Watch the video on Foundation Termite Control.
Most homeowners would insist upon a security system for their new home if their neighborhood were under constant threat of home invasion. Yet when silent, creeping invaders sneak into the home and slowly start to destroy their assets, many homeowners are surprised to discover that they have termites. If these hungry buggers come calling, homeowners will be happy that their builder took the time to install a pest control system to keep these invaders and destroyers outside.
To prevent a termite infestation, it's helpful to understand how the creatures operate. Termites almost always enter the home through the foundation, and though they can't chew their way through concrete, they can make quick work of fiber board, insulation, and the wood frame of the home (though quick is a relative term; it's estimated that it takes 60,000 termites to devour a one-foot length of 2"x4" in about 5 months).
The best practice is to install a termite prevention system in and around the foundation. Termites are pretty determined insects, so the barrier around the home must be complete and seamless. A professional pest-control company should be hired to install the system, and the homeowner needs to be aware of the maintenance schedule to keep the barrier active.
Here are a few of the more common and successful termite prevention barriers:
- The soil around the house can be sprayed with an anti-termite chemical, approximately 1 foot from the wall of the house. This method is usually done towards the end of the construction process and requires a re-application of the liquid chemical on a regular basis.
- Treat the first few feet of a home's wood frame with a permanent anti-termite chemical. This is usually done before insulation is installed and has the benefit of only requiring one application without follow-up.
- For areas where applying large amounts of chemicals directly to the soil is impractical or unadvised, like for homes with well water, the bait/trap method of termite control can often work. Traps are placed in a regular pattern around the home and are designed to attract and trap or kill. Often the chemical is slow acting so that the termites expire days after leaving the trap. Because termites tend to roam and graze for food, this method can be particularly effective in killing large amounts of termites over a longer period of time.
- An inner wall, anti-termite misting system uses a series of tubes installed within the homes walls that are pressurized and attached to a tank of chemicals outside the home. About every six months a pest control professional can be called to activate the system, which dispenses a termite killing chemical.
- A layer of copper or aluminum can be applied over the cement foundation under the wall frame.
- Under the concrete slab a specially treated flashing membrane can be installed to keep termites from tunneling in from below.
Generally speaking, by employing several of these methods, builders can help save the homeowner considerable amounts of money and worry about termite infestation. The damage done by termites in the United States costs billions of dollars each year to homeowners. An active termite colony can weaken the structural integrity of a home and quickly reduce the resale value. When looking for ways to keep these hungry pests from breaking and entering into the new home, install a foundation termite prevention system and be sure to explain the required maintenance to your customer.
Know Your Enemy
Termites are a complicated social insect similar in size and shape to an ant. They live in huge colonies underground and have to forage for their food. Within each colony there are three castes, or kinds, of insects; Workers, Soldiers, and Swarmers. These types are all ruled by a King and Queen, similar to bees.
The Worker termite is a grey or yellowish critter about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch long with a square, blunt head. These bugs are blind, live for about 3-4 years, can't reproduce and spend most of their time munching on dead cellulose material like wood framing, cardboard, or paper. The Workers' main responsibility is to provide food for the colony, but they also build and maintain the mud tubes that termites use for protective travel. In the colony, there are always more Workers than any other kind of termite.
The Soldier termite is very similar to the Worker, except they are outfitted with a much larger head and an impressive set of mandibles, or jaws. The Soldiers' main duty is to protect the colony from ants, and certain varieties produce toxins that they smear or spray on their enemy during battle. The Soldiers can't reproduce and spend much of their time on patrol.
A Swarmer termite is the winged variety than can grow up to 1/2 inch. These pests are generally dark brown or black in color and are responsible for reproduction and establishing new colonies. On warm days after rain you might spot a cloud of Swarmers clumsily flying away from an active colony. Once the Swarmers land, they lose their wings and seek a mate. Swarmers can emerge within the home if a colony has established itself indoors, and often their discarded wings can be found in window sills or near lamps as they are attracted to light.
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