Insects are a part of life that we just have to learn to deal with. We can’t rid the world of mosquitoes (as much as we’d like to). We can’t stop ants from trying to eat our picnic lunch. And we can’t tell honeybees to not sting us when we get too close. Most of the time, insects are just going about their insect life. It’s when our path crosses theirs that a problem occurs.
Arizona Termite Specialists serves the Peoria area with exceptional termite control services. For over 20 years, we’ve performed over 10,000 residential and commercial termite inspections. We know what to look for when it comes to termites and how to eradicate them once they are located. Colony insects, once entrenched, don’t like to move. However, we have excellent tools to persuade them. Below, we’ll continue our look at the pros and cons of DIY for a termite infestation. Contact us today to get started!
SHOULD YOU DIY YOUR TERMITE INFESTATION?
Baiting Termites
Just like the name implies, termite baiting systems involve tricking termites into eating poisonous substances and then taking it back to the colony with them. A popular baiting chemical involves insect growth regulator (IGR). This substance targets younger termites by interfering with the production of their new exoskeleton. An exoskeleton is the hard outer shell of termites that protects their vital, soft, internal organs inside. An insect grows by growing a new exoskeleton and shedding the old one. Thus, an IGR interferes and inhibits this process, causing the young termites to die off. Without young termites to grow and replace the ones that are dying and to procure food, the termite colony will eventually die.
IGR and other baits use powerful chemicals that are hard to come by and usually not sold over-the-counter. However, occasionally a DIY’er will get a hold of some of these baiting chemicals and try to use them. This is just not a good idea. These powerful chemicals should really only be handled and used by someone licensed and trained to do so. Plus, due to how long this method takes, another method of eradication, such as the barrier method, is usually needed as well.
Removing Their Food Source
We know that termites eat wood. So, you may have discovered the source of the termite colony and just decided to remove their food source, and thus them, at the same time. You begin to remove all of the wood that they have eaten, started to eat, or that is rotten. This is definitely something you should do — if you know about the structural integrity of your home. Some people just begin tearing out walls, not realizing that one of the walls is a major support beam for their home. As you can imagine, this would not be a good thing. In fact, you could end up actually doing more damage to your home than the termites did. Plus, odds are, you wouldn’t have removed the whole colony. To kill a colony, you must find the queen — and she will be well protected.
When you partner with a top-notch termite company in the Peoria area, we can help you solve your termite infestation. Once we locate the colony, we can first kill off the colony. Then, we recommend that you partner with a local lumber or framing contractor to remove the damaged wood and replace it. Remember your home is worth more standing than fallen over.
Home Remedies
A quick Google search will lead to many natural ways to get rid of termites. One such way is to put out wet cardboard, wait for the termites to emerge to eat the wet cardboard, and then burn this. You keep doing this until no more termites appear. Well, this is just a temporary fix because the queen and king never see the light of day again once they’ve found a permanent underground home. She won’t stop laying eggs, and you won’t stop seeing termites.
The fact of the matter is to rid yourself of a creature that may number in the thousands and that, evolutionarily speaking, has been on this planet for millions of years longer than we have, you will have to call in the termite experts.
CHOOSE ARIZONA TERMITE SPECIALISTS TODAY FOR YOUR TERMITE ERADICATION
Arizona Termites Specialists loves DIY projects. DIY projects can give you a sense of accomplishment, as well as save you money. However, as you can see, when dealing with something like termites that can cause so much damage to your home or business, it’s best to call in the experts.
Our expert termite technicians have been helping residents in the Peoria area with their residential and commercial termite infestations for over 20 years. Our method of termite control involves the use of Termidor®, which is a low-potent chemical that works by transfer effect, meaning that when a termite comes into contact with the substance, it carries the chemical back to the colony. This then infects the other termites, until eventually the colony dies off. We believe this method to be the most effective in terms of quick removal and safe removal.
Arizona Termites Specialists serves the greater Peoria area, as well as Cold Creek, Phoenix, Gilbert, Mesa, and the surrounding areas with termite control solutions. If you suspect you have a termite infestation, take our advice, and don’t DIY. Call us today for a termite inspection instead!
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