How to Treat Your Home for Subterranean Termite Infestation

Termites thrive in humid tropical and subtropical climates

TERMITES! Don't think they aren't there just because you don't see them. The subterranean termite is usually invisible, inside your walls, eating away at your home! There's no better time than now to stop those voracious termites DEAD! Even if you don't see termites, why not pre-treat and head them off before they start their feast?

There are a few other good articles around regarding treatment for termites. There are more than one variety of the insect. It's important to know which variety you're dealing with.

If you have dry wood termites, you may need to have your home gassed while tented. If you live in a tropical or subtropical climate, you can bet there are subterranean termites underground. They're nature's way of degrading dead wood so new growth can thrive. But termites aren't very bright; all they know is that they're hungry. To them, wood = food. You don't want them mistaking your home for a dead tree.

Subterranean termites are treated altogether differently than dry wood termites, and you really can do it yourself - to a point.

In order to prevent termite infestation or to rid your home of these pests once inside the home, it's a good idea to understand them.

Things You'll Need

• Termiticide
• Shovel
• Sprayer with extension
• Respirator
• Thick vinyl gloves
• Drill
• Long extension cord

Instructions

1. 

   Understand the subterranean termite - the most common variety. They derive their name from the simple fact that they live underground or within dead wood. They cannot survive out of those substances. They require darkness and moisture. In a way termites are much like vampires. When exposed to air and sun, they dry up and die. The good news is this: They don't drink blood. The bad news is they do eat wood.

   The termites which damage your home are only there because they are doing their job, which is to feed the Queen (who remains underground, constantly reproducing). Their only food is cellulose, also known as wood or products made from wood. You'll never see them exposed until it's mating season, usually in the early spring. That's when they grow wings and bore a hole in the wood they inhabit in order to mate, simultaneously committing suicide. These are the workers, all male.

   You'll notice them or their carcasses and wings around windows or other areas where the sunlight enters the home. That's why you see the wings on the windowsills; they swarm toward the light. When on this mission, subterranean termites closely resemble ants without the pinched abdomen.

   Don't worry; they don't bite - unless you're made of a wood product :-). In that case, you should be afraid. Be very afraid. But don't panic. The damage is done. The mission is to stop it from becoming more serious.

2. 

   Learn how termites enter the home. Termites can fly in, but those are harmless. Those are the ones about to die. They can't hurt you or your home; they already did. Simply vacuum or sweep them up. They are important, however. Are they ants or are they termites? Get an expert's opinion before treating for termites. However, if they do not have a pinched abdomen (waist), you should seriously consider them to be evidence of a probable subterranean termite infestation within the walls of your home.

   The ones you should concern yourself with are the ones you cannot see. They're still underground or in the wood, making the queen fatter with your home as her dinner.

   Termites gain entry to the wooden structure by eating into the wood directly from the ground. If you have no wood to ground contact, they can still get in.

   If you live in a home with a concrete slab foundation and with no wood to ground contact, they often build "mud tunnels" on the side of your slab. Another possible entry point is through a crack in the slab.

   Many slabs crack as the ground underneath the home settles. Sometimes these cracks are inside the walls and therefore undetectable by the homeowner in normal circumstances.

   If your home is constructed with a foundation of piers (usually concrete), treating underneath the home is imperative. The termites can build tunnels on the exterior or interior of the concrete.

   If the concrete has hollow holes inside (concrete blocks) they can build their tunnels inside the blocks. Therefore, you may never actually be able to see their point of entry.

3. Take a trip to the local hardware store. Ask for a strong termiticide. Buy or rent a strong sprayer for the chemical. If you have a slab foundation, buy or rent a long nozzle - approximately half the length of the widest point of your house. This is for spraying under the slab of the house. If you have a home supported by piers or pillars, you might still want an extension, but not necessarily as long.

   Don't forget protective equipment for your skin and face. The chemical and its fumes are harmful, possibly even fatal to inhale. Exposure to the skin could be every bit as dangerous. Many termite chemicals are known carcinogens.

   Ask a knowledgeable hardware store employee for any explicit advice, suggestions or warnings. Heed the warnings. If the hardware clerk seems to be less than knowledgeable, find a different store. Always read every label carefully when working with chemicals.

   Be sure to know the linear footage around the exterior of any structure you wish to treat. Also know the square footage for treating beneath the structure.

4. When treating a slab built home, first dig a hole by the slab every 3 to 4 feet around the entire perimeter. Be sure the holes are deep, wide and long enough that the nozzle for the sprayer can extend parallel to the underside of the slab. You want to be sure the sprayer can lie flat in the hole. You do not want to insert the nozzle into the ground at a downward angle.

   Insert the nozzle into the dirt under the slab a few inches before pulling the trigger on the sprayer. This will help to minimize any splash back. Alternately push and pull the nozzle underneath the slab, allowing the pressure of the chemical to force the nozzle farther and farther under the slab. Allow it to work itself in slowly. Be sure to keep it as close to the underside of the slab as possible by pushing down gently on the sprayer, therefore lifting the nozzle.

   The chemical will spread under the slab about 2 feet in all directions, offering complete coverage. Don't stop pushing or spraying until the nozzle has progressed as far as it will go.

   Once it has reached its limit, leave it at that point for a few seconds, continuing to spray. Now slowly begin to extract the nozzle, pulling it out as you back away from the house. Maintain the level attitude of the nozzle, pulling slowly until you see the chemical as it exits the slab area.

5. After treating underneath the slab, insert your nozzle into the ground at equal distance between two of the holes you've dug. After the nozzle is approximately 8" deep, pull the trigger and expel chemical into the ground. Leave the nozzle at its maximum depth, keeping the trigger pulled for approximately 6 or 8 seconds. Then slowly extract the nozzle until you see the ground begin to bulge. Extract the nozzle and repeat this procedure between all the holes until you've sprayed the entire perimeter. If you've allowed the spray to enter the ground slowly, it will have covered the entire perimeter of the house, as well as the subsurface of the slab.

   Good job!

6. For a house built off grade or off the ground (on piers), there is an entirely different procedure. First knock off and destroy any visible mud tunnels. You may be surprised to find thousands of live termites inside these tunnels as you destroy them.

   Then drill holes in all hollow block piers. Insert the shorter nozzle into the holes of each pier and flood with chemical for approximately 8 seconds.

   Use the short nozzle to inject chemical into the ground on every side of every pier, using the same method we described for the exterior of the slab (above) when treating a slab built house.

   Lying down at on the ground, spray the ground surface under the house to the point of saturation. Be sure to include every exterior surface of every pier, or support. Be careful not to crawl in sprayed areas.

   After you're finished, be sure to fill any holes to keep your children or pets from coming in contact with these chemicals.

   Never plant anything close enough to the house to disturb the soil close to the house. Also be sure the plants are far enough from the structure that the matured plant won't contact the house.

   With slab built homes, try to keep a space of at least 4" between the ground and any wood siding or other product. Never connect an untreated wooden fence, storage shed or other structure to your house.

Tips & Warnings

• After treatment, watch for and destroy new mud tunnels regularly

• Always read and follow warnings and instructions provided with materials.

• Consider the effort, time, danger and expense.

• Strongly consider using a reputable professional for this job

• Simple trenching around the house is not doing the job completely

• Consider adding a small fence or bushes 3'to 4' from the perimeter for safety

• Wash thoroughly and immediately after exposure to chemicals

• Keep animals and children away from chemicals

• Do not disturb treated areas. This could nullify effectiveness of treatment

• Remember: These chemicals are dangerous to all life.

• Thoroughly wash equipment and body.

• Do not inhale fumes.

• Never allow wood to ground contact, including mulch and plants

• Copyright 2009 Rufus Surles. All rights reserved. Permission to link to this article in its original form granted.