Do DIY termite treatments really work? The simple answer to this is no. Here's why. There are a number of different DIY treatments available on the market at the moment, but they all use the same form of repellent chemical base.
Treating termites is not a DIY project, as colonies can be hidden anywhere in or near your home and often in areas you can't access. Termite treatment requires the knowledge, experience, and skills possessed by a professional who can effectively find and control any termites in your property.
Essential Oils: Orange oil and neem oil can kill termites slowly over time by inhibiting their ability to shed their skin or lay eggs. Just mix two cups of water with a couple drops of dish soap and about 10 drops of your chosen oil. Shake it up and spray it on infested wood and materials.
Vinegar can be used on its own, but for maximum effectiveness, create a spray by mixing ½ cup of white vinegar with about four tablespoons of lemon juice, or about two lemons worth of juice. Put this into a spray bottle and spray wherever you see termites two or three times a day.
Termite Treatments
One popular method on how to get rid of termites involves treating the soil around your house with a termite insecticide, such as imidacloprid or fipronil. Wood can also be treated directly if termites are inside. Termite baits are strategically placed around your yard to lure termites in.
This will do more harm than good as the swarmers will move to a less noticeable spot in your home, and it'll be harder for you to control and eliminate them. An example of a less visible area they could move to after spraying these swarms is the roof.
Boric acid is often recommended for the elimination of termites. Boric acid is a natural pesticide and usually comes in the powder form. You can sprinkle it in the area of infestation or mix it with water to spray in the area. It might be best to use goggles, masks and gloves while spraying the acid.
The best defense against termites is a combination of liquid barriers and bait traps. The bait traps work to destroy the colony, while the liquid barrier will prevent new termites from reaching your home in the meantime.
In order for termite baiting stations to do what they are intended to do; they need to be monitored regularly. This means going out and checking the wood in each station for signs of termite activity. Many homeowners who install baiting systems on their own do so with the best of intentions.
Termites are active 365 days a year, therefore termite prevention is a year-round process. However, winter months are an ideal time to implement termite bait stations for both your home and/or business because during this time, termite activity is moderately more predictable.
Once a pair of winged termites (alates) establish a nesting site within a home's cosmetic or structural wood, an infestation will likely become noticeable once the colony begins to produce reproductive alates, which takes at least 5 ½ years in infested homes.
Termite infestation when left unchecked can spread throughout the property and cause extensive damage. A house that suffers severe structural damage might eventually become dangerous to live in. There are cases in which the whole house had to be demolished because of termite infestation.
Bait stations can provide an effective, long-term solution for termite issues. While the bait is designed to act slowly, it does allow for the destruction of all castes of termites, including reproductives, soldiers and workers.
Termite bait comes with its pros and cons. Baiting can be a slower, more prolonged treatment process but it is also very effective at eliminating termite colonies. Bait stations are placed in the ground around the home, to intercept the termites as they are foraging, usually before they make it to the home.
On average, termite treatment lasts about 5 years. Liquid termite treatment can last five years or more, whereas termite bait stations only last one year and need to be maintained annually.
Clemson University scientists reported that 'Termites hate smells of cedarwood, geranium, and tea tree oil. It has also been found that clove bud, cinnamon, and garlic oils can also repel termites.
The most common technique for treating termite infestations is the soil-applied barrier treatment. Termiticides used for barrier treatments must be specifically labeled for that use.
A new colony can have about 100,000 workers at the ready, but an older colony can have about 2 million termites. With about 2 million termites working in the right condition they can cause significant damage within the first few months. A home can be totally destroyed in a year or two.
Ants are the greatest predators of termites, and may have a considerable local impact on termite populations in some areas of the world. A few parasitoids of termites are known, but their potential for regulating termite populations seems negligible.
Sunlight. Termites hate sunlight. In fact, they can die from too much sunlight and heat exposure. If you suspect that a piece of furniture has termites, drag it to the yard to bake in the sun for a bit.
If the wood-gnawing pests infest your home, they can cause major structural damage over time. Paul Baker, a recently retired University of Arizona entomologist, is an expert on termites. He said homeowners shouldn't panic if they notice signs of termite activity, but they should get the problem under control.
To remove swarmers, use a vacuum cleaner. Most termites will die during this process, however, it is best to dispose of the vacuum bag. When termites start swarming, they often trickle out of a tiny hole over several hours or days so it may be necessary to vacuum multiple times over the next few days.
Termites will not go away on their own. We bet you know why. While many pests need to find a food source inside your home in order to stay, termites do not. Your home IS the food they eat.