Out of all of the pests that you might have to deal with, termites are without a doubt the most costly! They feed on wood so they are literally eating you out of house and home. You must learn how to exterminate termites fast if you want to avoid expensive damage.
There are two ways that termites can enter your home – through the ground or by the air.
Infestations begin when an existing colony of termites look to expand by sending out swarmers. Those insects will find a small crevice in your home and then carve out a small nest. They lay eggs and start a new colony. They can also enter in the same manner through subterranean tunnels.
With that in mind, termites can quickly cause thousands in damage so when you find signs that you might have terminates, you must take steps to get rid of them immediately! Here are some great methods you can start with.
Create a Termite Barrier Around your Home
This method will kill the termites already present while also preventing future infestations. The idea is to create a barrier that kills termites on contact! This will be built around the foundation of your home. It’s by far the most effective DIY method for eliminating termites.
I recommend using Termidor Termiticide Suspended Concentrate since it is used by most pest control experts. This liquid is undetectable by termites and it can actually be spread from one termite to the next.
- Add about 1oz. of liquid Termidor to every 1 gallon of water.
- Dig a small trench around the outside of your home. It should be 6-inches deep.
- Spray the pesticide mixture into the trench. You should use about 4 gallons for every 10 feet.
Use Poisoned Bait to Exterminate Termites
Some people might not want to dig a trench around their home. Fortunately, there are some other methods but be warned that they are not quite as effective.
The first step is to find an effective poison so you might have to do a little research. We recommend Spectracide’s Terminate Termite Detection & Killing Stakes. You can easily install these stakes around the outside of your home.
Poison will be gathered and taken to the colony, where it will spread to other termites. Therefore, you will need to choose a slow acting poison.
- Measure the outside of your home to determine how much poison you will need. For instance, if using stakes then you will need anywhere from 10 to 20 of them, depending on the size of your home.
- Install poison in the planned locations. Each piece of poison should be no more than 10 feet apart and no closer than 2 feet from your home.
- Replace poison annually.
It’s important that you take proactive steps to get rid of termites as soon as you spot signs of infestation. They can quickly cause expensive damage! If the infestation is bad, you might have to hire a professional exterminator.
