Termite Control: How To Identify and Get Rid of Termites

We explain how to get rid of termites.

There are two ways to get rid of termites

• Injecting a fungicidal product such as XILIX IFC 300 FUNGICIDE, in the termites’ own galleries

• Doing a treatment with baits against termites, in which termites are attracted with some material based on cellulose impregnated in some fungicide product.

In the first case, we have the disadvantage that we will kill the termites that are there, but the rest of the termite colony will only flee and will look for another safer place to eat, probably somewhere else in our house.

In the second case, these baits can be outside the house and therefore prevent termites from reaching the house, in addition, if we want to have maximum effectiveness, the baits will be impregnated with a product that does not kill, if not that cause alterations in the growth or reproduction of the termite, so when they bring the food (bait) to the termite mound, the entire colony will be affected.

Boric acid to get rid of termites

There are two ways to use boric acid to kill termites:

• Putting boric acid on, or injected, into the woods they frequent

• Or by means of a system of impregnated homemade baits

Boric acid can be found in the pharmacy and some drugstores, the problem is that it will only kill the termites that ingest it in large quantities, so the colony will detect the origin of the poison and stop consuming it.

It has been shown to be an ineffective remedy for subterranean termites, but it does have some efficacy for aerial termites, as they nest where they eat.

Do not confuse boric acid with sodium borate, which does not have insecticidal properties, although it is true that by mixing sodium borate with an acid such as lemon, we will get boric acid.

Oil and gasoline application on wood to get rid of termites

Apart from the bad smell and the danger of fire, it only scares it away for a short period of time and it can even get used to the smell, so its effectiveness against termites is short-term

Sanitary alcohol to get rid of termites

It is about injecting it with a syringe directly into the galleries of the termites and holes that we see in walls and wood, its effectiveness against termites is only repellent, so it is necessary to look again every 30 days. Of course, it is a good home remedy against termites, easy to apply, and does not contain biocides (insecticides)

Natural acids to get rid of termites

The use of natural acids, such as lemon or vinegar, against termites, is homemade, but it is not a remedy, since it only makes them uncomfortable while we spray them and their effects disappear immediately, the advantage is that we do not use any chemical product and we scare away termites naturally.

Are home remedies effective to get rid of termites?

Home remedies to eliminate termites (the termite is also called comedian in some countries) are methods without medium or long-term efficacy, they can only be effective against termites if we apply them at the same time as preventive measures, in fact, home methods what they do is drive them away.

If we combine home remedies with good prevention, in many cases we can get if not eliminate the colony if it is going to eat elsewhere.

How to avoid having termites at home

To prevent a termite infestation, we can influence the two factors that benefit them: Humidity and food.

Humidity

Although there is some type of specialized termite in dry wood, the most damaging termites thrive with moisture.

The first step to defeating the plague is not to make life easier for them. If humidity is a factor that helps termites, we must limit it as much as possible.

We must repair possible losses in our water installation, and also in our drains. Avoid leaks, caused by bathroom joints, and leaks from the roof (roofs and roofs).

We must also avoid condensation humidity, in the long term, it helps termites. A common example of condensation is after a shower in a poorly ventilated bathroom.

In houses with gardens, by watering nearby planters or in contact with the walls of the house, you should avoid spilling irrigation water

If the earth becomes excessively humid, it is possible to consider paving the surroundings, if instead the surroundings are paved, and that causes moisture to accumulate by condensation underneath, it will be recommended to remove the pavement and keep the land ventilated.

The food

We must remove the “temptation” from the passage of all species of termites … And how is it achieved?

Abroad

• Remove wood and the like that may be in the garden
• Try to extract the roots of dead plants and trees as much as possible
• Avoid putting wooden furniture in the garden without protection at its base
• The wooden houses cannot be in direct contact with the ground, they must have a barrier, preferably concrete, and be raised to avoid humidity.
• A separate area of ​​the house or building should be set up for firewood that is not in contact with the ground (a small concrete slab) and that is covered from the rain but very well-ventilated (never cover the firewood with plastic).
• Avoid planting plants or trees near the home, which can take roots that penetrate into the structure of the house.

Inside our houses or buildings

• Never leave wooden subframes under aluminum carpentry
• Prevent the door frames from being in contact with the ground (this can be avoided by cutting the base or wrapping it with cement).
• Leave a ventilation franchise of about 2 centimeters, between the furniture and the wall.
• Avoid basements and basements, wood, cardboard, and papers directly in contact with the floor and walls.

Before installing a wood (frames, parquets, or beams), impregnate them abundantly (two or three layers) with an insecticide-fungicide wood protector, placing emphasis on the part of the wood that will be in contact with the wall and the floor, carry out the same operation with antique wooden furniture.

All these actions are very effective to prevent termites from being installed in our house

How to control termites at home

Abroad :

Drive wooden stakes into the ground, as far away from the house as possible, and check them every three months. In case of rotting, replace them. In case of detecting termites, contact an expert.

Inside our houses or buildings :

Check the back of the furniture, and the bottom of the shelves.

Periodically check, if we have a cellar, the woods located next to the walls.

At the base of the door frames.

There are more effective methods that, by means of instruments, listen for termites so, if we suspect that we have them and we do not see them, it may be convenient to call a professional to perform an acoustic inspection.

Steps we can take to get rid of termites

If despite the prevention advice we find termites the sooner we act better

Eliminate subterranean termites

Abroad

It is recommended to extract the soil from around the wood to where there are no termites and discard it. Do not replace the soil until the lower layer has sufficiently dried.

Spray with insecticide or any of the homemade termite elimination methods already discussed

Cut the affected wood to where it is no longer affected and burn it

Inside

Inject a wood protector into the
termites’ own galleries, although there is a risk that they may move to an
unaffected area of the element or piece, therefore the wood should be checked after
two months.

Inject an insecticide, preferably in the form of
foam, into the holes in the termite wall. Check the walls after
30 days that there are no new holes or holes.

If you do not want to use biocides (
wood protectants or insecticides) you can use sanitary alcohol, but
then the revision on the wood should be done after 30 days instead
of two months.

With the healing and protection of the wood, it is possible to avoid the formation of a new termite mound that can occur by driving away termites from other locations.

Eliminate Air Termites, Winged Termites, or Drywood Termites

Abroad

We can find colonies of termites, in loose woods the recommendation is to clean and dispose of the affected woods.

In trees or vegetables, it is recommended by means of a chisel to extract the affected part of the specimen until the healthy part is found. In case of not reach it, inject some type of insecticide compatible with the specimen. It should be said that this operation can be harmful to the tree or plant, and it carries a certain risk (already specimens with termites are usually weakened).

Inside

As we start from the basis that aerial termites nest in the wood and not in the floor or walls, the best option is to replace the affected piece. In the case of parquet floors, the slats must be affected plus a few more healthy ones for safety.

As an alternative, a wood protector, or home remedies can be injected into the termites’ own galleries, although there is a risk that the termites will move to an unaffected area of ​​the element or piece, having to repeat the operation a year.

How to know if we have termites

There are two ways to know if a colony of termites has nested in our house:

1. Because we see damaged wood, beams, or furniture

2. Because we have seen insects in the wood or near it

Because we see damaged wood, beams, or furniture

Termites are somewhat similar to ants, especially in their nuptial phase, where winged termites are mistaken for winged ants.

We can also confuse wood damage caused by woodworm with damage caused by termites.

Insects, be they termites or woodworm, leave different traces on the wood

DISTINGUISHING THE WOOD PLAGUE BY SYMPTOM :

Because we see insects in the wood

Here we will have to capture an insect to observe it

DISTINGUISHING THE PLAGUE BY ITS APPEARANCE:

Obviously, if they are woodworms or ants, we will have to do a different treatment than if they are termites.

Where can we see if we have termites

Inwood, which is their food, preferably wet wood

Abroad

• Under timbers or in buried timbers (such as at the tip of a fence stake)
• Wood stumps (cut trees)
• At the base of ivy, rose bushes, vines, cypresses, hedges, or others, but of a certain thickness and size have a non-living part.
• In the firewood.
• Under the stones, we can find subterranean termites, not because they eat them but because they look for the moisture that condenses under them (especially in dry times).

In all these places we will be able to observe termites.

We can also observe them when in their nuptial phase, in spring, they start the nuptial flight, so there not to confuse termites with ants

Inside the house or buildings

• At the base of the door frames
• On the supports (“points”) of the wooden beams.
• In the back of the furniture
• Inside the bookcases (preferably on the lower shelves).
• In the cellar, especially if it has wood.
• On the parquet (under radiators or under the door of a balcony or terrace).
• On walls with some humidity they can be found in the plaster, sometimes making obvious “mud” channels, and other tiny spots plugged with that “mud”.

Termites are serious pests, which can seriously damage our homes or building. We recommend quickly following all the advice that we give you here against termites, but in case these persist or the plague is affecting sensitive parts of the house, we recommend you go to a professional termite pest control company.