Termites
- Thread starter The Stan
- Start date
Termidor. Was recommended by friends that use to own a business. Used to only be sold to companies. It’s expensive but much cheaper than hiring a company.
How did you treat stoops, driveways, other surfaces that are concrete/stone/etc.? Termidor is easy to apply to areas with dirt against your house but I've been wondering what to do about the other places.
Another vote for Termidor....it is the Gold Standard of current termite treatments. Depending on where you live, the longevity is around 8-10 years.
I'd also go on the Termidor website and get the names of a few independent applicator/pest control companies in your area. You'll get better service and lower pricing than the large national companies.
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I’ll send you the directions if I can figure out how to do that. I have some at my house which I used a couple years ago and worked great. I don’t remember off hand how I applied it frabkly.
Treat them professionally and keep up treatments for warranty purposes. Make sure contract and warranty are transferable to new owners and any damage is repaired and noted. This will keep from causing further expenses at sale of home down the road.
Stupid question, however, here goes! Built home in 87. Poured basement, walls at least 1' above ground level. Lot about 1 acre. Empty wooded lot to my south and hundred of acres of woods East. Need I do anything to prevent the little varmints showing up here! Thank you!
TERMites.....was thinking of all the politicians that stay in office way way way too long, they bug the hell out of me.
Anyone figure out how to get rid of them?
Anyone figure out how to get rid of them?
Yeah termite treatment isn't expensive and evidence that you properly inspected and treated would be needed if you ever needed to sell your house. It might be ok to self-treat in some cases, but right now you should pay to get a good professional out to at least find out where they are and if they've done any damage.
In the old days the termite companies had this great chemical that they could spray around your foundation and it would keep a house termite free for 20 years. But that chemical has been banned because it was dangerous for the workers who applied it. Now the chemicals are much less effective and have to be re-applied more frequently. But if you live in a termite climate (and most of North America is now termite country), it's worth it.
In the old days the termite companies had this great chemical that they could spray around your foundation and it would keep a house termite free for 20 years. But that chemical has been banned because it was dangerous for the workers who applied it. Now the chemicals are much less effective and have to be re-applied more frequently. But if you live in a termite climate (and most of North America is now termite country), it's worth it.
I think standard practice is still to drill little 1/4 inch holes through concrete (patios, landings etc) and inject the chemical into the soil. Then you patch the concrete.
Home inspectors look for the little patches as a sign that a house has been treated for termites. It's not usually an issue but it is something to be aware of.
Home inspectors look for the little patches as a sign that a house has been treated for termites. It's not usually an issue but it is something to be aware of.
They drill though, push the application pipe/tube several feet in the ground, apply the pesticide, and refill. I once bought a colonial in a wooded development that I knew had an infestation. I had the entire perimeter treated, as well as some interior spots, primarily basement joists and window/door frames. It definitely took care of the problem, but you need to repeat treatment on a regular (every year or two) basis. Termites can cover a very broad subterranean distance, across the entire length of your concrete slab (basement or not).
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I have used Boracare, Boracare Plus and Timbor in different applications on untreated wood for dry wing termites, subterranean termites and wood boring bees....with great results over the years. All good products, depending on your circumstances.
Yup, that's the best stuff. What most people don't know is that they use that to keep ants and other insects out of your house as well. That's why they have specials with termite treatments like insect control treatment for free. They are already putting it down.
What's so complicated, it's not like they're the type of nests you have to spray up at 1 am while all da critters are sleeping.
The primary eliminate the contractor would install is the termite metal flashing above grade and vertical termite insulation attached to your foundation walls below grade, followed by soil treatment in termite infestation areas.
read further......
TERMITE AND WOOD DECAY CONTROL TECHNIQUES
Figure 2-8F. Termite Control Techniques for Basements, Footing Detail
Figure 2-8S. Termite Control Techniques for Basements, Sill Detail
Techniques for controlling the entry of termites through residential foundations are advisable in much of the United States (see Figures 2-8F and 2-8S). The following recommendations apply where termites are a potential problem. Consult with local building officials and codes for further details.
- Minimize soil moisture around the basement by using gutters, downspouts, and runouts to remove roof water, and by installing a complete subdrainage system around the foundation.
- Remove all roots, stumps, and scrap wood from the site before, during, and after construction, including wood stakes and formwork from the foundation area.
- Treat soil with termiticide, or deploy properly-maintained bait stations on all sites vulnerable to termites.
- Place a bond beam or course of cap blocks on top of all concrete masonry foundation walls to ensure that no open cores are left exposed. Alternatively, fill all cores on the top course with mortar, and reinforce the mortar joint beneath the top course.
- Place the sill plate at least 8 inches above grade; it should be pressure-preservative treated to resist decay. The sill plate should be visible for inspection from the interior. Since termite shields are often damaged or not installed carefully enough, they should not be regarded as sufficient defense by themselves.
- Be sure that exterior wood siding and trim is at least 6 inches above grade.
- Construct porches and exterior slabs so that they slope away from the foundation wall, and are at least 2 inches below exterior siding. In addition, porches and exterior slabs should be separated from all wood members by a 2-inch gap visible for inspection or by a continuous metal flashing soldered at all seams.
- Fill the joint between the slab floor and foundation wall with urethane caulk or coal tar pitch to form a termite barrier.
- Use pressure-preservative-treated wood posts on the basement floor slab, or place posts on flashing or a concrete pedestal raised 1 inch above the floor.
- Flash hollow steel columns at the top to stop termites. Solid steel bearing plates can also serve as a termite shield at the top of a wood post or hollow steel column.
In principle, termite shields offer protection, but should not be relied upon as a barrier. Termite shields are shown in this document as a component of exterior insulation systems. Their purpose is to force any insects ascending through the wall out to the exterior, where they can be seen. For this reason, termite shields must be continuous, and all seams must be sealed to prevent bypass by the insects.
These concerns over insulation and the unreliability of termite shields have led to the conclusion that soil treatment is the most effective technique to control termites with an insulated foundation. However, the restrictions on widely used termiticides may make this option either unavailable or cause the substitution of products that are more expensive and possibly less effective. This situation should encourage insulation techniques that enhance visual inspection and provide effective barriers to termites. For more information on termite mitigation techniques, see NAHB (2006).
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