amount of termiticide.

Dry termiticides are injected directly into active termite galleries with the goal of getting the termites to prey on the bait and distribute the toxicant throughout the colony. Such treatments are most useful for eliminating small, isolated infestations of drywood termites, or possibly as supplemental treatments for Formosan termites.


Dry termiticide treatments aren't recommended as stand-alone treatments for typical structural infestations of subterranean termites (eastern subterranean termites or Formosan termites). Fumigation.


Fumigation involves enclosing a termite-infested object inside a gas-proof enclosure and exposing it for a prescribed period of your time to sulfuryl fluoride gas (Vikane or Termafume). Small objects, like furniture, are often fumigated by placing them in special fumigation chambers.

it's also possible to fumigate entire buildings by fully enclosing or “tenting” them in gas-proof coverings and releasing the fumigant inside the building. this is often a costly and highly specialized method of termite treatment and only a couple of Mississippi companies are ready to perform tent fumigations.

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However, tenting and fumigation is usually the sole effective method of eliminating infestations of dry wood termites that have spread to multiple locations within a building.


Tent fumigation is additionally wont to treat boats infested with Formosan termites and is usually wont to treat Formosan termites in buildings. Physical termite barriers.


Several sorts of physical termite barriers are often installed during the initial construction of a building to form it harder for termites to enter the building and to form detection of subsequent termite infestations more likely.


Termite shields. Termite shields are thin pieces of metal flashing that are installed between masonry foundation support walls and support piers and therefore the wooden sill plates or other wooden structural elements that are installed directly over the inspiration. the target is to stop termites from having the ability to attack the building through unseen cracks within the masonry foundation wall and/or support piers.


Termite shields are installed during initial construction. Properly installed shields should extend a minimum of two inches beyond the inspiration wall, be bent downward at a 45-degree angle, and have all gaps sealed. Termite shields are primarily utilized in houses with “conventional foundations” or crawl spaces in order that they're installed a minimum of 18 inches above the bottom.


Termite shields don't prevent termite attack and aren't an efficient stand-alone treatment for termites. However, properly installed termite shields make it much easier to detect termite infestations by forcing any invading termites to create mud shelter tubes round the termite shield where they're easier to ascertain during routine inspections, leading to more timely and effective treatment. Termite collars.


In buildings with slab-type foundations, plumbing and electrical conduit penetrations are common points of entry for termites. this is often because concrete can shy away from pipes because it cures, leading to cracks that are large enough to permit termites to enter the building unseen.


Several companies sell chrome steel mesh or plastic collars which will be placed around pipes before pouring the slab to offer a termite-proof seal at such slab penetrations. While this doesn't prevent termite attack at other points within the building, it reduces the potential for termites to enter around plumbing penetrations, where inspection and early detection are difficult or impossible during a finished building. Full foundation physical barriers.


Several companies market physical termite barriers made from chrome steel mesh or other materials that are installed underneath the whole slab, or foundation, of a building, usually together with termite collars or termite shields.


the target is to make a termite-proof barrier underneath the building which will prevent termites from entering through unseen cracks and crevices within the slab or other foundation elements. However, such barriers don't provide complete protection and extra treatments using liquid termiticides or baits are still required to stop termites from invading along the surface perimeter of the building. Other building construction practices.


Because building practices have such a great effect on a building’s susceptibility to termite infestation, state and native building codes include requirements that address termite risks. the knowledge presented here isn't intended to exchange code requirements but only to means some areas of greatest risk that ought to tend particular attention with reference to reducing the potential for future termite problems. Remove all wooden stakes and form boards after construction is complete.


Any untreated wood left within the ground or in touch with the soil constitutes a high risk for termite attack. Remove any tree stumps and roots during initial site preparation and don't leave or bury wood scraps, paper, or cardboard trash under or near crawl spaces or slabs. Termites will readily use such wood or cellulose resources to determine colonies which will eventually invade the building.


Beginning with initial site preparation and grading and continuing through final grading and landscape installation, confirm proper drainage is achieved and maintained in order that water doesn't accumulate in crawl spaces or against the outside foundation wall. Such conditions are favorable to termites and also hasten degradation of termiticide treatments.


On buildings with slab construction, make certain the lower fringe of any sort of siding, whether wood, vinyl, plastic, metal, or other material, is a minimum of 6 inches above the ultimate soil grade. Over time, accumulations of leaves, pine straw, mulch, or soil will reduce this gap and termites can readily enter buildings by tubing up the slab and behind siding. Having a minimum of 6 inches of clearance makes inspection and detection of termite infestations much easier and more successful.


Drivit and stucco are two methods of exterior wall construction that have historically proven to be especially susceptible to termite problems when not properly installed. See comments above.


Maintain a minimum of 6 inches of clearance between soil grade and lower fringe of siding. Insulated concrete form (ICF) construction that extends below soil grade or within 6 inches of soil grade increases potential for termite infestation. Termites can tunnel through cracks between the shape and concrete, or within the froth material the shape is formed of to access aboveground wood.


make certain to follow recommended construction practices and building codes when using ICF construction in areas designated as high risk for termite attack. Note that each one of Mississippi is designated as “very high” regarding the potential for unprotected buildings to be infested by termites.


Spray-on foam insulation is usually wont to insulate walls and roofs. However, when applied to foundation walls in crawl spaces, spray-on foam can increase risk of termite infestation, especially when but 6 inches above soil grade.Termites also will tunnel through, or behind, spray-on foam insulation in walls and attics, making detection and control harder. this is often especially common with Formosan termites


(Figure 4). Termites don't eat sprayed-on foam insulation, but they're going to readily tunnel through it. Figure 4.


Termites don't eat sprayed-on foam insulation, but they're going to readily tunnel through it. On buildings with conventional foundations, untreated wood shouldn't be within 18 inches of soil grade and treated wood should be a minimum of 6 inches above grade.


Crawl spaces should be a minimum of 18 inches high to permit proper access for termite inspections and coverings also as for other maintenance and repair (see your local building code). Be sure exterior window ledges are properly installed and sealed to exclude rainwater. Window ledges should be sloped slightly faraway from rock bottom of the window, instead of being level or sloping toward rock bottom of the window.


Other points where water may enter the building, like roof and chimney flashing and plumbing and electrical penetrations within the roof, should even be well sealed.


Moisture thanks to structural leaks may be a key “conducive condition” that greatly increases risk of termite attack


(Figure 5). Storm damaged flashing on this apartment house allowed water to leak into second story walls, leading to an important Formosan termite infestation.


Figure 5. Storm damaged flashing on this apartment house allowed water to leak into second story walls, leading to an important Formosan termite infestation. Be sure termite pretreatments are applied properly and at the acceptable stage of construction.


If a liquid termiticide pretreatment is employed, make certain the horizontal barrier portion of the pretreatment is applied in any case forming and other preparation for pouring the slab is completed but before the vapor barrier is put in situ. Any soil disturbance that happens after the liquid termiticide has been applied and before the slab is poured will create gaps within the horizontal barrier where termites can potentially enter the building.


For buildings on which a liquid termiticide pretreatment is employed, make certain the second a part of the pretreatment, the outside perimeter treatment or vertical barrier portion, is applied within a year of the date the development is finished.


Failure to use this last half of the liquid termiticide pretreatment will end in a building that's highly vulnerable to termite infestation. Beginning in 2008 pest control companies are required to put a sticker on the building’s electricity meter that shows when this final, exterior perimeter portion of the termite pretreatment was applied.


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