Termites – Background Information
It is a shock to most people when they find out that we have termites in Colorado. We have two kinds of termites; subterranean and drywood termites. It is the Eastern Subterranean Termite that we most commonly observe since the drywood termites are on the west slope of Colorado. Neither of these species get much attention, unlike their Formosan termite cousins in the south. Termites are becoming more common in Colorado urban areas. Termites are small to medium soft bodied insects that live in colonies. They feed on wood or wood products. The winged termites (alates) are the most commonly observed inside, near windows (attracted to light). The winged individuals come out of the colony when they are swarming, and the wings will break off and those individuals will try to start a new nest/colony. Other ways to determine termite presence is through the identification of mud-tubes or tunnels. Termites require high humidity and when they travel from the soil, where their colony is located, they build mud-tubes to maintain that humidity. Subterranean termites can cause damage to wood (especially moisture damaged wood), but it does take more time to cause damage than that of Formosan termites. Winged termites are commonly mistaken for winged ants. If you are not sure, please call us so we can schedule you an inspection.
Treatments for Termites
NOCO Pest and Wildlife Control Treatment options vary depending upon activity, location, and accessibility. Various options include pre-treatments, trenching, rodding, baiting, and foam applications. Pre-treatments are designed to prevent termite activity on new construction. Trenching is for active locations around the perimeter of the structure and the crawlspace. Rodding is when we drill vertically or horizontally through concrete, which allows us to inject a termiticide in hard to reach areas. Baiting can be done through monitoring stations around the perimeter of the structure or in the crawlspace. Monitoring is generally done after activity is detected and if another monitor comes up active a bait stick is installed to target the activity. Foam applications are for site specific applications. All these techniques are commonly practiced and a combination of these might be proposed. There are so many kinds of construction so we cannot be limited to a single treatment technique. The most important part of the process is identification. This is done through a detailed inspection of the property. Another key aspect of the service that is commonly overlooked is replacement of the damaged wood. Although termites can go after undamaged wood, they prefer wood that has had moisture damage. Customers that do not choose to replace damaged areas, are at an increased risk of re-infestation.
Service Expectations
Depending upon the specific type of termite service, the warranty might range from a reduction to guarantee up to 5 years. In most cases, a treatment will eliminate the colony within the first couple of weeks after treatment. However, there are conducive conditions that we have outlined above. Therefore, we will recommend monitoring the property on a year to year basis to uphold the warranty of the structure. Again, we cannot emphasize how important it is to repair the damaged areas of the structure for long term success.
