How to Prevent Termites in Slabs
Subterranean termites are insects that are beneficial to natural ecosystems because they eat cellulose materials like dead wood and release the nutrients into the soil. When they get into the wood, books, paper, insulation of a house and along its slabs, however, they cause tremendous damage to property over a period of months or years. Termites begin to infest homes when they find wood that is in contact with moist soil beside or under the home. All treatment measures should be done by a licensed, commercial pest management professional (PMP) who has the technology and products required for termite prevention. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Check for openings in the slab or seams where lines for electrical wiring and plumbing go through the concrete. Foundations made of rock and masonry or hollow blocks also provide ways for termites to travel to the wood in the house. Termites can get into cracks as small as 1/32 inch. Consult a PMP about which treatment options and sealing methods are best for these areas.
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Talk to a PMP about soil treatments near the termites' potential entry points that can be used to eradicate an infestation and prevent it from occurring in the future. When termites are exposed to termiticides, they bring the toxin to their nestmates and die. These products remain active in the soil for five to eight years.
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Give PMPs access to the soil areas that need treatment. PMPs usually treat the slab perimeter under and around the home with a 6-inch trench filled with the termiticide via a special rod. The PMP drills holes that are 1 foot apart on the slab so that tubes with the treatment soak the soil below. The holes are filled with concrete afterwards= and the trench is filled with treated soil.
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Use a PMP to set up baiting stations to eradicate termites. These stations contain wood or another food with a chemical toxicant that acts slowly as the colony feeds, passes the toxic agent around and succumbs to its effects. The PMP needs to check on each station every month.
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Tips & Warnings
When hiring a commercial pest management company, ask questions such as how long the company has been in business, if it is a member of a professional pest management association and the years of experience of the PMP. Ask for references and proof of state licensing and insurance. Get a copy of the label of the termiticide the company plans to use.
Avoid companies that show up at your door uninvited claiming they found termites in your neighborhood and offer special deals or secret formulas. If you choose to have a PMP use soil treatments, be aware that large numbers of chemicals are used that may be invasive. Baiting is less invasive because the stations are usually set up outdoors. Baiting is more expensive, though, and requires monitoring by PMPs over several months.
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- Photo Credit weathered red door set in concrete wall image by Bo Widerberg from Fotolia.com
