When is Termite Season?

While termites are often seen only during swarming activity it’s important to know that termite season and termite colonies are always active.  Proactive year-round treatment will reduce the potential damage to your home and trees. Termite damage costs differ based on the degree of infestation. Most of the time costs to repair termite damage can range from the low thousands into the tens of thousands of dollars! Even scarier is that most homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover the repair costs of damage caused by termites.

In this article, we will learn how Prevention vs. Damage Repair can save money in the long run.

What do termites look like?

Homeowners often think that because they don’t see termites swarming in the air, that it’s not termite season. This is a HUGE mistake.  Termite colonies are active year-round and can enter a home from their subterranean colony at any time and can do some serious damage.  This invasion often occurs without the awareness of the homeowner.

It’s important to know that treatment for termites depends on which termite species is present.  Monitoring for termite activity and damage is a critical first step to early detection and preventing damage to trees and homes.  There are currently two primary ways to protect a structure against subterranean termites: bait or liquid termiticides.

Liquid Termiticide

Liquid termiticides such as Termidor® is one option for treating termites. 

Termites can detect the chemicals in the soil and stay away from them. That means the termites remain active and unaffected, still exploring the area and potentially looking for ways into your home.

Termites can’t detect Termidor® so, as they continue to forage through the soil, they unknowingly encounter the termiticide.  The product then kills termites through contact and ingestion.

BAIT

Another option for termite treatment is bait.  Bait, if used properly, eliminates colonies which can feed on trees and property. The Sentricon® Always Active Termite Elimination System uses bait stations installed around the home. 

Sentricon® takes advantage of natural termite behavior. Worker termites constantly forage far and wide, looking for wood to feed their colony. When they find food, like the monitoring device in a Sentricon® bait station, they leave special scent trails to summon their nestmates to the food source.

Installation of the Sentricon® Always Active bait station.

This process is designed to kill the members of the colony, including the queen who is capable of laying millions of eggs in her lifetime.

Whether you chose Termidor® or Sentricon®, year-round termite monitoring and treatment is essential. The professionals at Massey Services will inspect your home and provide a recommendation as to the type of treatment that will be best suited to your situation.

Choices in Termite Treatments for Your Home

The “best termite treatment” depends on factors that are unique to your home and current termite problem. Following are the various ways to treat your home for termites:

• Soil treatments: These are applied directly to the soil under and around your home. This treatment sets up a barrier that eliminates termites once they come in contact with the material.
• Bait Systems: These are designed to eliminate entire termite colonies in and around your home. Termites find and eat the bait, then share it with other members of the colony.
• Wood treatments: Preventive Wood treatments as a standalone treatment would only be for pre-treatments on new construction. As a preventive, wood treatments are used in conjunction with either a bait or soil treatment.

Termite Treatment Options for Active Infestations

If you are already suffering from a termite infestation special care and treatment is required. The type of termite activity will determine which method will be most effective.

For Drywood Termites, Old House Borers, or Powder Post Beetles:

• Spot treatment: These localized treatments are performed for isolated infestations and are minimally inconvenient for homeowners.
• Fumigation: This method is used when the infestations are in hidden or inaccessible areas, and it ensures 100% of the house is treated whether the infestations are visible or not. This is a major inconvenience for homeowners.

For Subterranean Termites:

• Soil treatments: This is applied directly to the soil under and around your home. This treatment may also include the installation of a bait system.
• Direct Treatment: Localized treatments are performed for isolated infestation.

A termite or wood destroying insect infestation is a serious problem. You can rely on the long-standing expertise in termite protection that you receive from Massey Services.  They care about your property and your family so the selection of the right termite treatment considers many factors.

In conclusion, if you suspect you have a termite or wood destroying insect infestation, contact Massey Services for a free termite inspection now.  The sooner you get treatment, the less damage your home will sustain.