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Termite Treatments |
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By far the two most common types of termite control are conventional chemical barrier treatment and the various baiting systems available. |
A conventional termite treatment is when a chemical barrier is applied to the soil along foundations and other access points where termites can build shelter tubes to gain access to wood or other cellulose material. There are several termicides available. The two most popular (I think) are Termidor and Premise. Both are excellent chemicals.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Rotor hammer / hammer drill capable of drilling 1/2" holes thru concrete. The better of this type of drill will use spline shank or SDS drill bits.
Pump setup. Typical pump set up would be a 50 gallon tank with 100 or more feet of hose, a shut off trigger and injection rod. Suggested rod size is 3/8" pipe about 4 ft long. Centrifugal pumps with 1/2 hp motors make a pretty good pump to drive it with. A pressure relief valve should be installed directly after the pump or your hose will likely explode.
Shovel, trenching tool or other device for digging trenches along foundations.
STEP 1
Draw a diagram outlining the foundation of the house. Mark where dirt filled porches, patios, side walks and soil contact the foundation. Mark what's what like front porch, basement, garage, crawl spaces et. . You are only concerned with the ground floor area, garage slabs, basement or 1st floor if slab, areas like that. Also draw in other areas termites could build their tunnels like where drain, water or gas lines come out of the ground, support columns et.
STEP 2
Figure amount of chemical that should be used according to the label directions. A very common application rate is 4 gallons of finished spray for each 10 linear feet per foot of depth to be treated. Most chemicals call for treatment to a depth of the top of the footing to a maximum of depth of 4 feet. For example if you are treating 20 linear feet of a foundation wall of a house on a crawl space with a footer depth of 2 feet on the exterior and 1 foot on the crawl space side then about 24 gallons should be used.
20 linear ft x 2 ft depth = 16 gallons - exterior
20 linear ft x 1 ft depth = 8 gallons - interior (crawl)
These are general procedures for treating for termites and are far from exhaustive. Your structure may have other considerations. Many states and counties have Co-Ops that can help with local laws and regulations. For more information please contact your states Department of Agriculture.
Concrete Slab Termite Treatment
It is necessary to apply a continuous chemical barrier under the slab along the foundations.This includes main structure, attached garages, porches, patios et. To accomplish this you will likely need to drill holes thru the top of the slab (about 6 " from the foundation) or vertically thru the foundation (about 6 to 8 inches below the top of the slab in most cases). Holes should be spaced at 12" or closer intervals. To apply the termicide insert the rod thru the holes and a few inches into the soil on the other side. Other areas that should be treated include bath tub drain areas, water lines et. that penetrate the slab. There may also be cracks or expansion joints in the center area of the slab that need to be drilled and treated also.
Exterior Soil Termite Treatment.
Dig trench about 6in, deep by 6in. wide along the foundation, Apply chemical by rodding at the bottom of the trench. Goal is to create a continuous barrier to the depth of the footing. Replace soil in trench treating it as it is being replaced.
Crawl Space Termite Treatment
Dig trench along foundation walls, around support piers and any other items that have soil contact like drain lines. Rod and replace soil i similar manner as the Exterior soil treatment above.
Excavation is suggested if crawl is inaccessible otherwise we suggest having a Sentricon Baiting system installed.
Termite FAQ
Q How many termite species are there?
A. Quite a few but if you live in the USA it can be narrowed down to just a few, By far the most common is the Eastern Subterranean Termite, We also have Drywood and Dampwood termites found in warmer regions and a relative newcomer;the Formosan Subterranean Termite. Formosan termites can be very difficult to control and occur mainly in the Southern States. Q. How fast do termites eat wood.A. What I learned was an average size colony of about 60,000 termites will damage about 7" of a 2x12 per year. That is a very rough gauge and refers only to the Eastern Subterranean Termite, For a better idea here is an example of a home with termites left unchecked for 10 yearsYear 1 thru 3 - Colony is very small. Puts out it's first termite swarmers in year 3Year 4 thru 5 - Small amount of damage beginning. Termite swarms are larger and a couple new colonies get started.Years 6 thru 8 - Damage becoming somewhat severe. Getting several large termite swarms each year because of multiple colonies.Years 9 thru 10 - Piano leg falls thru floor.Q. My neighbor has treated for termites, Will that chase them to my house?A. Termites being chased house to house is pretty much an urban myth. It often seems that way because homes in subdivisions are built about the same time and termites tend to show up at about the same time. While you probably won't get your neighbors termites there is a good chance you have your own. Q. Do all houses get termites?It's a very rare home that never has to deal with termites. Termite populations are thinnest in the upper northern states.
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