How can you safely solve your pest problems? The key is to be willing to ask questions and learn about the options that are available to you. Bug and insect prevention is critical in protecting homes, businesses, schools and any other place where humans live, work or play.
Each home-dweller or business owner has to eventually contend with pests. But don’t fret; there are time-proven ways to deter and eradicate these little beasts. Many people don’t think about pests or pest control until they are forced to do so. Don’t wait until the last minute; protect yourself now by familiarizing yourself with our pest control tips. Please read below for some tried and true methods.
Use of a moisture meter is necessary to determine wood moisture content which helps determine the course of action needed if a problem is found. Many times nothing needs to be done other than follow up inspections later in the year to discover the moisture cycle in your particular situation. We use moisture meters on all of our inspections whether we are checking for moisture conditions or something else.
Most new homes and businesses have a moisture barrier installed during construction, even under concrete slab floor systems. In existing homes that have a moisture problem, a moisture barrier is the first and least expensive step in the remediation process. A basic moisture barrier is simply polyethylene spread over the soil so the rising moisture is blocked from being absorbed by the wood and insulation of the floor system. Sometimes, additional steps have to be taken to correct your moisture problem.
White rot, sometimes called “Wet Rot”, is a fungus/mold that occurs when the wood moisture content reaches the fiber saturation point and remains at least that high. In our area, the fiber saturation point is about 22%-26% for the common woods used in structures. White rot does damage and weaken the wood. If left unchecked, replacement will be necessary. Stopping the moisture is the first step. We can stop this rot!
Cubicle Brown Rot, sometimes called “Dry Rot”, is a fungus/mold that occurs when the wood moisture content reaches over 22% then “dries “out to less than that and then reaches over 22% again and then “dries” out again, and repeats this pattern over and over. The wood is usually a dark brown color, cracks across the grain, and becomes light in weight. The wood is weakened and damaged. Replacement of the damage may be needed if this is left unchecked. Stopping the moisture is the first step. We can stop this rot!
“Brown Surface Mold” does not rot wood nor present a health threat unless you have allergic reactions to other molds. It is primarily limited to the wood in the crawl space under the building and does not move into living areas because it can not find suitable conditions in the living areas. No treatment or remediation is recommended unless there are other conditions present. This mold can grow at low moisture levels and can get on the wood in building supply warehouses and during construction of your home or business.
Sometimes a dehumidifier placed in the crawl space under the building is necessary to control moisture problems. The drain line is extended to the outside of your foundation so the moisture collected by the dehumidifier is removed therefore reducing the humidity and moisture in the crawl space. The goal is to reduce moisture in the crawl space, so wood decay fungus cannot grow, and in extreme cases so mold will not grow.
Do YOU know which is the TERMITE or which is the ANT?
The left half is the ant- elbowed antennae, narrow waist, wings of different sizes. The right half is the termite-straight antennae, no waist, wings of the same size. Swarmers for either are not always black. Just because they’re swarming in your home or office-DO NOT PANIC! Vacuum them up. They dehydrate and the swarmers of our native species will not infest wood unless the wood is wet. They are repoductives looking for a mate. You may not have any damage yet. Call us for a free evaluation.
Annual termite inspection of your home or office is recommended and has been recommended since the 1930’s. Inspecting only the outside is not sufficient. In addition to visual inspecting, probing and sounding of the wood, especially in critical areas of attack is necessary. All crawl spaces and slabs are not created equal. Every building is unique so our experience is a great benefit to you.
Native, eastern subterranean termite workers and soldiers are usually found inside tunnels or the wood they are eating. The workers are the ones that build the tunnels, attack your structure, and eat the wood. The soldiers are there to protect the colony from attack, usually from ants. Termites are social insects organized into colonies. The workers will take food they gather back to the main colony. That act is beneficial to us, because it helps spread termiticide throughout the colony, leading to the death of the colony and the protection of your property.
Subterranean termites build tunnels on a block foundation in a crawl space under a building. These tunnels, built by the workers, are the highways termites follow to and from the wood in your home or business, and connect to other parts of the termite colony. Tunnels are air and water tight, providing the termites ideal living and traveling conditions. Termites can build these tunnels as high as they want as long as they can build on some support.
A business has pest treatments on a quarterly basis. The materials used will control the common pests that attack during the 90 day period. Why apply more material than is needed? Quarterly service is usually less costly to the business too.
A facility like a church family life center needs monthly service, because the kitchen and food delivery and use is very much like a restaurant. High turnover of people and food product usually brings heavy pest attack , and cleaning procedures can drastically reduce the effectiveness of treatments. Ants love buildings like this and try to get in about 10 months out of the year.
A residence, large or small, can be pest free with regular quarterly treatments. Our goal is to eliminate the problem that is common to each of the four quarters of the year. We are constantly thinking ahead three months while performing your service. Inspecting and safely protecting your family and home from pest invasion is our primary concern.
Whether inside or out, we take great care in inspecting and applying the right material in the right place to give you the best protection with the utmost safety. All pests have their favorite entry points into your environment and their favorite hiding places.
Many of your common pest problems begin outside. Our service includes outside perimeter treatments using the best and safest materials designed to reduce the number of pests trying to get in. Ants, “water bugs”. “palmetto bugs”, crickets, earwigs, centipedes, etc. are some of the more common invaders.
Raised concrete slab foundations and floor systems are one type of common construction methods in our area. These foundations are hard to detect termites before they get into the wood of the building, because the exterior walls usually sit over the joint between the floor system and wall. First signs of infestation usually show up in baseboards, door casings, window sills, and the exterior walls. These slab foundations/floor systems are also easily treated during construction to prevent termite attack if a liquid treatment is done like we do it.
Regardless of the type of porches or material used in the house and porch foundations, treatment during construction is the most effective way to prevent future termite problems. Regardless of the material used on the exterior, termites still will attack a building. We have never seen a termite proof building! If you have, please let us know.
Crawl space foundations are another common construction type in our area. Termites use these foundation elements to support their tunnels to gain access to the structure. All foundation elements and construction features are treated at the appropriate time during the building of your home and business. This is usually coordinated by your contractor. We take pride in getting to the job site at the right time to complete the treatment necessary for that particular construction phase without any down time for the other subcontractors or extra costs for the contractor, which saves money.
Monolithic slabs have the floor and foundation in one single piece of concrete. There is no block or brick foundation around the outside. Like other slab systems, the soil is treated before the concrete is poured. Untreated, termites will infest from around the plumbing and any other utility penetrating the slab; as well as, any cracks that develop or joints that are created in the slab.
Monolithic slab systems are most likely to be attacked by termites from the outer edge of the foundation. It is critically important to keep soil and mulch from building up to the bottom of the exterior siding regardless of from what either are made. The only mulch that does not attract termites are brick chips, stone chips, or gravel. You do not have to change your mulch.
Dirt filled porches are a great place for termites to live and attack your home or business. In order to stop that source of termite attack, the porch needs to be drilled and liquid termiticide pumped into the soil where it will remain in the porch and be effective for years. Neither a bait system nor a wood treatment system will consistently prevent an attack from a filled porch. Treatment during construction of a filled porch is the most effective, but drilling and treating is the next best thing. Protection is our primary purpose.
Experience has shown us that the garage door frames is the second most likely point of attack from our native termites. Drilling and placing liquid termiticide in the soil under the slab will form a barrier preventing or stopping termite attack of the door frames. Covering the wood with vinyl trim prevents a good inspection. The wood contacting the slab will also hasten the occurrence of rot in these areas. A small gap at the bottom of the framing will help slow rot. Protection of your property is our primary concern.
In order to properly apply a liquid termiticide where it will stop the termite attack, a trench must be dug first. Sometimes this can be a strenuous job, especially in the crawl space. The trench is dug around all piers and along all foundations. Safety and protection is always our concern.
Applying the liquid termiticide into the trench that has been dug will allow it to soak into the soil where it will do the most to stop or prevent termite attack. The barrier is not detectable by the termites, so they will enter the treated zone where they either die or take the termiticide back to the colony. Our termiticide will not leach out of the soil, nor cause any harm to people or pets. Safety to you, us, and the environment is always our first consideration.
