When house owners get to know about a termite issue, the urge to save money usually makes them consider trying self-treatment options. Nevertheless, addressing a termite infestation in the absence of professionalism would in most cases, be a waste of time, finances and in the long run, a greater loss of property. Knowledge of the most frequent DIY errors would allow homeowners to understand why termite elimination requires the intervention of a professional.
Confusion of the Pest and Treatment Method
Misidentification of what they are dealing with is one of the initial errors that the homeowners make. Termites are often mistaken with other insects, including carpenter ants or flying insects that look like swarmers of the termites. This confusion causes the implementation of an incorrect treatment altogether, like the use of ant bait on termites will bring no effect. Although the homeowners are able to identify termites accurately, they do not always know the type of termites, including drywood or subterranean termites. Every species will need a different method of treatment, but most DIY solutions apply a one-size-fits-all method that does not focus on the particular behavior or the weaknesses of the infestation.
Application of Weak, Over-the-counter Products
Termite products are available in home improvement stores and hardware stores to be sold to a consumer, but these are deliberately designed to be less effective than professional grade products. The manufacturers make consumer products weaker due to the fact that they expect to be misused, spilled, and abused. There are specialized termiticides such as Termidor that are not made generally available to the general public but are available to professional exterminators. Moreover, effective treatment of termites needs large amounts of product, usually 700 liters or greater of a common three-bedroom dwelling injected into the soil. A homeowner who sprays a few liters around the perimeter will never have the coverage and depth that will result in the elimination of colonies.
Just Responding to Superficial Action
The worst thing that home owners can do is to treat the termites that are seen and not the colony. By spraying the ones that you can see, you kill only a few of a colony that can hold hundreds of thousands or millions living deep underground. The queen being safe in the colony proceeds to lay eggs and to restore the population.
As a real world example, the reasons why professional termite control in Atlanta is better is because professionals know the structure of a colony and address the source. Termites tend to relocate or rebuild within 48 hours of a failed DIY treatment giving the false impression that the treatment was successful when in fact the infestation is still in place or even getting worse.
Disregarding Long-Term Monitoring and Prevention
Home-made solutions do not provide continuous protection and monitoring. One-time therapy using commercially sold products is only temporary and unless there is constant monitoring and maintenance, a new invasion of the termites can be experienced at any given moment. The professional termite control involves regular inspections, retreatment, guarantees and detailed monitoring systems to detect the activity before serious damage can be caused.
Creating Safety Hazards
Most homeowners will turn to unsafe solutions such as diesel fuel, vinegar, baking soda or even fire as a way of getting rid of termites yet the solution is hazardous as it risks the lives of family members, pets and other properties and at the same time does not work at all when it comes to eradicating termites that are underground. Misuse of pesticides can cause damage to human health, environmental pollution and destruction of the house.
Conclusion
The popularity of self-treatment of termites is quite reasonable, yet the dangers significantly outweigh possible advantages. Unproductive treatments slow down professional intervention and infestations spread causing thousands of dollars in structural damage. The special expertise, equipment, professional grade chemicals, and long term monitoring systems required to eradicate the entire colony are in the possession of professional termite control companies. Once the presence of termites is identified, the best resolution a homeowner can make is to call a licensed professional immediately, as this proves to be the least expensive option.
