How can you safely kill termites in your home?
A termite infestation can be devastating to your home, costing thousands of dollars in repairs and weeks or months of inconvenience. They’ll attack any wooden structure in the vicinity, including your home itself, stacks of wood, wooden furniture, etc. To help you prevent these insects from invading your home, we’re going to discuss the two most common types of termites found in Florida and the methods you can use to kill them.
How to Kill Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites require contact with soil or water for survival. Luckily, you have a variety of options at your disposal that will help you get rid of them. If you see evidence of these termites in your home, try one of these techniques:
- Direct Chemicals — Applying direct chemicals will kill termites upon contact for a month or slightly longer. This poison is sprayed into cracks, crevices, and other spots where termites are likely to hide.
- Termiticide Barriers — As the name implies, this method involves sprain termiticide around the perimeter of your home to create a protective barrier of sorts. When the termites come into contact with this poison, they’ll carry it around, eventually killing the entire colony.
- Termite Bait Stations — These work like other insect bait traps by luring the termites in and then exposing them to and effective poison. This proven method interrupts their natural growth cycle using a slow acting toxin, which enables them to infect the colony.
- Nematodes — Believe it or not, but one of the best methods to use against subterranean termites is a roundworm. These beneficial parasites are microscopic and work by burrowing into a host and releasing a bacteria that poisons its blood.
How to Kill Drywood Termites
Drywood termites can cause the same damage as their subterranean counterparts, but they don’t require contact with soil. If you seen signs of them in your home, it’s important to get rid of them right away. You can try these common methods:
- Spot Treatment — If termites have infested painted or finished wood, drill holes approximately every 10 inches, stopping each time when you feel resistance (which indicates the nest). Next, fill these holes with termiticide and patch them up with putty or wood.
- Essential Oils — Mix two cups of water, a few drops of dish soap, and approximately 10 drops of either orange oil or neem oil, then spray it on the infested wood. These essential oils inhibit the termites ability to shed skin and lay eggs, slowly killing them.
How to Kill Both Types of Termites
Although the techniques listed above are tailored for either subterranean or drywood termites, other methods will work on both.
Here are two that you can try regardless of which type you find in your home:
- Diatomaceous Earth — This is a popular anti-pest substance because it penetrates an insect’s exoskeleton and dehydrates them, killing them relatively quickly. Simply sprinkle the powder – which is made from fossilized aquatic organisms – in areas where you believe termites are located and simply wait for them to come into contact with it.
- Boric Acid — If you pick up a termite insecticide at the store, chances are the main ingredient will be boric acid. It works by shutting down and insect’s nervous system and can be sprayed into cracks and crevices in your floors, walls, and ceilings.
Contact ProHealth Pest Control to Learn How to Kill Termites
ProHealth Pest Control knows how to kill termites, cockroaches, rodents, wasps, bed bugs, ants, mosquitoes, and other pests using techniques that are safer for residents and the environment. If you’d like to schedule a termite inspection or need any other services, reach out by calling (727) 310-0521 today to schedule a free consultation.