Termites often go undetected, because they can enter a crack as thin as a visiting card and start eating away the structure. The damage is usually not visible until the entire structure is damaged and the loss is beyond repair. However, you can identify their presence by closely inspecting your wooden structures and checking for any hollow spots. It is a truth that termites cause millions of dollars of damage every year. If you suspect termites in your structure, you can use any of the following termite control methods to get rid of them:
Liquid Termiticides:
These are insecticides that are specially manufactured for controlling termites. These are applied on the soil near the foundation of a building to create a layer of treated soil so that termites cannot cross this barrier. Since termites need to frequently return to the soil for moisture, this termite control method takes advantage of this behavior and provide the utmost efficacy and safety. Best liquid termiticides can provide protection up to as long as 10-12 years, and contain ingredients like imidacloprid, permethrin, fipronil, cypermethrin, bifenthrin, and chlorantraniliprole.
Foam Termiticides:
These termiticides have a consistency like that of shaving cream and are often used for supplementing other termite control methods. These are injected into the voids in buildings, foundations, and walls. Their foam-like consistency spreads evenly and they can be sprayed with force to hard-to-reach areas as well. These termiticides are also sometimes mixed with liquid ones to control colonies of termites over highly infected areas. Common ingredients in these termiticides include imidacloprid and fipronil.
Borate:
Borate is often diluted in water and applied near the sill plates, studs, exterior sheathing, framing elements, etc. This is often applied when the building is being constructed, before insulating and before installing the interior wall coverings. Borate termite control is used with disodium octaborate tetrahydrate and is often coupled with a liquid termiticide.
Wood Preservatives:
This method of controlling termites is more suitable for outdoor areas, external buildings, and extra constructions. Elements made of wood, such as timbers, fences, steps, decks, posts, will stay in direct contact with the ground and they need to be treated appropriately so that they do not decay due to fungi or termites. Floor joists, sills, and other elements are not in direct contact with the soil, but they still need to be treated with ACQ, CA, MCQ, CDDC, and creosote for added protection.
Fumigation:
This is an effective termite control method in which the termite-infested item is enclosed in a gas-proof chamber and exposed to sulfuryl fluoride gas for a certain amount of time. This process proves to be highly successful in treating small objects like furniture, boats, etc. However, if you are planning to fumigate an entire building, then it will need to be tented inside a huge gas-proof covering. Since this is an expensive method that needs highly specialized treatment, only professional termite control companies can perform it safely.
Termite Baiting Station:
In these stations, non-repellent, slow-acting insecticides are infused into the wooden structures in low doses with an aim to control termite infestation. A baiting station can be above-ground or underground, depending on the area that needs to be treated. A baiting station is installed at different spaces around the exterior of a building so that immature termites are attacked in their reproductive stage itself. Although this is a slow-acting method, it ultimately results in destroying the entire termite colony. If properly installed, it can protect a building from termites for a long period of time.
Now that you know the different termite control methods available out there, let an expert inspect your structure and decide the right method for your purpose.
