If you suspect your home has termites, you have reason to be concerned... More than 365,000 homes will need the fire department this year. But over 2 million homes will require termite treatment. Homeowners insurance will help recover losses from fires, storms and earthquakes, but it is almost impossible to carry insurance against termite infestation.

Termites can be found in almost every state as well as Mexico and parts of Canada. They feed on wood and may also destroy paper products such as books, cardboard, boxes and a variety of other items. Even building with steel framing and masonry walls are targets because of the wooden door and window frames, cabinets and shelving within the buildings.

A termite colony is large, composed of the queen, king, winged reproductive swarmers, soldiers and workers. Worker termites are small, creamy white insects. They are the most numerous and the cause of all the termite damage. A property owner seldom sees the worker termites, but in the spring or fall he may see swarming "winged reproductives." This form of termite can easily be confused with a winged ant.

The most common termite, the subterranean, builds its nest in the ground. These termites construct mud tubes which are used to explore for food and connect their underground nest to that food source. They can enter a building without direct wood contact with the soil through such tubes.
Termites can enter buildings through cracks, expansion joints, hollow bricks or concrete blocks around plumbing. They can find their way into a structure through an opening as small as 1/32 of an inch.
Any building, whether constructed with slab, basement or crawl space foundations, can be targets for termite infestation.

Detecting and controlling termites is a job for the professional. A thorough inspection by a termite control specialist is the first and most important step in protecting your property. "Experienced" eyes can locate the specific areas in your structure where termite attack is likely to occur. Applying termiticides to soil around the exterior foundation creates a chemical barrier against the termites and is accomplished by trenching, rodding and/or drilling. A treatment for slab construction consists of drilling through the slab floor and injecting termiticides into soil along the inside perimeters of the foundation.

Basement construction may require treatment which injects termiticides into the soil through holes drilled in the basement floor at regular intervals. Crawl space treatment also involves trenching or rodding soil along the foundation walls and around piers and pipes, then applying termiticides to the soil. Then the specialist will design a treatment plan for your house that will control any current infestation and establish a chemical barrier around the structure to inhibit further termite entry.

In certain areas of the country you may encounter different types of termites, such as Formosan, dampwood, drywood, etc. If your home is infested with one of these termites, it may require different or more extensive treatment procedures including wood treatment and fumigation.

TERMITE FAQ'S

Q:I suspect that my home may have termites. How can I tell if I have a termite infestation and what are the signs of damage associated with termites?

A:Termites feed on cellulose in wood and paper products such as books, cardboard, and various other items. Termite damage in homes is usually not obvious until significant damage has occurred. Sometimes homeowners first notice termites when they swarm. Swarmers are "winged reproductives" that leave the colony in a swarm to mate, reproduce, and start new colonies. Yet, it's the worker termites - small, creamy white insects that are seldom seen -- that are the most numerous and the cause most of all the termite damage. There are many species of termites that can infest homes under a variety of conditions.
Subterranean termites, the most common type, build nests in the ground and often construct mud tubes on structures. They use the mud tubes as passageways to explore for food and travel to and from the soil. If you suspect that you have a termite infestation, you should have your home thoroughly inspected by a termite specialist. Professional termite inspectors are trained to locate specific areas in your home where a termite attack is most likely to occur. If termites are found, the specialist can design a treatment plan to control current infestations and to protect your home from future infestations.

Q: Help! My house is infested with termites. I've had three pest companies visit and now I'm confused. One suggested a bait treatment; one suggested soil treatment, and yet another suggested wood treatment. Can you tell me which method is most effective?

A:There are many treatment options available for subterranean termite control. Bait, soil treatments, and wood treatments are all methods used, alone or in combination, to control termites in many different situations. · Most soil treatments are applied directly to the soil around the perimeter of your home. These treatments set up a continuous treated area that will control termites that come into contact with the treatment. · Bait systems perform well but require more time to work. Termites must find and accept the bait then share it with other members of the colony · Wood treatments, often done as a preventive treatment, are applied directly to wood that is infested or could potentially be infested. Termites avoid the treated wood and those that feed on treated wood die. The best treatment for your home will depend on many factors that are unique to your home and termite problem. All three methods are effective if applied correctly.

Q: I don't have a termite problem in my house now and I want to make sure I don't get one in the future. What can I do to make my home less susceptible to termites?

A: There are several things you can do to help make your home less susceptible to termites: Look for excessive moisture in and around your home especially in basements and crawl spaces. Termites require moisture to successfully live and breed in structures. Reducing moisture problems in and around your home will decrease the likelihood of termite attack. Repair leaking pipes, water lines and fixtures that may wet any wooden parts of your home. Stack firewood, lumber and other wooden items several feet away from your home and plant flowerbeds and other frequently watered ornamentals as far away from the perimeter of your house as possible. Ideally, wood-containing mulches should be placed at least one foot away from the foundation of your home. Wood used in decks and porches should be pressure treated. Outdoor lights with white bulbs may attract night swarming termites, especially in the spring. Try replacing white bulbs with yellow or pale amber.

Q: Can termites be controlled without using pesticides?

A: Most active termite infestations require some type of chemical treatment. Reducing conducive conditions (such as repairing moisture and ventilation problems) will help reduce infestations of some termite populations, but these changes will not provide control. To eliminate the egg-laying queen and other reproductives, termiticides are used that contain slow acting poisons or growth regulators. These chemicals are carried in food that is eaten by termite workers and later fed to the queen and other members of their colony. To completely eliminate a colony, the queen and all other reproductives must be eliminated or sterilized. Non-chemical treatments, such as heat, cold, fungal pathogens, or microwaves treatments, have been developed to successfully treat dry wood termites. Because there are many types of termites that infest structures, you should consult a professional pest management firm that can tell you what type of termites you have and advise you on appropriate treatment options.

Q: I have found termites in the basement of my house and would like to try to get rid of them myself. Can you recommend any products I can use or any procedures that I can follow to get these bugs out of my home?

A: To handle your own termite problem you must first know the type of termites you have in your home. After considering the type of home you have and any additional structural features inside and outside of your home, you must determine what type of control is needed and what conducive conditions must be corrected. Today a wide variety of over-the-counter termite control products are available. There are chemical and biological treatments that contain stomach poisons, growth regulators, and quick-kill formulations. However, while it's easy to find and purchase these treatments, knowing how to use them effectively and safely is not quite as easy. All homes and properties are unique. Homes are constructed out of a variety of materials and the land that these homes are built on may have different soil types, slopes, and water drainage systems.
Without adequate training to correctly identify the type of termites you have and the extent of the infestation, as well as knowledge on how to eliminate favorable conditions and select correct treatment options, trying to do the job yourself may be a costly mistake. Professional termite inspectors are experienced in determining the type of termite problem you have and are knowledgeable about the best treatment strategy to get rid of the termites in your home. If treatments are mixed, applied, and monitored incorrectly, you will not have controlled your termite problem and may have compromised your own and your family's environment and safety.

Q: How long does a typical subterranean termite treatment, applied by a professional pest management company, maintain its effectiveness?

A: There are many factors that can affect the longevity of the various termite treatments applied today including the type of treatment performed, environmental conditions, type and pH of your soil, or physical disruption of the treatment site. Ideally, treatments can last for several years. Some treatments and infested areas must be monitored regularly to make sure active infestations are being effectively controlled. Soil and wood treatments may be disrupted if the treated soil or wood has been displaced through construction, gardening or otherwise. In this case, these areas may need to be retreated.

Q: The termite company wants us to sign a contract to continue termite treatments. How long does it take to get rid of termites? And what sort of warranty (if any) is usually given after a termite treatment is performed?

A: Depending on the situation it can take a few hours to several years to control a termite problem. The construction of your home, the area and extent of infestation, the species of termite infesting your home as well as the treatment method you select, are some of the factors that have an affect on how quickly termites can be eliminated from your home. If more than one colony exists in any given area, or if you live in an area where well-established colonies exist, it can take more time to gain adequate control.

There is no typical warranty in the pest management industry for termite treatments. Warranties tend to vary site to site and can depend on the extent of your home's termite infestation and the type of treatment performed. Whatever treatment or maintenance contract that you choose, make sure that you get any warranties and other guarantees in writing and stay updated on any termite problems and activity on your property. Also be sure to ask for a complete explanation of the terms of any warranty and read all documents carefully before you sign them.

Information compiled from the National Pest Management Association, Inc. (NPMA)