Getting the Right Termite Protection

Imagine the scenario. You suspect your home has termites, did a research and symptoms seem like termite infestation. You then made an enquiry and a termite treatment is suggested that costs heavy. After spending a few days with the arrangement and treatment, the biggest nightmare falls on you – it doesn’t seem to work!

While there are many factors which contribute to ineffective treatment, the critical first step in ensuring getting the right termite protection — is the right termite species being identified?

Yes, there are in fact 3 types of termite species, attacking different parts of your home, a “one-size-fits-all” or an “all-in-one” solution might not quite work; depending where is the infestation and affected by which species. Worse of all, signs of termite symptoms are pretty similar to that of carpenter ants and bark beetles — these are also wood furniture damaging pests!

Here are some tips to gather sufficient knowledge for your clarification with the pest control provider.

The first reaction to fixtures spoilage would either go to the renovation/interior design firm or furniture retail for damaged and faulty doors and cabinets. Before you make the complaint, pause and check if it’s a result of drywood termite infestation. Drywood termite produces moisture as they feed into your fixtures and causes a deform and warping effect. This also explains why sometimes you find it difficult to open and close your door!

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Ugly muddy lines, which is actually mud tubes are formed on your wall or corner of skirting. It looks unsightly, and you tried scrapping them off, but only to see other parts of your wall started to have presence of these tubes as well. These are Subterranean Termites’ foraging tubes that are made out of wood and soil for traveling and food sourcing purposes. Taking the fast and easy way out to remove these tubes visibly could potentially mean more damaging outcome in time to come.

• Was it the water spillage or leaking pipes that causes paint peel on your flooring or structural surfaces?
• What if there is no signs or water leaks?
• Was it a poor paint job?

Subterranean termites are capable of producing moisture as they infest on wood, and as these moisture reaches the wood surface, it causes the pain to bubble and peel. Wood consumption also thins the paint coating, and causing the peeling and damaging effect.

Read here more on Is that Water Mark a Sign of Termite Damage?

Are they flies or broken wings? Confused if those are ants, flies or other flying insects? The answer is, they could be swarms of Subterranean Termites that lands on your window sills as their wings start to shed. This could also mean a possibility of a termite activity. By removing these wings and swarms, does not necessarily eradicating the problem, instead contact a pest control specialist to perform proper inspection and treatment.

Do not ignore even the slightest signs such as presence of “sawdust” which is actually the fecal matter (also known as frass) left behind by Drywood Termite. So do think twice again if you think your home is just getting too dusty because of a poor housekeeping and home maintenance.

Comparing with other pest treatments, the price of doing termite control in Singapore is higher because of its complexity in delivering the treatment, the size of the premise to be treated (especially for large private properties and landed homes) and the quality of active ingredient that is required to control the termite colony effectively. In addition, if there is a combination of pest species of both subterranean and drywood termites infesting the homes, then the treatment types will differ, and may cost more covering a wider scope. It is important to evaluate your termite pest control carefully, and not relying on price as the primary decision-making as efficacy and home protection is crucial.

Read also: Pest proofing your home from termites

Specific termite treatments are designed to address different termite species, infestation level, home design structure and needs. For example, subterranean termites requires termiticide injection to control the colony and prevent further chewing and feeding of your wood in the home. There is also a termite baiting option that detects, lure and control termites by using a monitoring approach, before replacing the monitoring section with a control element. For Dryood termite treatment, it usually involves injecting active ingredient with a foaming agent to ensure deep and thorough dispersion of the solution. Of course, there is a simpler and faster approach by adopting the localisation method by spot treatments at locations that might be infested. However, this may not control the colony effectively as “contact kills” basically eliminates the surface problem. You should contact a termite control specialist to discuss which termite control options is best for your home.

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  Why is termite treatment necessary for my home?

  As termites build their colonies in the walls, floor coverings, and foundations of buildings, they can cause significant structural damage if they are not handled quickly and properly. In addition, DIY remedies have limited efficacy as different types of termites react differently. Subsequently, termite treatment by a licensed pest control company is necessary when you see signs of infestation as they are trained to correctly recognise the species and offer remedies accordingly.

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  Which termite control package should I take up?

  After inspecting your premises and assessing the complexity of the termite situation, a pest control specialist can advise you on the right termite control. They can be either a one-off procedure or a long-term preventive and management plan. Options will depend on location of the infestation, type of termite species invading and home dwelling. It includes baiting, injection, localisation and foaming. The cost of the packages will also depend on the type of active ingredient and application method.

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  How effective are pest control for termites?

  DIY pest control for termites - such as insecticides and natural remedies have limited effectiveness and colony control on termites. This is because it requires specific active ingredient to eliminate the termites, and right equipment and tools to reach out to the specific key risk area. That is why professional pest control for termites not only delivers treatment efficacy, but safety and adequate monitoring of your home.

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  How should I monitor and evaluate on my termite infestation?

  The best way to monitor your termite infestation is to look out for signs of infestations viligantly. Obvious signs include:

  • Long, brown mud tubes running along foundations of buildings
  • Discarded wings around windows and doors
  • Frass (termite droppings) that are tiny brownish oval-shaped pellets that look like sawdust

  Termite infestations often go undetected for years and is crucial to contact a termite control specialist to engage in professional termite inspection and have a long term termite protection in place before the infestation results in home damages.

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  Whom can I contact if I need termite control solutions?

  You should contact a pest control company if you need termite control solutions as they have experts who are knowledgeable in that field and will offer treatments according to your situation.

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  What type of termite species am I treating for my home?

  There are 3 species of termites that usually infest homes. They are:

  • Drywood termites that live inside wooden structures
  • Dampwood termites that only eat wood with high moisture content
  • Subterranean termites that live underground as they need the moisture from the soil to survive

  As there are different treatments to get rid of each species, you should engage a professional pest control company that is experienced in managing all three of them.