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Understood. But i read reviews on amazon where people say this product fixed the issue without a professional. Thus we want to try it out to see if it has any effect.
Dude. Termites will DESTROY your foundation and structure. No one fixed THAT issue without a professional. They could have already caused serious damage. THAT is why you need a professional in there. To ASSESS damage, as well as eradicate them.
Sprays are not going to help, they'll just move to another area. You need to get into the ground and into the wood/walls, maybe under concrete.. Hire a professional service with a guarantee.
I lived in Florida and we had to tent the whole building
If they required the building to be tented, then you had a not so common infestation of Formosan Termites. Lucky you, they got started in Florida and it's assumed they came over on a ship of goods that unloaded in Florida. That's the value of having an international port of call in your State. Most common termite in the USA is the Subterranean Termite which requires the bug to go back to moisture every 24 hours. That's the termites Achilles heal. You can flood spray around a foundation as well as inject- it gets the same job done. Drilling is not required and in 90% of areas difficult to get the solution, there are alternatives. Most commonly you'll find Sub termites at the outside walls and generally behind something like a bush. They can be found at any plumbing penetration like a tub drain, faucet, etc. If you find a mud tube going up a wall, most likely you have them or have had them. Spraying for termites is not rocket science. All you have to do for most any of the termite species is put the chemical where the termites are or between them and the ground. Excluding the Formosan termites obviously. Formosans do not have to go back to moisture like the rest of them. They are not common everywhere but they are spreading.
FWIW, I've had a WDI license since the 90's. WDI=Wood Destroying Insects.
If they required the building to be tented, then you had a not so common infestation of Formosan Termites. Lucky you, they got started in Florida and it's assumed they came over on a ship of goods that unloaded in Florida. That's the value of having an international port of call in your State. Most common termite in the USA is the Subterranean Termite which requires the bug to go back to moisture every 24 hours. That's the termites Achilles heal. You can flood spray around a foundation as well as inject- it gets the same job done. Drilling is not required and in 90% of areas difficult to get the solution, there are alternatives. Most commonly you'll find Sub termites at the outside walls and generally behind something like a bush. They can be found at any plumbing penetration like a tub drain, faucet, etc. If you find a mud tube going up a wall, most likely you have them or have had them. Spraying for termites is not rocket science. All you have to do for most any of the termite species is put the chemical where the termites are or between them and the ground. Excluding the Formosan termites obviously. Formosans do not have to go back to moisture like the rest of them. They are not common everywhere but they are spreading.
FWIW, I've had a WDI license since the 90's. WDI=Wood Destroying Insects.
Luckily I only had to deal with the 'good' termites in the past. I didn't feel so lucky at the time!
The most simple thing you can do (just a very first line defense) is to make sure that you have plenty of open space (at least several inches) between the ground and the start of any siding above the foundation. Clear away any ground cover or bark, etc that reduces this open space. I've seen homes where the wood, asbestos or vinyl/alum siding goes right down to ground level and this is a termite's dream - creates a nice, protected highway from the moisture source in the ground to the yummy wood of your house. And, as you imply, you should remove any vegetation that provides cover between the ground and the start of the siding. If you have a healthy several inches of exposed foundation, you can easily see any tubes that develop from the ground to under the siding.
As mentioned, there are many other ways for termites to enter and create mud tube highways from the ground up into the home but external along the foundation is common and often the easiest to address.
Achilles heal is a good way to put it. They organize their whole existence around this need to return to moisture and that's how you nab them!
The cheapest way to fix a problem like termites is to use a professional. If you can see termite damage you have muck more of a problem than meets the eye.
Earlier in the year I found a solution that is much easier than tenting a home to get rid of the problem. It turns out that heat kills termites. If you can get the interior of the wood up to 130 degrees and let it set at that range for a specific amount of time, you will kill the termites and other things living in your home, including mold.
Sounds like subterannean termites. Don't use those. Most are designed to instantly kill termites on the spot, which in this case is not what you want to do here.
These chemicals are more in line with what the pros use. I've used Termidor SC and Boracare with fantastic results in my own home when dealing with termites.
Plenty of info on the net as to how to apply. The first two are used as a barrier means of protection by spreading it in the soil around the perimeter of the home. The termites pass through it from their nest in the soil into the home to feed and pick up the various chemicals which will slowly kill off the colony. The Boracare is applied to exposed wood which is soaked in deep. The termites feed on this treated wood and eventually it kills off the colony in about 3 months.
They work slower, but they kill the entire colony vs just spot treating. When you use the other instant kill products, the termites simply relocate to another area, sometimes where you won't be able to see the damage they are causing. If anything, once you've identified the infestation, you want the termites to stay where you can see them so the products you apply have time to work and you can see the results.
Of course, the key here is understanding how the termites live and feed. Subterranean termites don't live in wood, and thrive in the humid soil that they call home. So they feed, and then return to the soil. Understanding this cycle, and identifying signs of where they are and where the nests in the soil are can help identify how to apply the product. This is where the knowledge of the pro comes in. I just happen to have had a childhood obsession with ants/termites and know a bit more about their habits than the typical homeowner.
I treated my home over 3 years ago with the two products I mentioned and have yet to see any more signs of them. I think I spent maybe $150 on chemicals and sprayer for application, and a few hours of my time. I periodically retreat as well as preventative maintenance.
Last edited by BostonMike7; 04-04-2018 at 12:04 PM..
In my opinion, it should be required for every new house to be treated with Boracare before the drywall goes up, at least the bottom 4’ of the framing.
it should be required for every new house to be treated
It already is required for termite treatment at foundation in Texas. I'm sure it's the same in States with termites. For our local folks, before slab pour and before the plastic is pulled, the #2 base materials are sprayed with the chemical and a green dye is also in the spray so the inspector can see it from the street. He just drives by, sees the green or not and writes it up accordingly. We use the Bifen/Talstar or Dragnet. Most lenders won't even loan money on old housing unless they get a clean WDI report meaning no wood destroying insects found on date of inspection. I've done thousands of those for lenders. I'm not a fan of any of the borates. They get weak quick and don't last near as long as the Bifen based or Talstar does. Both of those are good for 5 years. Borates, maybe make it a year. For interior treatments like at tub drains, we use a borate called Tim-bore. Your boracare would probably last just as long on the interior.
FWIW, I don't know if this is offered nationwide but some of the "architects" speced using a polyisocyanurate type insulating wall sheathing. Ants dearly love the stuff- it's like candy to them. Our insulation company offered for the cellulose insulation an additonal 8% borate to the water when the insulation was applied in a wall cavity. The idea was the borate would kill the ants. It worked....for about 6 months and then the ants literally invaded. We won't use any of the poly sheathing at all anymore.
Subterranean termites (which is probably what you have) you can DIY. It is not hard, but you must be through, no shortcuts. You will need to inspect every inch of your foundation inside and out. You can get DIY ground injection kits. You treat the wood, the ground surface and below ground. It is expensive for the chemicals takes a lot of time, and if you do not do it correctly or completely, you waste your moeny.
Flying termites, you need to tent. You can do microwave treatment, but that often does nto get them all.
Either way you need to do it repeatedly. They will come back.
If you go with professionals, get a plan where they come back and inspect/retreat in a month or so, also get a guarantee. If they try to charge you for the guarantee go elsewhere.
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