Do It Yourself Termite Treatment – Soil Treatment Methods
Termites cause a lot of damage. They eat up wood and bore holes and cause extensive damage worth in millions every year. But Termites feed slowly so there is no need to panic if they are discovered in one’s home. A few weeks or months may be needed to decide on a course of treatment.
How to Kill Termites Using Soil Treatment Method
Conventional soil treatments rely on creating a chemical barrier in the soil that is toxic to termites contacting it. Many also have repellent characteristics and termites avoid treated soil.
What is a Chemical Barrier Treatment and How Does It Work?
A liquid Chemical Barrier for controlling termites works by killing or repelling the subterranean termites. The termites are killed when entering the structure or killed when leaving the structure to return to the colony. There are specific termiticides that are considered a repellent chemical such as Masterline Permethrin or Talstar. Termites will stay away from the chemical because they have a sense for it and it repels them away from the treated area.
The tendency of repellent chemicals is to repel termites away from structures. Bifenthrin, Demon TC, Talstar and CYper TC are examples of repellent chemicals. Repellent chemicals are primarily used in preconstruction treatments, preventative treatments and where fast control of subterranean termites is desired.
The newest chemicals available are non-repellent for liquid chemical barrier they are designed to be totally non-repellent to subterranean termites. Some examples of non-repellent chemicals are Imidacloprid registered as Premise Termiticide, Fipronyl registered as Termidor and Chlorfenapyr product called Phantom. Termites cannot sense the chemical barrier and will continue to move about in the chemical. For soil treatments when you have active termites a non-repellent chemical will work best. It is also great to use in spot treatment applications.
How to Apply a Chemical Barrier for Termites? For Termite infestations that are simple you will not need expensive equipment. When you are treating an outside foundation and also Pier and Beam structures, you will find most termiticides are labeled and have specific instructions on how to treat the soil around the foundation for a chemical barrier. Bifenthrin, Talstar, and Masterline Permethrin, are great repellent types of termiticides. Termidor is the number 1 selling termiticide in the country and is non repellent as is Premise Termiticide.
You will have to dig a small trench around your outside perimeter of the foundation. For Pier and Beam structures requiring trenching around the exterior and interior foundation wall, anywhere there is soil contact, you will also want to trench around the plumbing on pier and beam homes. Use a spade or shovel to dig a trench by dragging it along your foundation wall to make a shallow trench 3-6 inches deep. After Treatment you will use the soil you removed for replacement back into the trench, so simply place it off to the side. The normal rate of application in a trench is around 4 gallons of termiticide per 10 linear feet or about 1/2 gallon per foot.
I recommend using a 5 gallon bucket to mix the termiticide so that it can be applied 4-5 gallons at a time into the trench and/or drill holes. Mix your recommended termiticide in the 5 gallon bucket filling it up to 4 gallons, walk off 10 linear feet and fill the trench with the solution of water and termiticide. This method is very useful in many situations and perfect for the do it yourself pest control
Patios, Porches, Floating Slabs, Concrete Expansions:
Please read your Termiticide labels as they will have specific instructions on how to perform treatments for cement or slab foundations.
Your local hardware store usually rents out hammer drills. The standard drill bit is a carbide coated tip drill – standard size is 1/2″ wide by 18″ long. Follow all rental instructions when using the Hammer drill. You may also want to rent a GIF interruptor. Ask the rental store for recommendations.
You can use the same 5 gallon bucket, but you will want to mark off 2 gallons so that it can be applied 1-2 gallons at a time into the drill holes. This is a perfect job for the do it yourselfer.
You will want a long plastic funnel (1.5 – 2.0 feet) for inserting into drill holes (1/2″ or larger) and dispersing the termiticide below porches, patios, garages, slab foundations, etc. Rate of application in holes drilled is about 1 gallon of termiticide per hole (holes drilled every 12″). Mix any termiticide in a 2-5 gallon bucket and pour it through the funnel. This will take some time for the chemical to penetrate the hole but be patient, remember how much money you are saving by doing yourself.
You will want to wear the
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