Termites account for an astounding $2 billion per year in home damage throughout the United States, making them every homeowner’s worst nightmare. Although termites can plague nearly any place in a home, they prefer moist areas like the crawl space. This area tends to get damp, which can lead to wood rot. Decaying wood nourishes the termites and other pests.
If you think you have a serious termite problem or just want to protect your crawl space from termite activity, now is a good time to take action. Over the years, the use of termiticides has proven to be an effective pest control measure in eradicating termites.
What Is Termiticide?
Termiticide refers to a class of insecticides that have been specially formulated to eradicate termites. Today, pest control experts and builders are integrating termiticides with waterproofing solutions to effectively prevent termites from infesting homes. The available formulation of termiticides include the following.
Liquid Termiticides
Spot treatments are a common type of termiticide. These chemicals act as barriers to stop invading termites and to kill those that are actively infesting the structure. When liquid termiticides are sprayed or brushed directly onto a surface of lumber, plywood, or OSB, they diffuse deep into the wood fibers and act as a preservative to protect your wood from termites.
When termites ingest these termiticides, the chemical begins to build up in their system. Over time, the insect slowly becomes sluggish and eventually dies. The delayed action is beneficial since it allows the termite to go back to its nest where it comes into contact and transmits the chemicals to other termites. So, this chemical spreads more effectively throughout the colony.
Baiting Systems
This system incorporates both termite monitoring and baiting systems. Plastic bait stations containing non-toxic wood, paper cardboard, or foods attractive to termites are placed below the ground. These stations act as traps to lure termites towards the stations and discourage them from heading into your home while foraging. These non-toxic foods stay below the ground until termite activity is confirmed. Once termite activity is confirmed, toxic termiticide bait is applied to eradicate and prevent termites from infesting your home.
Termite Bait
This system uses bait in the form of small amounts of foods that termites like to eat like paper or cardboard products. These foods are combined with a slow-acting poison that is lethal to termites. Once consumed, these baits knock out colonies of termites foraging in and around your home. While there is no preventative or control method that guarantees you will never get termites, termiticide bait greatly reduces the chances of a termite infestation.
How Do Termiticides Work?
Termiticides work by killing or repelling termites before they enter your crawl space. They also eliminate termites leaving the structure to return to their colony. If termites are already present inside your crawl space and a termiticide is used, the termites back up inside your walls to control it. Over time, the absence of moisture inhibits the termites from forming a new colony. Eventually, those trapped inside dehydrate and die.
Controlling Termites in the Crawl Space
When looking to eradicate termites from your crawl space, the first and most important step is to reduce the amount of moisture in it. The best way to curb moisture issues is through crawl space encapsulation. It entails covering the crawl space floor and walls with a 20-mil plastic vapor barrier. What this does is lock out moisture-laden air from the outside so your crawl space stays dry, healthy, and less hospitable to pests pests and excessive moisture. This solution also prevents ground moisture from infiltrating the crawl space and instigating condensation.
The Problem with Foam Board Insulation
Unfortunately, termites can eat away at your foam board insulation, creating holes, through which they can access your wooden structures. Also, foam insulation retains moisture and heat, creating the perfect environment for termites to flourish. These features compromise the effectiveness of foam board insulation in eliminating termites from the crawl space.
To curb these issues, crawl space waterproofing companies are looking for creative ways to integrate termiticides into their insulation material. One such great invention is the ExTremeBloc™ Crawl Space Insulation.
What Is ExTremeBloc™ Crawl Space Insulation?
ExTremeBloc™ Crawl Space Insulation is a more superior choice for sealing and insulating a crawl space. It has a better safety and energy rating compared to its competition. This insulation material also has a termiticide manufactured into it, which kills any termite that tries to eat through the insulation board. This feature is unique to ExTremeBloc™ and is one of the main reasons why we highly recommend it.
While some homeowners may try to weigh the pros and cons of pest control measures against those of crawl space insulation, it is important to understand that both measures can co-exist and greatly benefit the crawl space and your entire home.
If you are experiencing damage caused by a significant termite infestation in the crawl space, contact JES Foundation Repair today to schedule a free crawl space inspection with our experts.
