In Green Living – Part 1, we talked about Green Pest Control. In addition to controlling pests with non-toxic products and application methods like IPM, innovative pest control companies also offer green termite control options. So how do eco-friendly termite treatments work, and how do you decide which termite treatment is best for your home?
Traditional termite treatments usually involve treating the soil around the perimeter of your home with hundreds of gallons of termiticide, to create a barrier that termites either can’t penetrate (a repellent termiticide) or kills them on contact (non-repellent termiticide). In this process, it’s important that the barrier is completely continuous with no gaps or breaks to eliminate entry point for termites, which would allow them access to your home to cause significant structural damage. Any concrete that covers the perimeter soil, like patios, must be drilled so that the termiticide can penetrate the ground underneath. While this method has been proven effective to reduce termites and prevent damage, there are termite treatment options today that are less invasive, don’t require large amounts of chemicals, and just as effective.
Green Termite Control Options
Post-Construction Termite Treatments
The most popular and effective eco friendly termite treatments are baiting systems. The only termite baiting system to be awarded the Presidential Green Chemistry Award by the EPA is Sentricon – our choice for termite protection.
Sentricon works to eliminate termites at their source – the colony. Unlike repellents, termite actually prefer Sentricon’s termite bait over wood, making it a good food source alternative that termite workers take back and share with their colony. The result is termite colony elimination. The bait is located in Sentricon stations that your pest control professional will install in the ground around the perimeter of your home. The stations are flush with the ground and won’t interfere with your landscaping. They’re checked routinely by your exterminator for activity and to replace eaten bait tubes. It’s an ongoing process of monitoring and baiting to ensure your home is protected from termites year-round. The best part: no chemicals and no structural modifications required.
Here’s a great video explaining the difference between traditional soil termite treatments and the Sentricon System.
Pre-Construction
Building a house or renovating? Use borates, naturally-occuring minerals effective in killing termites and other pests, to treat the wood used during construction. Once the wood is treated and penetrates throughout, borates provide permanent protection against termites. The active ingredient in borates, borate salt, works as a termite repellent, making your homes structure an unappealing food source.
For more on green termite treatment options, contact your local pest control company.