termite control

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When I built my house, I did not have the foundation treated for termites. Prabably a dumb mistake, but it just slipped my mind. I have talked to a company that does this, and they said they will need to drill holes in each block making up I guess the top course of blocks in the foundation wall and spray poison in. This won't be a problem as a I plan to stucco the foundation, but sure seems like a lot of work and likely added expense. i did install 12" aluminum flashing as a termite barrier between concrete blocks and sill plate. I've been saving my used motor oil and thinking of painting it onto the woodwork, maybe yearly. Problem is it is on top of the wood, termites might find their way in from the bottom, and I cant get to one sill on one side of the house to paint due to location of a joist. Do any of you wisened, self-sustaining individuals have other, perhaps better, ideas. I live in central AR and termites are definitely a threat to wooden structures. Thanks, Nmays

-- nmays (mays@raptor.afsc.k12.ar.us), April 26, 2000

Answers

Hi. You are lucky if you don't have termites yet. When we went house hunting we were looking for houses that didn't have termite damage. Well guess what, we bought a fix-er-upper house and we didn't see any sign of termites but less then a year later we found out we had them. They were flying all over on the really hot days. Several thousand dollars later the problem still hasn't improved much. The treatment that you wrote about it the treatment that we had done. In my opinion I wouldn't go that route. Alls that does is put a barrier around your house and they have to keep treating it. There is another treatment out there that cost more but it kills the termites(you might not have a colony of termites by your house yet)if you do then I would go with the killing treatment. The exterminator puts these tubs every so many feet in your yard around your house and they put a piece of wood in it that has a poison in it. The termites eat this wood then they take the poison back to their colony and it kills them. There is a percentage that will survive and retreatment will be needed but it is probably like the other treatment that has a yearly fee. I hope this helps.

-- lon (maewag@hotmail.com), April 26, 2000.

Termites Terror


termite can be a problem where ever you live, with the exception the antarctic. Here are a few tips that may help reduce the the possibilities of having a termite problem.

Do not let any wood or wood like product touch the ground, around the outside of your house. That is don't let the siding go all the way to the ground.

Keep bushes and other vegetation away from the house. That is let the sunside hit the foundation. Termites like dark, damp places.

With a hoe go around the house several times a year just stirring up the soil.

Ultrasonic pest repellers may help.

Place a 4 inch strip a vaseline around the house both inside and out. Termite and other pests will not cross it.

Check you floor joists for termite damage, use an ice pick and hit each one around the perminiter of your house. That way you can catch them early before they do much damage.

Check where the plumbing, or other utilities, enter the house, termite will build tunnels along side of them to get to the wood.

Termites will build tunnels anywhere to get to the wood. Kepp an eye out for them.

Before and during construction :

Pretreat.

Install a termite shield, copper works the best, but aluminum also works.

When back filling around the foundation, keep all refuse out of the backfill, no scraps of wood, or paper.



The termite nest may be 20 to 30 feet under ground and several hundred feet away, they are there aways probing your defenses, an army ready to attack. In the long run they always win, the best that humans can do is to prolong the battle.


-- Rich (pntbeldyk@wirefire.com), May 03, 2000.

thought i remembered reading about ipm insect control, found it! arbico www.abrico.com carrys nematodes for termite control,never tried them just thought i would mention it.

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), May 04, 2000.

Yes, the sentricon system. We had termite damage and active termites. Went with the sentricon system and haven't had anymore trouble for about 3 years. They check the tubes once a month for activity and if there is activity they put the poison bait into the tube. We had activity in one tube and they treated one time---no more problems. You can by a system similar to this at Lowe's and probably any other building/hardware store and install yourself.

-- Jim Roberts (jroberts1@cas.org), May 17, 2000.

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