Here’s How to Get Rid of Termites in Your Home

Sometimes tenants can get in your home without even you knowing and when I say tenants I mean termites!

All Photos By: Morgue File

They are the most unwanted guests that homeowners can have and they usually cause big headaches and stress. Getting rid of different types of termites can be a long and exhausting process, so it is better to start as soon as you see them. They can do a lot of damage to your home after which you will have to do a big renovation or replace furniture pieces. Once they are there they tend to form a colony which makes it even more hard to control. They can live up to 25 years and this is why you must take action immediately when you notice an infestation. Here’s how you get rid of termites in your home:

Locate and Identify Them

The very first thing that you should do is to locate them. There are signs of termites that you should closely inspect in order to follow their trace. They can be hiding in wooden furniture so look for visible damages. Don’t miss places where wooden surfaces meet with soil as well. They can be hiding in tubes that run in walls. Since there are different types of termites, you can find other types in dry places. Wood pellets are another well known place where they can be.

Call a Professional Service

This is the most obvious thing that you should do. I don’t advise you to try to get rid of them on your own since you don’t have any special equipment or knowledge how to do that in the right and most effective way. Remember that this is a pretty hard job and you shouldn’t leave things just to yourselves if the termites are widespread. However, if you think that they are only found in a certain place, you can give some DIY solutions a try.

Set Termite Baits

These baits are inserted in the ground around your house and hopefully the termites will get them back to the nest. It may take 3-14 days for the whole colony to get killed.

Apply a Barrier Treatment

If you are using the barrier treatment make sure that you are following all of the prescribed directions accordingly. The barrier treatment consists of granules that are set outside your home. It kills the termites before they get inside.

Use Spray or Foam

If you have just spotted termites on a super accessible spot get the right spray or foam to eliminate them immediately. They work great for indoor termites while the previous two are more suitable for outdoor usage.

Use Boric Acid

If you are looking for something not so harmful and more natural, get boric acid or also known as Borax. It is still toxic, however not as much as the other insecticides. It is said that it works on most of the termites and that it takes 3 to 7 days for them to die. You can use it either as a powder or a borate solution. It’s great that you can use it both indoors and outdoors. It’s very cheap as well, so it fits everyone’s budget as well.

To Sum Up

Consider your own situation and saving accounts before deciding how you would like to treat the termites. If you don’t feel like waiting to see whether they are gone or your treatments have been successful, call the professional pest control service and let them deal with the termites in the most effective way.