Termite Treatment Options

Last time, we discussed what you should know about termite swarms so that you’ll be aware if a band of hungry neighbors moves in. This time, we should probably discuss your options if you do encounter termites or if you want to prevent the encounter from happening. Today, we’ll consider the top two types of termite treatments.

The stand-by treatment that most people are familiar with is a liquid treatment. This method involves treating the soil around and under the foundation of the house with a product that kills and/or repels termites. If termites approach the property from underground, they will want to avoid the area because of the liquid perimeter. There are many different products that can be used for this type of treatment, and the type of product will control the price. At Russell’s Pest Control, we usually use Termidor® to rid a home of a termite infestation. Here are some things you should know about a Termidor treatment from Russell’s.

• This is one of the most trusted products on the market, and, depending on conditions around the home, can reliably protect a home for up to ten years.

• When we complete a liquid termite treatment, we warranty the property for a year. If a building owner finds termites again during that time, we’ll eliminate those termites at no additional cost.

• After the first year, the homeowner can choose to extend that warranty. We’ll continue that same control warranty for a low annual rate (usually $150-$250,* depending on the size of the home).

• We’ll also conduct yearly inspections so that you can be sure a professional is on the lookout for signs of termite activity around your home.

Liquid termite treatments are good, but they’re no longer the premier choice for termite coverage. Now, the number-one option is called the Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System (which is trademarked to Dow AgroSciences). That’s a long name for a cleverly simple system, so let’s break down how the Sentricon System works.

• In a regular Sentricon System, bait stations containing some tasty wood are placed around the outside of the building. Those stations are monitored every three months by our technicians for signs of termite activity. This perimeter is important since the goal is to intercept the termites before they get to the house.
• When termites are found, the wood is replaced with a type of bait that termites absolutely love. The termites begin to gather the bait and share it with the colony since it tastes better than wood. Once the bait is brought home by the food-gatherers, the whole colony is eliminated as they feed.
• The Sentricon System comes with an upgraded repair warranty, which means that if termites are found in the home while it’s protected by Sentricon, Russell’s Pest Control will eliminate the termites and pay for any damage that they caused. The homeowner continues the monitoring and warranty by paying an annual renewal fee (usually $280-$380,* again depending on the home’s size).
• Again, Russell’s will conduct yearly inspections for termite activity.

This concludes Termite Protection 101, but there’s still lots more information we could share. If you have questions about termite treatments, ask them before you make treatment decisions. Free inspections have no obligation; you can get the answers you need without a big fuss.

*These prices are for average-sized homes, so obviously very large homes are going to cost more. However, all termite pricing from Russell’s is based on linear footage, NOT square footage. This means we care about the footprint around your roof line, no matter how many levels you have. We will not penalize you for having a multi-level home.