Soil Treatment – An Effective Way to Get Rid of Subterranean Termites

Innumerable horror movies feature zombies and other creatures that rise from under the ground and attack humans. These may frighten people (that’s part of the enjoyment) but at the back of our minds, we know that they are not real, so the fear does not become excessive. But what if there are real creatures that come from underground and pose a threat to humans? Maybe they do not directly attack living creatures, but they do attack our homes and if not stopped in time, can cause damage that could result in massive repair bills. That is enough to cause nightmares.

Subterranean Termites

When we think of termites, the image that comes to mind is of insects that crawl over the ground or fly through the air to find ways to get into our homes. That is right, but there is another species of termites that causes just as much damage and loss and those living in Southern California are most at risk. Subterranean termites build their nests deep underground and come to the surface to search for wood and other cellulose-based materials to feed on. If you have a subterranean termite infestation, trying DIY methods to get rid of them is a mistake. All that these efforts usually do is drive them back underground or to other parts of the house, from where they count down the days till the DIY treatment wears off and they can return. Most people let their guard down after trying DIY termite control and so do not notice termites’ return until serious damage has been caused. Only a professional termite control company will be equipped to not just completely remove all the termites but also to ensure that they do not return.

Also Read: Protect Your Home Investment: Essential Insights on Real Estate Termite Inspections

Soil Treatment for Termites

The only effective way to deal with subterranean termites is to attack them at the source - the earth that surrounds your home by using soil treatment for termites. A subterranean termite colony can consist of hundreds of thousands of insects living below the surface of your yard. Only a professional termite control service will know the type of soil treatment to use and how to apply it. If the wrong type of termiticide is used or the application is not done the right way, the probable partial success will leave the home open to future infestations. In general, the 2 main ways to attack subterranean termites are:

• Trenching: This involves trenching around the house and then filling the trench with termiticide and closing it. The termiticide forms a barrier that will prevent the ingress of termites into the house.
• Drilling: Driveways, decks, pergolas and other outdoor structures/areas cannot be trenched. For these areas, holes are drilled through the concrete and termiticide is injected directly into the soil. The holes are then filled in with concrete sealant to protect the structure.

Depending on the nature of the yard and the structures on it, a combination of trenching and drilling is often the most effective soil treatment for termites.

If you have subterranean or any type of termite in your home or suspect an infestation, the sooner a professional termite control company is called to deal with the problem, the lesser the damage inflicted. Once the termites are gone, termite prevention actions can be taken to prevent any future recurrence of the problem.