So you have successfully identified that your home has a termite problem. Now what? For many people, taking the next step is nervewracking and difficult. You likely face a bombardment of potential options and it feels overwhelming when trying to pick the best one.
The right option might look different for every household, though. The best way to decide is through research and the aid of a professional who can help you see just how much damage your home has suffered from.
Baits and barrier treatments
The Environmental Protection Agency looks into types of termite treatments available. There are non-chemical treatments, chemical treatments, barriers and traps. Termite traps and bait hope to reduce the overall use of pesticides, which contribute to human health risk and environmental issues. These baits involve cellulose that act as a slow insecticide. They may include ingredients like hexaflumuron, the first registered reduced-risk pesticide.
Conventional barrier treatments involve termiticides applied to the soil. But this option carries a risk in that improperly applied termiticide does not prevent termite infestation. Worse still, it can contaminate the home and surrounding drinking water.
Chemical and non-chemical treatments
Other chemical treatments include wood treatments and building materials made with termiticides. But before a company can use any termiticide, the EPA must evaluate its potential risks and determine if it can see safe use.
Finally, non-chemical treatments do not involve any sort of pesticide. This can include physical barriers like sand of certain size or steel mesh. Biological control agents like fungi also show promise in laboratory settings. Regardless of which option you choose, you want a licensed exterminator to do the job for you, or things may go badly.
