There are plenty of DIY termite treatment recommendations out there. However, some of them should be taken with a grain of salt, because termite infestations get more and more dangerous as time goes on. Spending too much time on an ineffective method may end up costing you more than calling over a specialist as soon as you detect the infestation. In this article, we’re going to go over some of these DIY treatment myths and hopefully help you avoid having to pay extra on home repairs.
Heat
Heat can be an effective treatment for termites. However, it can only be effective when it is intense enough. Achieving this intensity is not really possible through DIY methods. The temperatures needed for the air and infested wood are around 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and they need to remain in this range for 35 minutes. This is hard to achieve without specialized tools and knowledge.
Orange oil
Orange oil works by destroying the exoskeleton and eggs of termites, but it only works as a spot treatment against drywood termites. Not only is it ineffective against subterranean termites, it also damages furniture and any other wooden structures it comes into contact with, and it only has a 77% mortality rate in termites. In other words, it is very hard to use effectively, and even when you manage to target the right termites at the right time, you will not be able to kill all of them.
The cardboard trap
Cardboard traps are an often recommended solution, and the underlying mechanism relies on the fact that termites feed on cellulose. Cardboard is made out of cellulose and it will attract termites to it. Once the piece of cardboard is infested, you can then take it and burn it. However, the problem with this DIY method is that you only get to kill a few hundred termites at most, which is nowhere near enough to put a dent in the population of a termite nest. Termites are also very unlikely to nest inside the cardboard trap.
Sunlight
While it’s true that sunlight is deadly for subterranean termites, the recommendation that you use sunlight for termite control relies on the fact that you can use sunlight to dry out wood, making it less attractive as a food source. However, the intensity of the sun is not enough to dry out wood unless it is left in the sun for a very long period of time. As such, sunlight is not an effective control method.
Calling in a pro
When it comes down to it, you are better off investing in some commercial baiting stations and setting them up around your home, instead of trying to go for a DIY method. However, there are certain kinds of infestations and pest control methods that can only be handled by a pro. If you need any help dealing with a termite infestation, contact us today.
