If you have noticed small holes in wooden walls and constructions of your house and have heard the “empty sound” of tapping on the wall which was not noticed before – it is high time to raise the alarm.
Your house has been attacked by termites. And this is very serious and dangerous situation.
One of the main dangers is that termites can be invisible enemies. Their vestiges cannot be even noticed.
They can begin from the foundation and decimate the insides of the wooden coverings of the house. The worst thing is that they can destroy the whole house in 2-3 years.
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- Anti termite treatment for wood
- Natural (“green”) methods
- Chemical methods
- How to get rid of termites in wood? The most effective methods
- How long does it take to kill termites?
- Useful articles
- Conclusion
This article will be useful not only to those who face to trouble, but for those who want to protect themselves and their home from the appearance of these disgusting insects. We will find out about the most effective ways of wood treatment for termites and means of prevention. So, how to kill termites in wood?
Anti termite treatment for wood
If you find in your home uninvited “guests”, it will be better to call in a special company that has the experience in destroying termites. But if you are confident in your abilities, then use the following methods to destroy termites.How to treat wood for termites? There are natural and chemical methods of preventing and destroying termites.
Natural (“green”) methods
How to treat termite infested wood naturally?
Heat treatment. This method will be used for furniture and other not large things. You can Infected “wood” can be taken to warm up in the sun.
High temperature and outdoor light kill termites. Heating will need 2-3 days for a full warm up.
Extreme freezing. Like heating, termites hate cold temperature. If you have a large freezer, then take the furniture into it. Termites will die in 2-3 days.
Nematodes. Nematodes are parasites of garden insects. It is necessary for their activity to enter into the body of the host and eventually destroy it. After infection termites live about 48 hours.
Advice: If you buy nematodes in soil with temperature above 15 C, then use them immediately after buying.The orange oil. An effective method in termites control. Besides, this agent is safe for pets and indoor plants. It kills termites and prevents wood from future attacks.
Microwaves. Microwaves raise the surface temperature which leads to the folding of the protein. This method is interesting, but you have to contribute your microwave oven. At least, you will save your house.
Warning! If you use this method it is dangerous for your health so it will be safer to leave the infected zone while microwaving.
Here you can learn more information about termite bait systems: Advance, Green, CSIRO, Nemesis, Exterra, Firstline, Terminate. Also find out how to make baits by yourself and how to refill them?
Chemical methods
How to treat wood against termites by chemicals?
Do not worry if you will not manage to solve the problem by traditional means. A plenty of suffering people have to ask for help special companies or use chemical methods. They are recommended to combine them with the traditional methods, then the overall effectiveness of the fight increases.
There are some chemicals which also can help to treat wood against termites.
Talstar Pro 3/4 Gal Multi Use Insecticide / Termiticide. This concentrate product is one of the best poison against termites. Talstar Pro Termiticide has a very wide range of applications and can destroy more than 75 species of insects.
You can use this tool at home, on the street, in the areas with fruit and to deal with the termites. The residual effect is approximately three months, that is why the additional processing will not be required even after raining. The product is odorless and is not dangerous for the skin.
Spectracide Terminate Termite Detection and Killing Stakes. This device has two functions. At first, it is used as a trap for termites. You should dig a small hole in the ground. When termites are detected a red stick comes out, and this will be a signal of danger.
The second function is that this tool has a poison that kills termites. Approximately after a year, if you need it, a tool can be replaced.
Termidor foam. It is another way of wood treatment against termites. Using this tool you completely isolate termites. But you need to observe their place of accumulation. Then you should cover it with the foam. Its structure does not let him move and the chemical texture is deadly for termites.
Fumigation. It is an effective treatment and control approach for active infestations of termites that are difficult to find. If you decide to use this method you should remember some rules:
- specialists recommend flameless smoke cartridges which are made from dichlorodiphenyl trichlorethane or hexachlorocyclohexane;
- before the process of fumigation people must leave the house, pets, food must be removed, and all the cracks should be closed up with alabaster fluid and waxed paper;
- time of fumigation is approximately 3-5 days;
- after treatment the house is thoroughly ventilated, and the holes on the surface of wooden structures are covered.
Here you can learn more information fumigation: dangers for termites, preparing for fumigation and cleaning after, how long does this procedure last?
How to get rid of termites in wood? The most effective methods
Although there is a plenty of tools and options for termites control many of them are not so effective. Sometimes natural methods can even be better than chemical ones. So, how to control termites in wood effectivly?
Boric acid is one of the most effective methods. It can be proved by not only real efficient, but also that this tool is the basis of many modern pesticides.
The using is very simple: the acid attacks the nervous system and the termite dies of dehydration. Of course, it is not necessary to spray all the termites. Eating the wood treated with an aqueous liquid of boric acid, they will die.
A cardboard trap is a method that will not bring a complete victory but will greatly help in this situation. Besides, it’s very simple, free and effectively. You should take 2 small leaves of a cardboard soaked in water, then eventually they will stick together.
For termites it is a very tasty pulp “sandwich”. Then you should wait until they fill it, then just take it out and burn. Repeat this procedure several times.
The tapping is an old method. You need a hammer or mallet and a wood block. Then you should methodically hit each square centimeter of the floor as often as possible.
The larval of termites are not adapted to the vibrations and they consist of 85-90% water, and frequent heavy hammering creates vibrations, and the fluid just tears apart the shell of the insect which leads to death. If all goes well, then new insects in the floors and walls will not appear.Here you can learn more information about effective termite control remedies: Bora-Care, Boric acid, Borate, Fipronil, Chlorpyrifos, Chlordane, Borax, Timbor, Termidor, Terminator, Phantom, Lorsban, Biflex, Terro. You can choose different forms, such as – foam, liquid, powder.
How long does it take to kill termites?
This is a contradictory question. It depends on some circumstances. Firstly, it depends on the method you use. For example, fumigation will kill them in a few hours while chemical methods take less than a few minutes.
Besides, this period also depends on the size of your house. For professional it takes only a day to do this job. Most treatments should protect the house from re-infestation about 5 years, but it will be better to have your house inspected yearly to protect it from these insects.
Also there are some recommendations to avoid infestation of termites in your house:
- often monitor wood in your house for small holes and matter like sawdust;
- knock on the walls to identify the appearance of termites;
- make a barrier around your house using termiticide treatment;
- repair any moisture problems and water leaks.
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.
- How to treat them at home and in the yard: in fence. How long this process lasts and what is pre-construction and soil treatment?
- 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?
- Termite life cycle – from egg to larvae. And social hierarchy: workers, soldiers, queen.
- Did you know that termites can infest living trees, for example a palm or a pine tree. They also like to live in stumps.
- You can prevent the infestation by using barriers, such as: HomeGuard, Physical systems, Safeguard, Stainless steel mesh, Kordon.
Conclusion
Taking everything into account we can say that termites require a responsible approach.
The first reason is that are not overcome by other ways, and the second and the main reason – your house is probably one of the biggest wealth and you cannot lose it because of the insects.
Use a variety of tools, combine them and you will be sure of your victory.
