Termites are insects that no home owner wants to discover within their home. Termites are wood-consuming insects that can damage and destroy any home that is infested with them. These small insects primarily feed on wood, paper, books, insulation, and swimming pool liners and filtration systems. It is possible for homes to become infested at any time, but checking for termite infestations before buying and selling a home is of utmost importance. Each year, termite elimination costs American home owners approximately $2 billion. Most people would recommend getting professional help for a termite infestation, but there are some do-it-yourself treatments home owners can use to save money. 

Do-it-yourself treatments can help home owners control and eliminate termites. Generally, there are two categories of termite treatment, which are liquid treatments and baits. Soil-applied liquid termiticides are a well-known treatment that provides a long-lasting chemical barrier than can exclude termites in the ground from entering the home. The liquid termiticides will kill termites in the building’s structure as well, because it prevents them from returning to the soil. Liquid termiticides are available in repellant and non-repellant.

Repellant chemicals repel termites away from structures, and these products are only meant to be repellant and not lethal to the insects. Some repellant termiticides include Demon TC, Talstar, and Dragnet FT.  These liquid termite chemicals are primarily used in preconstruction treatments and in areas where fast control of subterranean termites is desired. The newer termite liquid chemical treatments are classified as non-repellant. Some of the newer products available for home owners, include Premise®(imidacloprid), Termidor®(fipronil), and Phantom®(chlorfenapyr). These non-repellant products work by killing any termites that tunnel into the treatment zone. Non-repellant products are more reliable than repellant products in eliminating termites.

Applying a chemical barrier can be a very difficult and complicated process, and home owners should consider other options before taking the do-it-yourself route. Usually termiticide labels will have specific instructions on how to perform treatments along foundation areas. Masterline Premethrin Plus C is a termite repellant most often used for do-it-yourself applications, and is a long lasting repellant that does not wash away. Termidor and Premise are most widely used by pest control companies. 

There are several products needed for applying a chemical barrier to the foundation, including a small shovel and a five-gallon bucket. The shovel is used to dig trenches around the outside perimeter, and the five-gallon bucket is used to mix the termiticide so that it can be applied four to five gallons at a time into the trench holes.

 For patios and porches, home owners will need a hammer drill, which can be rented from a tool rental center, a two-gallon bucket, a long plastic funnel, rubber gloves, trebor plugs and cement. The hammer drill is used to drill holes into the cement slabs, the two-gallon bucket is used to mix the termiticide so that it can be applied one to two gallons at a time into the drill holes. The plastic funnel is inserted into the drill holes and used to disperse termiticide below porches, patios, and slab foundations. Rubber gloves and goggles should be used to provide safety for home owners applying the chemical barriers. A small amount of cement should be mixed into a small bowl with water, and used for patching holes made with the hammer drill.

Many termiticides also have instructions for performing wall foaming, which is effective for getting rid of termites within the walls. The other termite treatment category is baiting, these baits consists of palatable food combined with a lethal substance. These baits can be installed below ground in the yard in cylindrical plastic stations, and other bait traps may also be installed indoors over active mud tubes. Baits may be used alone or combined with liquid treatments to help totally eliminate termites. Home owners may find do-it-yourself termite treatments effective, but it may be best for many to consult professionals before applying a treatment.

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