Protect Your Property With Best Termite Treatment

Have you recently experienced a termite infestation in your home or office? Are you looking for a best termite treatment? Perhaps, this is a very common problem among home owners worldwide. Since most types of termites can actually eat up to 6.8 kg of wood a week, if not treated at the right time can cause extensive amount of structural damages in a short period of time.

In most cases, it is advised to call for professional help to curb the situation in the right time. A professional will perform one of the most effective and efficient treatment as per the prevailing conditions. The professional treatments followed by professionals and households are as follows:

  • Mechanical alteration
  • Soil treatment
  • Wood treatment
  • Termite bait systems
Protect Your Property With Best Termite Treatment

Termite targets wet and moist wood. So, if you live in a place with naturally humid climate, you are at a high risk of termite infestation. If you are looking for best termite treatment to get rid of termite infestations in your home or office, following are three most common methods that you can opt for.

Liquid Termiticide Treatment

The first and most commonly used method is the liquid termiticide treatment. In this process, you are required to dig a trench around your home. It should be six inches wide and six inches deep.

Now, place approximately 12 gallons of liquid termiticide in the trench. The 12 gallons of liquid should be spread 30 feet of trench. This is an effective strategy because the most common type of termite i.e Subterranean termites comes from the soil, and if you will surround your home with liquid termiticide treatment then you will have your problem solved!

Baiting System

The second most common way to control termites is baiting system. In this process, baits containing paper, cardboard, and other form of termites are combined with lethal poison. When the crawling termites come in contact with this food, they eat some and carry some to feed others in the nest. Today, there are number of formulas available in the market suitable to treat all degree of infestations. Some of the formulas might show slow results, while others may act instantly.

The only challenge in making the bait is that it should look appetizing so it is able to attract termites. They should be tempted to choose bait as their meal instead of stumps and tasty tree root. It is a quick way to inject poison in the perfect strength so the termites do not die quickly and affect others too. This is a great way to kill them as a whole, instead a few only.

Fumigation

Last but not the least! This is a final and most effective way to treat the entire house infested with termites. Fumigation can treat the entire house in one go. In fact, situations in which the entire colony is infested are treated with fumigation system. Fumigation helps to reach every nook and corner in which terminates might be living.

Professionals cover your home with a giant tent and pump gas that effectively kills termites. You pest control officer will help you decide on the most appropriate choice of fumigation for you. It is highly recommended to seek the professional help if your house is infested with termite. Calling for professional help will help you control the infestations in a quick and effective manner. Also, professionals are equipped with latest skills and resources that can make the work easier and convenient.

Professionals have the knowledge and expertise in this field. They are aware of the construction of the building, and have the skill to identify the problem area without much digging and examination. Since most of the infested area may not be easy to access, you would always need expert guidance to ensure it is completely treated.

So unless you want your house to get completely wrecked by termites, it is crucial to call for professional examination. They know their work best and would advise you with best termite treatment for you. This is the reason why most people consider hiring professional companies to walk them through this problem. Since most people are not knowledgeable they don’t like taking chances with their house. Having a professional treatment done will ensure peace of mind and healthy living environment.

How to Get Rid of Termites with 10 Proven Methods

Termites are referred to as silent destroyers because of their ability to secretly hide in your home without any immediate signs of infestation. All termites are detritus feeders as in they feed on dead plants and trees.

They consume cellulose that is a plant based material and is abundantly found in wood. Wood being a major part of furniture and floorings, can become the action site of termites. Termites mouth specializes in tearing wood and their feeding habits can cause a great deal of damage to house foundation, shelves, flooring and furniture.

Not only do termites cause damage to human property but are also responsible for many human diseases. Termites can be classified into two – subterranean and dry wood termites. Subterranean termites are found within the soil and dry wood termites live within the wood and can also infest walls and furniture. Here are some tips and remedies on how to treat termites and get rid of their infestation.

How to Get Rid of Termites with 10 Proven Methods

1. Physical barriers

Physical barriers on how to treat termites rely on physical resistance of the substance or the material in use. These barriers must be installed during new constructions but they can be fitted in existing buildings. They are usually placed under foundations, walls and concrete slabs. These barriers are made of crushed metal, rock and other material that a termite cannot access. These barriers are installed by professionals and licensed manufacturers only.

2. Chemical barriers

Chemical barriers use insecticides to resist termite attack. These barriers can be placed under the foundation, concrete slabs and around the house. Chemical barriers are of two types – soil chemical barriers and plastic chemical barriers. Soil chemical barriers are applied in and around the soil and plastic chemical barriers are plastic sheets that contain the insecticide. These plastic sheets can be placed in and around the house. This method can only be used by trained professionals. Chemicals that can be used are
  • Bifenthrin
  • Chlorpyrifos
  • Deltamethrin
  • Fipronil
  • Imidacloprid

3. Remove unwanted wood

Termites are attracted to waste wood material. One should remove any unwanted piece of wood from the house. Their food can include old stumps, building refuse, sleepers and logs. If there is an extreme termite problem in your house then you can consider replacing your old wooden furniture.

4. Use naturally resistant or treated timber

Chemically treated timber or naturally termite resistant timber can be used for various purposes in your house.

5. Water Attraction

Termites are attracted to water and humid conditions. Fix leaking pipes, shower, drains and sinks. Avoid humidity in your house by improving house ventilation.

6. Regular inspections

Regular inspections are very important in order to control termites. Get your house inspected between early spring and late summer. Termite activity is at its peak during summers so getting your house inspected is recommended during this season. You can call professional pest controllers who are trained in inspecting house and killing termites. Keep slabs and edges of the house clean of clutter and maintain hygiene.

7. Remedy treatment

Remedy treatment is used when the site of infestation has been identified and the nest has been found. Termite nests can be destroyed by either complete removal or by application of chemical insecticides. Here are some of the remedial treatments that use chemicals in one form or the other.
  • Barrier treatments
  • Dusts
  • Baits

8. Barrier treatments

In barrier treatment a chemical soil barrier is applied under and around the house. This prevents the activity of subterranean termites and also prevents their entry into the house.

9. Dusts

This treatment can only be done by professionals. In this treatment an active chemical such as arsenic trioxide, fipronil or triflumuron are added in small quantities in the dust. This dust is then applied into the wood which then settles on some termites. While grooming, termites end up ingesting and spreading the active material throughout the colony. This results in death of dry wood termites and elimination of termite colony.

10. Baits

Baiting systems involve a food material with active ingredients such as arsenic trioxide, chlorfluazura, hexaflumuron and noviflumiron. Ingestion of this active food material by termites results in their elimination and destruction of termite colony.

These tips and techniques on how to treat termites must surely help you to get rid of termite infestation that has been troubling you for quite a while.

Signs of Termites and Termite Damage

Termites cause the most monetary damage to property in the US, as compared to all the other critters. They can also cause immense damage in a short period. These tiny pests, the size of an ant destroy homes by gnawing through wooden frames and structures supporting the building and inside it.

Since they feed on wood/cellulose they can also destroy wooden furniture, cabinets, cupboards and books if the infestation is not brought under control. People often do not notice signs of termites in their homes since these pests create tunnels through wooden structures making it impossible to detect their presence.

Signs of Termites and Termite Damage

How To Identify Termite Presence In Your Home

It is often not easy to know of the presence of termites in your home, because you can neither see, nor hear them. These little pests could be busy tearing your home down, without you knowing it – since they usually work in places not easily accessible by you.

While it might not always be easy to detect the existence of termites in your home, you can keep a watch for signs that give them away. There are a number of ways of knowing if your dwelling is termite infested and the most common methods are.

1. Structural damage

If the exterior or interior of your home shows signs of damage, it could be due to termites. The most common signs of termites are.
  • Distinctive tunnelling on wooden surfaces
  • Damaged wood work; such as doors, doorframes etc
  • Weakened plasterboard or gypsum board
  • Crumbling Paint
While the above are obvious signs of a termite invasion it no way means that areas of your abode that appear fine are not affected by these pests. Termites have a knack of working on the inside of wooden structures – so chances are that a something that looks absolutely fine on the outside, has actually been made hollow on the inside by termites. Check the condition of wooden structures frequently, to ensure they are not under a termite attack.

2. Dirt Tubes

You will find dirt tubes in homes where termites are present. Termites do not move around in the light, so they create these tubes, which they use as passage ways. The tubes can be identified easily – they are roughly the same diameter as a straw and are the color of saw dust. They can be found running along walls, doorways, floors, garden, etc in termite infested areas.

3. Sighting of Winged Insects

If you notice termite swarms in and around your house, it is an obvious sign that they have invaded your space. Swarms are most common between January and June and that is a time you can face a severe termite infestation if you are not watchful.

4. Termites in the Neighborhood

Residing in a neighborhood that has a termite problem is reason enough for you to be on your guard. Termites move under the ground through a network of tunnels – if they have been found destroying a neighbor’s property, be sure your place will be a target sooner or later.
  • Check your wooden fence or gate regularly for signs of a termite attack.
  • Look for termite mounds near your property.
  • Examine trees in your garden for termite infestation -Termites do not live on dead wood alone; they also feast on live trees.
  • Clear dead trees, mulch or heaps of dead leaves from your garden, as these are food for termites and will attract them into your space

5. Termite Facts You Should Know

It helps to know what attracts termites into your home, to be able to keep it termite free.
  • Though exceptions are always there, most infestations are noticed in summer and spring, so be extra cautious during these seasons
  • Regions with generally high temperatures are more susceptible to termite invasion
  • Termites are predominantly found in coastal regions in the US  – therefore be alert if you reside in the West, South, Southwest and Southeast
  • Termites will attack old, moist wood – do away with any rotting wood on your property
  • Keep the periphery around your home dry –  termites are more likely to invade your home if the soil around it constantly damp

6. Final Word

Though it is nearly impossible to detect an infestation of termites as soon as it happens, it is possible to control the menace through constant checks by looking for signs of termites. You also have a choice of opting for treatments that can secure your property against termite infestations.

Termite Treatment Cost

Want to rid your home of termites? Then it is time you get a termite treatment. Could you by any chance know the actual termite treatment cost? Please read through this great article and you will learn more about termite treatment.

What should I expect of a termite treatment in terms of cost?

Termite treatment cost will vary from one termite treatment company to the other, since there are companies that will charge more and other less. Therefore there is no fixed price of a termite treatment, since there will be host of factors that will determine the final price. Here are some of the factors that will determine how much you will part with when getting a termite treatment.

Termite Treatment Cost

1. Cost of chemicals used

The cost of chemicals used for purposes of termite treatment will determine the amount of money you are going to part with. For instance, if expensive chemicals are used, then the total cost will be higher than when cheaper chemicals are used.

2. The type of equipment and supplies used during termite treatment

This is the other factor that will determine the total price of a termite treatment. If sophisticated equipment and expensive supplies are used, this therefore means that you will have to pay a higher price.

3.  The cost of labor

This includes the expenses incurred when hiring and transporting the workforce that will be required to carry out the termite treatment. These expenses will also reflect on final price of a termite treatment.

4. Expenses incurred by the termite treatment company

Most companies will ask you to cater for the expenses which they will incur during the treatment. If a treatment involves a lot of expenses, then you will have to pay a higher price for the entire treatment. But that may vary with the company.

5. Location

The location of your home or business premises will also determine how much you will incur after a termite treatment. For instance, the cost of termite treatment in some states is higher than it is in other states. You can research online on how much a termite treatment goes for in your state.

6. Treatment type

There are different types of treatment with each type having a different price from the other, depending on the company offering termite treatment services. The termite treatment types are namely non-repellent, repellent and bait system.

7. Is there any way I can figure out the termite treatment price?

Whereas it is difficult to tell the actual price of termite treatment, there is however different ways that you can use to figure out or estimate the price. First of all, most termite treatment companies will base their price depending on the size of the treated area which is measured in terms of square footage. In this regard, you should measure the actual size of the area of you want treated, so that you can have a rough idea of the cost that you are going to pay. In most places, the average price per square foot is approximately between $4 to $7.

8. How can I get a trusted termite treatment company?

Even if there could be hundreds of termite treatments companies in your place, getting a trusted termite company is quiet daunting. Here are some of the things you need to do in order to get a reliable company that will meet all your needs appropriately.

9. Ask for referrals

This is quiet essential particularly if you are not familiar with a prospective company. Referrals will help you judge whether the company offers quality services or not.

10. Get recommendations

Do you have a neighbor who just had a termite treatment? Please ask him or her whether the company that carried out the treatment is in a position to offer excellent services.

11. Research online

You can do an online search of the best company termites in your area. Go through the list of all the companies and review their services that they are offering. You should also compare the price charged by these companies in order to get a company that will give you quality services at an affordable price. If you get a suitable company, go talk and to them about your interest in their services and negotiate the price with them until you agree on a price that both of you are comfortable with.

Now that you are conversant with virtually everything regarding termite treatment cost, you can go ahead and get rid of termites at your home.

West Nile Virus - WNV

The West Nile Fever is a disease caused by the West Nile Virus (WNV), which is part of the viral genus Flavivirus – like the Japanese encephalitis virus, dengue fever virus and more. The West Nile Virus infects mostly birds, but may infect mammals (like people) and even some reptilians, when bitten by an infected mosquito. The most common vector of WNV are mosquitoes from the Culex genus.

The virus and the disease got their name “West Nile Virus/Fever” as they were first identified and reported to the scientific world in West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. However, the disease is probably among us long before that. It is suspected to be the cause of death of Alexander the Great.

West Nile Virus

Most people infected with the West Nile Virus will probably not know it, as in most cases (nearly 80%) the infection is asymptomatic. The majority of the humans that do catch the disease (nearly 97% of the sick people) will experience relatively mild fever that we call West Nile Fever.

Only a minority of the infected people (less than 1% of the total infected people and about 3% of the sick ones) will experience West Nile Meningitis or Encephalitis, which in many cases has severe consequences, including death.

West Nile Fever symptoms usually appear 2 to 8 days after infection (i.e. by an infected mosquito bite, see ahead). The symptoms are normally fever, weakness, headache, chills, sweating, swollen lymph nodes, drowsiness, pain in the joints and other flu symptoms. Most symptoms will last 1 week to 10 days. Some symptoms like swollen lymph nodes, may last longer.

The West Nile Virus is an Arbovirus, which means that it belongs to a group of viruses that are transmitted only by arthropod vectors like mosquitoes. In order for a person to get infected with West Nile Virus, he/she must get bitten first by an infected mosquito female (since only the females are biting).

The best West Nile Virus carrier pool is the bird population. Mosquitoes are transferring West Nile Viruses among birds and thus maintaining the pool. The mosquito itself will get infected only if it will bite an infected bird first. Infected birds have high West Nile Virus density in their blood, enough to infect the biting mosquito.

When biting an infected mammal, like a human for instance, the mosquito will absorb West Nile Viruses with the blood meal. However, since the West Nile Virus density in an infected human blood is low relative to birds, the mosquito female will absorb only a small dosage of viruses, small enough for its immune system to get over it. Therefore, viruses that infect animals other than birds are going into a dead-end.

Two to three days after the mosquito female had bitten a WNV infected bird, it will oviposit (lay eggs). Couple of days more and it is ready to bite again – searching for the second victim. If by the time it will bite again the West Nile Virus has spread into its salivary glands, the new victim (that can be an unfortunate human) will be infected with the virus.

Read more valuable info on mosquito life cycle and how to get rid of the mosquito bites to avoid WNV infection and its risky outcomes.

WNV and the Right Bird

In order that a mosquito female will become a vector of West Nile Virus it has to bite an infected bird first. Infected birds have high West Nile Virus density in their blood, enough to infect the biting mosquito. Biting an infected mammal, like humans or horses for instance, will not infect the mosquito female and it will not become a vector.

Which bird is more likely to infect mosquitoes with West Nile Virus? Scientists often ask themselves that question. A bird that just recently got bitten by a West Nile Virus carrying mosquito has not accumulated enough viruses in its blood to infect the second biting mosquito. On the other hand, a bird that got bitten by such infected mosquito long ago is either over the fever and does not have enough viruses to infect again, or is already dead by now and will not attract any biting mosquito.

WNV and the Right Bird

Accordingly, only a bird that got bitten by a West Nile Virus carrying mosquito early enough to rich the virus density pick, but not too long ago to be over the pick (immune and getting better or dead) can actually infect another mosquito to become the next WNV vector.

For years crows thought to be one of the leading candidate bird species to carry West Nile Virus. However, researchers now think that at least in North East USA – American Robins, being favorite host for Culexmosquitoes, are the main carrier of this recently spread virus.

Beside the question regarding its immune system, a question regarding the bird attractiveness for mosquito bites should be asked as well when wondering what makes a bird a preferred vector of West Nile Virus. So what makes a bird more attractive to mosquito bites? Mosquitoes are attracted mainly by odors for their blood meal host. Probably Robins got the most attractive odor to the mosquito females.

Behavioral patterns may also be a reason. If the bird can be found in the same location as the mosquitoes, it is more likely to get bitten. For this reason I believe albatrosses, for example, are rarely bitten as they spend much of their time in the middle of the ocean. I also believe that day active birds (like Robins) will get bitten more frequently by night active mosquitoes (like Culex), as they are more likely to get bitten while asleep. Moreover, for a very active bird like the swallow for instance, this should be even truer.

Finally, different studies have demonstrated that infected mosquito females change their behavior – especially biting and flying behavioral modes. Thus, I often wonder if a West Nile virus infected mosquito female is attracted to birds in a similar manner as a healthy mosquito?

Think of a bird species that sleeps up high on particularly high trees. Imagine also that a certain mosquito species is in the habit of biting these birds while they are sleeping. Will a West Nile Virus infected (and probably weak) mosquito female be likely to make the effort to fly so high for a blood meal, or will it change its feeding behavior and search for a biting victim closer to ground?

In summary, numerous factors are joined together to determine whether a certain bird species would be involved with West Nile Virus cycle or not. See herein more details on West Nile Virus :)

Mosquito Nets

A mosquito net is one of the best protection means against mosquito bites. You can use any net which has a mesh size small enough to prevent the mosquitoes from passing through and it actually isolates you from the mosquito threat.

A mesh size of about one square millimeter is good enough for most, if not all, mosquito species netting. Sometimes smaller pest, such as some species of sand flies, requires even smaller mesh size, so you best identify all the threats before deciding on the right netting for your house protection.

The most common use of mosquito nets is to cover our house windows and doors. In areas infested with mosquitoes (or any other insect/pest) where people still want to keep air circulation going, screens on the windows and doors are a reasonable compromise. Air can flow in and out of the house, though not as good as with a completely open window.

Mosquito Nets

Mosquitoes, on the other hand, stay mostly out. Mostly I said? Whenever the window or door gets open for a brief moment, few mosquitoes will manage to go in! Additionally, any little hole in the mosquito net will be discovered by the mosquitoes to find their way inside. Thus, even in houses well protected with mosquito nets, few hungry mosquitoes will find their way in.

For that reason, some people cover their beds with mosquito nets too, especially those of the infant family members that cannot be protected using insect repellents, due to health restrictions. The downside is that bed net holds the air even more than a window screen and the air circulation is almost gone. Fortunately, many places are air conditioned these days, especially in warm environments.

Mosquito nets are also very useful while camping or staying outdoors. Most of the tents and many of the gazebos these days are equipped with embedded mosquito nets.

Furthermore, in really badly infested areas mosquito nets are needed for protection not only to the resting people, but also during vacation activities (i.e. hiking, fishing and boating) or working activities (farming, gardening, etc.). For these cases, there are mosquito nets that come down around the shoulders of a wide hat, similar to beekeepers’ hat. By wearing long sleeves clothing and if necessary gloves, adding mosquito net over the face will cover all the exposed body surface and do a great isolation job.

One important tip regarding netting that not many of you are aware of: If the mosquito net is touching you or is too close to your skin, you may still get bitten through the net. A minimum distance of 1 cm (half an inch) between the mosquito net and your skin is necessary to insure yourself.

You are welcome to read more interesting facts on the secrete behind mosquito bites and on mosquito repellents.
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