Do termites look for a particular season to attack? No, they will attack as long as the conditions are favorable for them. They don’t see seasons while attacking.
If not treated quickly, they can easily cause structural damage to our houses. Eliminating them is the best way to save it.
Why can termites cause so much destruction? What could be the reason?
Important Note: If you're tired of pests and want a reliable solution, then you should definitely consider seeking help from a professional pest control company. DIY solutions can be effective, but if you're dealing with a significant pest infestation, you don't want to rely solely on DIY methods. Pest control companies typically don't charge huge fees. You can fill out this form to receive free quotes from the top local pest control companies, and compare the quotes and see for yourself. Then, finally, your pest problems will be eliminated for good.
The answer is they can chew our wooden structures for years without even getting detected. So we have to closely look for the signs of their infestations to prevent such damage.
On finding infestations, it is advised to go for termite treatment to prevent the damage.
But how much does a termite treatment cost? Do we have some options?
The cost of a treatment depends upon various factors, including the kind of treatment we are using, the size of our houses, etc.
In this article, we are going to discuss all these things and will understand everything about a termite treatment.
What is a Termite Treatment?
Termite treatment involves identifying the species, locating their nest, and based on the species, selecting the appropriate treatment. The process of using various techniques to eliminate termites after a proper examination of the situation is known as termite treatment.
The correct identification of the species, inspection, and treatment requires the skills and judgement of an expert. These experts comprise a termite control team. There are also many other ways of treating termites. The next section will cover all these types of treatments.
Types of Treatment
Chemical Treatments
These techniques involve using various types of chemicals such as arsenic trioxide, bifenthrin, fipronil, termidor, etc. The chemicals are applied to the exterior of the houses.
Sometimes holes are drilled around the house and the chemicals are directly poured into those holes. This treatment works best for the Drywood and Subterranean termites and for the infestation that hasn’t spread to the whole house.
The cost of these treatments can average around $3 to $16 per linear foot.
Bait Treatments
Baits are installed over various holes that have been dug or drilled around the house. Termites then feed on the poison and carry it back to their colonies. With the help of this technique, we can eliminate the whole termite colony.
The cost of bait treatment is more as compared to chemical treatment as this technique is less precise and requires more implements.
The average cost of bait treatments can go from $8 to $ 12 per linear foot.
Tenting Treatment
When the infestation is large, we can use this method as it covers a much larger area than other treatments. In this, the entire structure is draped in a tent, and then chemicals are used for killing termites in the enclosed environment.
The limitation of this treatment is that it is not effective against underground infestations. The entire house is treated in this technique, so it works best for the termites that are in the home.
There are two options available for homeowners, either go with a flat rate (averages from $1200 to $2500) or can go with linear feet rates (averages from $5 to $20)
Fumigation Treatment
This technique is similar to that of tenting technique. The only difference is that in place of chemicals, gases are used here. The whole house is covered with the tent and then a lethal gas is released inside which kills all the termites present in the house.
Several hours are required for its completion and even after the completion, residents, pets, and even plants must remain out of the house for 3-5 days.
Fumigation costs average around $15 per linear foot.
Heat Tenting Treatment
This is a chemical-free, organic treatment for termites. The entire house or specific location(where the signs of infestations were seen) is covered with a tent to control the internal temperature. Then the temperature is increased up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit with the help of hot air.
The temperature of the wood structures is then monitored until it reaches 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is sufficient to eliminate termites along with their colony.
The tents are then removed and the homeowners can go back after the temperature reaches the normal level. The whole process takes around 8 hours to get completed.
On a linear feet basis, the cost is around $10 per linear foot. When going with a flat rate, the cost may go from $800 to $2500.
Factors Affecting Treatment Cost
Termite Species
Subterranean termites usually nest in soil under the house rather than the wooden structures present inside. As they live outside, costly methods like fumigation won’t be required for them.
Drywood termite infestation area can be limited to one area or it can be widespread throughout the house. The wood they infest in can have significant damage. We can expect an expensive treatment cost as the repairing of structures is also there.
Dampwood termites are pros at keeping themselves hidden. They don’t create mud tubes like subterranean termites nor do they leave signs of holes in the wood like drywood termites. So the treatment can be costly as the team has to put some extra effort into locating them.
Size of House
Bigger space requires more inspection and treatment. The team has to provide various control services to a large part of the area, this increases the treatment cost. So the cost is directly proportional to the size of the house.
Infestation
When the houses are lightly infested by termites, the damage is not that much. Treatment and repairing costs can be budget-friendly. But if the infestation is large, significant damage will also be there. This increases the cost of treatment. The repairing of the wooden structures is also sometimes very expensive.
Methods
There are various methods to eliminate termites. All these methods have different pricing so the treatment cost is also affected by the kind of method we are using.
The tenting treatments are expensive as they require the draping of the house. Due to the requirement of more visits, bait treatment also comes under the category of expensive termite treatment.
Since Chemical treatments don’t require the use of various advanced tools, they are not that expensive as compared to the previous methods.
Based on the kind of infestation, type of termite, and the damage, the method of treatment is decided. All these things are done by the inspection team.
Guide For Hiring a Pest Control Team
When hiring a pest control team, consider the following things:
- Experience- Try to go with the team that has more experience with them.
It will cost us more money but the results can be satisfactory as the team will have more knowledge of pest-related issues.
- License- Having a license gives us the confirmation that the team is well-trained and is eligible for the treatment. Always ask for the license before hiring a team.
- Reviews- Reviews give us a fair idea of the quality of service the company provides. Some proper research on negative and positive reviews can also help us in choosing an ideal pest control team.
- Guarantee- It is true that nothing is guaranteed. Things can go a different way, but the company which gives guarantees is confident of their work and will try its best to achieve the result. So look for a company that offers a guarantee.
Conclusion
Our house is a viable source of food for termites. they will travel underground and if there are no gaps present, it is more likely they will move upwards looking for food.
Using various methods, we can eliminate termites. Whether by using chemicals or physical methods, we should always look for their elimination. Delay in the treatment can escalate its cost. To ensure safe treatment, the hiring of a pest control team with proper license, experience, and insurance should be done.
For those, who are going to build new houses, make sure to not leave any gaps for termites and follow all necessary steps to avoid the entering of termites.
