Should i fumigate for termites

Alternative solutions for drywood termite treatments have increased in popularity due to demand on the customer side and practicality on the side of the pest control provider. From a customer perspective, fumigating is a cumbersome, inconvenient, and often costly enterprise.

On the flip side, the overwhelming majority of pest control companies in the United States do not have the necessary expertise and licensing to be able to safely and legally perform tent fumigations. On top of that, the investment necessary to adequately equip a company to provide these types of services prevents most pest control operators from making this part of their slate of service offerings. And going a step further, the liability insurance associated with tent fumigations can raise premiums to unmanageable levels for some smaller pest control companies.

So in many ways, alternative treatment options were an inevitability, whether the work or not, due to the many inherent disadvantages or inconveniences associated with tenting. Although each fumigation company has its own processes for executing a structural tent fumigation, the following is a general guideline for what is involved time between steps may vary a bit from one company to the next based on several factors, including size of home, pest being fumigated for, concentration of fumigant, and other considerations :.

But not necessarily, and perhaps not always. What is the case, however, is that tenting for drywood termites is different from any of the other available treatment options for one very specific reason: structural tent fumigations utilize a gas to penetrate all wood members of the structure at the same time, effectively killing any drywood termites within. All other treatments only treat isolated areas of the structure. So at face value, it seems logical to reason that a tent fumigation is better because it is more comprehensive.

Comprehensiveness, however, is often not the only consideration when comparing drywood termite treatment options. Sometimes, tenting for drywoods can be cost-prohibitive due to the requirement of vacating the structure for up to 3 nights at a time and the vast amount of preparation that goes into it.

Sometimes a structural fumigation simply isn't necessary. That said, sometimes a tent fumigation absolutely is the most prudent course of action to get rid of drywood termites, and with our 5 Signs it's Time To Tent for Drywood Termites we hope to make your decision making process a bit easier. Multiple points of drywood termite infestation.

Because we know a few important things about the biology of drywood termites, we know that they spread by a process of swarming, where winged termites emerge from their colony in an effort to pair up, mate, and work their way as a couple back into a wood member to begin reproduction.

They will also continually spread within infested wood members onto adjoining ones as the colony slowly expands over time. A fully mature colony typically takes five years or more to develop, eventually reaching upwards of 5, members. Multiple points of infestation in areas of the structure removed from one another indicate a high likelihood of having multiple termite colonies to contend with, along with a likelihood of having additional termite colonies in other areas that may not yet be readily apparent.

If evidence of drywood termites has been discovered in more than one part of the house, it might be time to tent for drywood termites. Suspected drywood termites in inaccessible wood members. Each of the alternative treatment options requires direct access to the impacted wood members in order to be effective. Termidor Foam , for instance, is highly effective at eliminating drywood termites in cavities of wood when treatment is able to be injected directly into the damaged galleries.

Treating an area 4 or 5 feet away, however, is unlikely to have any impact at all on the termite populations. The same can be said for wood injection or electrocution or surface spraying. However, a proactive program that includes direct wood treatment and regular maintenance provides the most comprehensive protection. The termite fumigation process is very complex and involves restricted-use pesticides.

Fumigations can be performed only by professionals who have completed extensive training and passed certification tests. A certified termite expert may use several pieces of equipment to help ensure your termite fumigation is as safe as possible:.

A fumiscope is used to measure concentrations of fumigant gas during the treatment process. Leak detectors are used to monitor for gases that may escape the treatment area. A clearance device is used to check for extremely low concentrations 1 part per million or less of fumigant in the house before people and pets can return.

Fumigants do not leave residues on household items after treatment, once the home has been aired and cleared properly. The fumigant is not only toxic to termites, it can cause serious harm to people, pets and plants if proper precautions and preparations are not taken.

Fumigation usually requires tenting, which is when specialized tarps or a tent encase your entire home exterior. Tenting keeps the fumigant contained in the house until the fumigation process is complete. Because your home is tented, the fumigant can reach cracks and crevices between walls and floors where termites reside. Whole-structure fumigation is usually recommended to treat hidden and widespread termite infestations throughout an entire house or building.

Regardless of where the infestation is in the home, the entire structure must be sealed in order to contain the gas. While fumigants ultimately dissipate and won't leave a residue, it's still important to take every necessary precaution when preparing your home for fumigation.

To stay safe, talk to your fumigator and take the following steps:. You and your family will not be able to re-enter the house once fumigation starts, so arrange for a place to stay. Talk to the fumigator ahead of time to be sure the schedule of events is clear to everyone. Pets, including fish, will also need to be out of the house, as well as any house plants. No one can enter the home for any reason until the fumigator has released it for re-entry.

Fumigants can be toxic to pets, fish, reptiles and house plants, so these must be removed from the house during fumigation. It's best to remove all opened food items and consumables, including medication, pet food and dental products.

Products in unopened bottles, jars or cans with the original seal intact do not need to be removed. If you will be leaving any opened food or products such as refrigerated or frozen items during fumigation, double bag them using bags designed specifically for this purpose. Your fumigator will provide you with bags and help you make sure all items are properly contained. The fumigant can affect the entire aquarium environment and the living organisms within it, so experts recommend removing the fish and other living organisms prior to fumigation.

Be sure to follow the fumigator's instructions before bringing fish back into the home. You may also want to consult with your aquarium supplier for additional advice on safely moving your aquarium.

Open all doors between rooms and all doors to cabinets, closets, appliances, safes, the attic and the basement. The larger the termite colony, the longer it will take to eradicate. The level of expertise your termite specialist has will have a big influence since it can determine how complete the application is. Your termite specialist will need to access all the wood components of your home. It depends on which type of termite treatment you use.

For liquid termite treatments, you should re-treat roughly every five years, and for termite bait stations, you should monitor every few months. Termites may return after treatments. Luckily, companies like Orkin and Terminix promise to re-treat at no extra cost if you have a termite plan with them.

Termite bait stations can take months to work, while liquid treatments can take anywhere from a few days to several months. The cost for termite treatment depends on the extent of the infestation in your home, the size of your home, the company you choose, and more. In order to give you an estimate, all companies require an in-home inspection.