Category: Termite Control

Tips for Better Termite Control in Bartlesville, OK

Writer |

Termites are surprisingly crafty when it comes to finding ways to get into your home. Therefore, the last thing you want to do is make it even easier for them to find ways to gain access. There are a number of steps you can take around your home, both inside and outside, to block the termites’ path to your home and keep your house in great condition.

Here are a few tips for better termite control in Bartlesville, OK:

  • Be careful with wood: As you know, termites are attracted to wood. They eat through it quickly, especially when in large numbers, and especially when it’s wet. Therefore, you should store any mulch, wood debris, sawdust, scrap lumber or firewood away from your home. If you do keep firewood outside of your home at any point during the year, it should be raised off the ground and not stacked or buried next to your home. Wood-to-soil contact makes it easy for termites to get in and start ruining things.
  • Keep up with yardwork: Trim all of your bushes, shrubs, trees and any other dense greenery you have on your property away from your home’s foundation. Keep mulch away from the foundation as well. Termites are attracted to these plants, and you don’t want them to begin building right up alongside your house. You should also remove all infested stumps and trees as soon as possible so you can avoid letting the infestation spread. Never allow leaves to build up in gutters or drains either, as they will become hotbeds for termites and other pests.
  • Patch leaks: Fix all leaky roofs and gutters whenever they begin to become an issue, and repair all leaking faucets and waterlines both inside and out. Grade your soil so that all water, even such water as air conditioning condensation, runs away from the foundation of your home. This is effective because termites are attracted to moisture just as they are to wood, so you want to keep the area around potential vulnerabilities in your home as dry as possible.
  • Fix your foundation: If you have noticeable problems with your foundation, such as cracks or holes, you should seal them as soon as possible. Otherwise, these openings could act as an easy point of access for termites, which are looking for places to get inside your home and munch on its structure.
  • Ventilate: Make sure you have plenty of air flowing through attics and crawl spaces in your home, and run dehumidifiers where necessary. By reducing humidity, you make a space less attractive for termites.
  • Use an exterminator: When all else fails, the services of an exterminator are likely necessary. Completely remove all the pests from your home, and then begin following all the other practices to prevent another infestation from occurring down the road.

Need more tips about termite control in Bartlesville, OK? Contact us today at D & Q Pest Control, Inc., and we will be happy to speak with you.

Termite Control in Bartlesville, OK: What You Need to Know

admin |

When most homeowners discover they have a termite infestation, they assume the worst. Termites are known to cause major damage to homes that’s extremely costly to resolve—not to mention the cost that comes with eliminating the termites as well! Fortunately, however, if you’re able to identify and resolve a termite infestation quick enough, with the help of a trained professional, you can actively minimize the damage and cost to your home.

Do I always need professional help?

There are store-marketed termite solutions and treatments, but the real truth is that in order to truly eradicate any termites in your home, you’re going to need the helping hand of a professional. Termite control in Bartlesville, OK requires a comprehensive approach, specialized resources and an understanding of how these critters behave—off-the-shelf treatment products aren’t going to cut it.

How is a termite infestation treated?

There are really two ways to treat termite infestations: liquid chemicals and baits. Liquid termite repellents are generally applied around the base of your home (in the soil), to deter any termites from entering your home from the outside. This will work to immediately stem the traffic of these pests, while further preventing future intrusions.

Baiting termites usually involves treating wood or some other digestible material with a slow acting agent that will eventually kill the termite. A termite comes into contact with this substance, eats, and returns to the colony, where it will come into contact with other termites and begin to excrete waste—both instances serving to pass along the slow-acting poison. Soon enough, termites will begin dropping off!

Does my entire home need to be treated?

Chances are, yes. When considering termite control in Bartlesville, OK, it’s important to remember that termite colonies are often huge, encompassing thousands and thousands of individual bugs. Even if you can only see damage in one area of your home, you’re going to want to get the entire premises treated to ensure you’re not missing any areas of concern.

How effective is termite control?

This depends on the size of the infestation you’re dealing with! On average, proper termite control will eradicate all of the pests and can protect your home for up to five years, wherein you can have it treated again for lasting protection. However, the larger your home and the larger the original infestation, the greater the chance that termites will find a way back into your home. This is why it’s important to schedule follow up services to your original treatments—a pest control professional will be able to spot signs of repopulation and can nip it in the bud right away, to save you the frustration of an ongoing problem.

At the end of the day, termites are still going to be a major concern if they’re discovered in your home, but they can be managed appropriately and the damaged minimized if you’re quick to act. Contact a professional at D & Q Pest Control, Inc. right away if you’re in need of termite control in Bartlesville, OK.