All About Termite Fumigation

Termites (lat. Isoptera) — detachment of the primitive social herbivorous insects, related to cockroaches.

The individuals of these pests called “white ants”. This name is associated with the color of work termites, which is often bright.

The largest colonies of termites live in tropical and subtropical regions, less in warm region areas of temperate climate.

The main food for termites is cellulose contained in the wood, the grass and the leaves of the trees. So they can cause significant economic damage based on various studies of several billion dollars per year by damaging wooden structures and woody species.

Below you’ll find the answers on termite tenting faq such as: Do you have to tent your house for termites? How often should you tent your house for termites? Does fumigation kill termites?

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• Way of life
• What is termite tenting?
• The procedure
• Termite tenting prep instructions
• Does termite tenting kill other bugs?
• How often to fumigate for termites?
• Useful articles
• Helpful video
• Conclusion

Way of life

Their stealth and tactics of eating the wood, where the surface looks completely intact, are the reason for their late discovery. Fear also causes accidental ingress of termites into the apartment, making their range moves and in the regions where they are unable to live openly because of the climate.

Once in the house, termites are not limited to wood: everything that of high proportion of cellulose is a potential food.

The consequences are sometimes catastrophic.

Termites may damage wooden furniture, windows, frames, ceilings, floors so that they will have to be replaced.

If you find termites in your home, it is better to apply to a special company with a good experience in the destruction of these insects, but you can also do it yourself if the infestation is not so serious.

One way to get rid of termites is tenting.

What is termite tenting?

So, what is tenting for termites? Tenting (or termite fumigation) – is a fumigation process involving sealing the house off in which termites are killed with poisonous gases.

However, there are other ways to get rid of termites:

• Freezing.
• Heating.
• Microwaving.
• Using chemicals.

More info about alternatives to tenting.

Some thinks that this method is extremely dangerous while other say that termite tenting is one of the most effective and fast ways to get rid of termites. It is usually used when termites are detected at a later stage.

If your house is destroyed by termites as much as it is going to fall any minute, you should not proceed with a slow-acting poison. In this case, professionals recommend tenting a house for termites.

Tenting for termites will help to get rid of termites, when they have got already in every corner, in every board, in every piece of furniture

Learn more about drywood termites: signs of their activity; best methods of treatment: spot treatment and DIY methods; how to get rid of them in furniture?

The procedure

Attention: Tenting house for termites is quite dangerous to humans, as it requires using very toxic gases.

For carrying out the termite control tenting initially the house is exempt from people and food (things are recommended to be packed in air-tight plastic bags ), all the cracks and mates filling window and doorways are plastered with alabaster solution and are stuck with waxed paper, tightly close openings of ventilation ducts, furnace door and blower furnaces, hearths, etc., i.e. the premises are sealed and covered with an awning for toxic gases not to escape.

Gassing continues for 3-5 days, then thoroughly ventilate premises, while a flight hole on the surface of wooden structures obscure.

After the termite house tenting? the house is not allowed for entering for 2 days.

It is also important to know that termite treatment tenting is an expensive process, so it is used only for large infestations.

Caution! Such treatments require specific knowledge; therefore it must be conducted only by professionals.

For the control of termites infestation of wooden elements these gases are used: carbon disulfide, chloropicrin, or prussic (cyanide) acid.

Important! Method of gassing with 100% extermination of termites is feasible only in special vacuum chambers for processing, for example furniture or other small and transportable wooden objects.

Termite tenting prep instructions

First, you need to call a special service where professionals are working. Termite tenting cannot be operated by a person without special knowledge and experience.

The following steps must be taken to prepare your house for termite tenting. You have:

1. To leave the house. Termite tenting may last 3-5 days (average 3 days). It is therefore necessary to look for a house in the near future, as to be in the house is strictly prohibited.
2. To seal things and food. You need take all food from your house. It is better to take them with you, but if not, then you can pack them in airtight packaging with lid for the chemical not to penetrate through.
3. To close all cracks, corners in which gases can get in. Cover furniture (cabinets, tables, chairs, and so on).
4. Pets and plants must also be taken out of the house for all the time of the procedure. Not a single living creature should remain in the house, only termites.



5. For the procedure you need to free up space in the house so that workers can move freely around the house. Also take all valuable things that can be spoiled.
6. Don’t forget about the antennas, satellite dishes, and other items that may be on the roof. The house will be served outside, so they can be broken.
7. Once the house is ready for the procedure, the workers will lay it outside and begin to spray the rooms inside. The gas will circulate through all the rooms and kill the termites. The gas will penetrate all cracks of the walls to rid you of termites. Then the house will be sealed for a few more days to achieve a greater effect.

You shouldn’t worry that this gas will not evaporate. Before you return to the house, the workers will come to remove the tent at home and check the air inside so that it is safe for humans.

Only after that you can again go inside. All steps must be strictly followed to maintain safety.

Here you can learn more information about termite tent fumigation: dangers for termites, preparing for tent fumigation for termites and cleaning after, how long does this procedure last?

Does termite tenting kill other bugs?

Termite tenting is a very effective way of getting rid of termites. Gases that are used for the process are very toxic and therefore can kill any living creature in the house, not just termites.

Tenting can’t kill eggs or pests that are hidden deep in the wood, or even in the basement, but the most important is to deprive them of food and then they will die soon.

Learn more about subterranean termites: signs of their activity; best methods of treatment and DIY methods. Eastern subterranean termites and their tunnels and tubes with photo.

How often to fumigate for termites?

How often you need to repeat the procedure and how to maintain the effect after tenting?

The termite tenting procedure should be carried out as necessary. It is believed that the gases are volatile, so this procedure does not give long lasting result.

And yet it remains the most effective method, because the gases penetrate deep enough, and other types of disinfection (chemicals, for example) remain only on the surface of the material.

It is better to prevent termites’ appearance in your house.

This can be a processing of the material with antiseptics, or other chemicals.

And it’s important to periodically check the wooden structures in your house, as termites live secretive way of life and to discover them can be very difficult.

Useful articles

If you interested in more information of termites we recommend you to read the following articles:

• All types of termites. Are they harmful to humans? Can they bite you? And what is the difference between drywood and subterranean ones?
• What does swarmers of different species look like: drywood, subterranean, formosan?
• Signs of infestation outside and in the house: in walls or furniture.
• What does termite holes look like? What is droppings and is it toxic to humans? Do termites make noises?
• Posible termite damage, how does it look like? Examples of damage in walls and wood floors.
• All about flying termites: how do they look like, swarming season and what to do if there are swarmers in your house?
• How do they do nests and mounds? How to find it in your garden or inside the house?

Helpful video

Video about preparation of your home, and you get to see first had what it looks like after your home has been tented:

Conclusion

You should not assume that tenting will give a 100% guarantee of getting rid of termites.

Advice: To get rid of them completely is possible only if you use the help of professionals and a set of measures with termites’ future prevention.

Regardless of the high cost and toxicity of this method, currently it is one of the most effective one.

The main thing is to find professionals in this field who will do everything correctly and to follow steps listed above to protect your family, plants, pets and furniture.

Simultaneously with the destructive struggle should be carried out antiseptic and repair of buildings and structures, if required.