What was done in the past?
Termite treatments have evolved quite a bit in the last 20 years. Before then, termite treatments were pretty standard; trench and drill the foundation, drill the slabs, and pump the chemical. You can still go this route today, but there are other options and there are even choices as to which liquid to choose as well.
What options are there?
One option is a Termite Baiting System. There are a few brands on the market. The top two are the Advance Termite Baiting system and the Sentricon system. Termite baiting systems are a great low-impact way to attack termite populations around structures. Not only are the active ingredients fed directly to the termites, but unsightly drill holes to floors and patios can be avoided. The down side is that a baiting system can take some time to intercept and kill the termites.
The other option is to use a combination of a traditional liquid (usually limited to active areas) and a termite baiting system. Treatment in this manner targets active areas directly with traditional termiticides to stop further damage immediately, and uses the termite baiting system to provide long term, low impact protection for your house.
You said there were choices for liquids too. What are they?
The number one liquid termites is the brand Termidor. You have probably heard of it. Another brand is Premise. Both of these products were to first “non-repellant” products for termites. This means that termites can detect them in the soil and easily crawl right into the treatment in the ground and then die.
There’s a new non-repellant product by the brand name Altriset. This product was patterned after natural insect resistant compound found in a particular tree’s bark. Once mixed, there’s no special protective equipment needed for the applicator. In fact, Altriset is the first termiticide that has no EPA signal word (such as, caution or warning). This is a strong indicator of how low the toxicity is. The research and development of this innovative product comes with a price, which is currently a bit higher than Termidor. But for people that are concerned about exposure, Altriset is a very good alternative.
That’s a lot of options. Which is best for me?
There’s really no one way that’s best. Any of the above methods can achieve the goal of stopping a termite infestation. Considerations such as budget, physical alterations, and potential exposure are decisions that that you have to weigh against the potential for damage. Blue Ridge Termite can give you the information and assess the potential relative likelihood for re-infestation for each option. It’s as easy as filling out our contact form. I’ll call or email you to set up a time to meet and check out your problem.