"You can do a lot yourself in controlling termites in your home.
By controlling the conditions termite require, you can reduce
their access to your home, reducing their damage.
Andy Lopez The Invisible Gardener
WATER CONTROL
Leaking pipes or water faucets will keep the wood moist causing damage to the wood and providing access to the termites. Look for leaks. Check the water meter after turning off all water use. If still moving then you have a leak. Leak control is very important in controlling termites. Control your watering by way of drip or soaker systems. Over watered landscape is a major partin attracting termites. Provide proper compost and mulch to insure healthy balanced soil bacteria.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Pay special attention to the bathroom, kitchen and laundry rooms as these are the places most of your water is used and a great number of problems arise. Check for leaks and repair or replace as needed.
Step 2: Diagnosis
Once you have found signs of wood damage and you have determined that it’s not just old decaying wood then you have to decide if it’s termites or carpenter ants that you have. There are also termite inspecting Dogs called TADD Dogs. If you have determined that its carpenter ants then go to the Dances with Ants chapter and treat like you would the ants, the only difference would be that you place the ant cafes inside the house, in the attic, crawl spaces, any place where they are seen, hidden from view.
Do it yourself: Aside from inspecting your home yourself for obvious signs of termite damage, there are many things you can do yourself:
Step 3: Methods of Control
DUSTING
Here are some natural dusts you can use around the house to control termites. Dust in places such as attic, crawl spaces, around outside house where wood meets the ground or other moisture.
DE:
DE is one of the safest methods of providing termite control. See DE page for more info on DE. DE can also be mixed
in with your builders sand for added protection. DE can also be painted on the wood. I suggest 1 part DE to . part Boric acid, added to water or to paint until a thick paint like texture, then painted on the wood.
Pyrethrum:
Pyrethrum can be added to the DE and painted on for additional protection. Best used as a dust for immediate contact kill. Mix with equal parts DE for an excellent dust.
Step 4: Spraying
Spraying of attics and other crawl spaces with either a liquid DE/Boric acid mixture is highly recommended at least once per year in the early spring. Wear a face mask and avoid breathing. or you can spray the wood with XT-2000 which is made from a naturally occurring essential oil containing the active ingredient d-limonene.
Step 5: Surgery
Removal of their colony and tubes is easily done upon detection. Remove infected wood and replace with the wood you treated yourself. Look for signs of their tubes and remove these. You can also dust the areas with DE and or spray with the citrus oils.
Step 6: Boric Acid
Boric acid can be painted on to the wood as a form of protection against termites eating into it. You can also use 20 mule team borax to dust into their tunnels. Avoid breathing. Termit Pruff or Timbor is a boric acid formula for this use.
Construction Sand (90%) and DE (10%) mixed together and laid down around the house 3 feet deep and 3 feet out from the house will prevent termites from moving into your house.
Step 8: Nematodes
Termask (Steinernema carpocapsae), are termite eating nematodes available thru Arbico and many mail order companies. They are easy to apply (using a garden hose and attachment unit) and are safe as well. Should be used on a yearly bases to insure effectiveness. Works only on subterranean termites not drywood.
YOUR ANT FRIENDS
Termites and most ants are enemies and will fight each other. Carpenter ants are often mistaken for termites. Which would you rather have?
Using Orange oil
XT-2000 Inc.
6328 Riverdale St., Ste. A
San Diego, CA 92120
(866) 870-8485
http://www.xt2000.com
Termites and most ants are enemies and will fight each other.
CARPENTER ANT
“Carpenter ants and termites both behave the same way. That is to say they both live in wood, both have wings during mating seasons and they both leave signs (piles of wood dust, wings) which lets us know they are there. Can you tell the difference?”
Step 9: For Hire
COMMERCIAL METHODS AVAILABLE FOR TERMITE CONTROL
Heat:
In which propane heat in a tarp wrapped house is used to raise the temperature of the wood to 120 degrees (room air to 187 degrees) This method is called Thermal Pest Eradication.
Effective rate: 95%
Limitations: for best results should be done every 5 years (more often in tropical climates).
Best combined with another type of treatment such as Liquid nitrogen for spot treatments.
Liquid Nitrogen: Liquid nitrogen, 292 degrees below zero, is sprayed into walls and pinholes.
Effective rate: 100%
Limitations: cannot reach all parts of the house, best combined with another type of treatment such as electricity. The Tallon company in California uses a system called The Blizzard.
Electricity: Using an Electrogun, electric shock (90 watts -90,000 volts) is applied to the walls and other areas of the house thru tiny pinholes that are drilled and repairedafter use. Penetrates up to 1 to 2 inches into the wood. Nails can be used to extend its reach.
Effective rate: 80%
Limitations: Cannot reach all parts of the house, best combined with eitherliquid nitrogen or heat or micro wave. Used as a spot treatment.
Microwave: 500 watts is applied to the house thru a funneled device the size of a toaster oven setup on a tripod close to the wall.
Effective rate: 90%
Limitations: Cannot reach all parts of the house, best combined with another system such as heat or electricity.
Citrus Oil XT-2000 is a naturally occurring essential oil containing the active ingredient d-limonene. XT-2000 is 92% pure d-limonene! Home owners can also use OTKO straight to treat the wood.
ABOUT CARPENTER ANTS
Carpenter ants and termites both behave the same way. That is to say they both live in wood, both have wings during mating seasons and they both leave signs (piles of wood dust, wings) which lets us know they are there.
