Can You Permanently Get Rid of Termites?

Can You Permanently Get Rid of Termites & What Homeowners Should Know

While termites cannot be eliminated forever, professional treatment and ongoing prevention can keep homes termite‑free long term. If your home is infested with termites, your primary thought may be to eliminate them forever. Looking at the bigger picture, of course, that’s not really possible. Termites have been around for millions of years, are found in every state except Alaska, and they are not going anywhere. Honestly, we wouldn’t want them to, as they provide an important service for the environment, clearing away decaying wood and returning nutrients to the soil.

How to Get Rid of Termites Permanently (Or as Close to Permanently as Possible)

The key to getting rid of a termite infestation is to take a multi-pronged approach. Start with a professional inspection, so that an experienced technician can determine the scope of the problem and come up with treatment options. Here is the problem: termite treatment is incredibly complicated. In fact, it can be more complex than the treatment required for any other household pest. Often, a combination of specialized treatment methods is required to truly eradicate a colony.

How Long Termite Treatments Last

Termite treatments can last several years, but annual inspections are necessary to ensure continued protection and detect new activity early. Termite treatment is not a “one and done” proposition. This is because even if you completely get rid of a termite colony, it can be tricky to stop a new one from forming. Here’s why: termites send out flying reproductive members of their colonies each year, to look for new places to live. Even if you’ve eradicated a colony, these alates may decide that your home looks delicious and fly right in through the window or door. (You’ll know they’ve done this because once they come in, they normally will drop their wings on the windowsills.) When it comes down to it, the right question to ask is not how long termite treatments last, but how do you keep new termites from moving in?

Is it Possible to Permanently Eliminate Termites?

With the right treatment, you can eliminate termites from your home. Maintaining a termite free home is more difficult, but it can be done. Work with an experienced termite control company, to find the right treatment for your home, including preventive treatment. You will likely need to make some changes to your home maintenance routine, too, to make your house less of a welcoming environment for termites.

Do Treatments Last? Can Termites Come Back After Treatment?

Yes, termites can return after treatment if preventive measures and regular inspections are not maintained. Liquid barrier treatments are used to keep subterranean termites from breaching the perimeter of your property. They’re highly effective against these underground insects, and these treatments last about five years. To get rid of drywood termites, more direct methods are needed. They require direct contact with pesticides, injected into their tunnels, and these treatments can last many years. Alternately, drywood termites can be treated through fumigation. This is expensive and disruptive, and doesn’t work for subterranean termites, who can simply retreat to their nests during fumigation.

Prevention Tips to Keep Termites Away Long-Term

Long‑term termite prevention includes reducing moisture, eliminating wood‑to‑soil contact, sealing entry points, and scheduling regular inspections. There are several steps you, as a homeowner, can take to keep termites away from your house. Your goal should be to make your home an inhospitable place for termites.

• Start by reducing moisture around the house. Subterranean termites must stay moist, which is why they build mud tubes for traveling into your home. Because moisture is so important to them, you can make your home less welcoming by fixing leaks promptly, keeping your gutters clear, and making sure water drains away from your foundation.
• Don’t allow direct wood to soil contact. The wooden parts of your home should be at least six inches above the ground. Keep firewood and lumber away from the house, and store it off of the ground, and get rid of any tree stumps in your yard.
• Keep things tidy Don’t let tree limbs and shrubs touch the house. Refrain from storing cardboard or paper products in the garage, crawlspace, or attic.
• Don’t provide easy entry points. Seal up any cracks in the foundation, and put screens on crawlspace openings and vents. Keep your exterior paint in good condition, so that termites won’t find any small gaps through which they can access your home’s structural components.

How Does a Pest Control Expert Provide Treatment for Termites?

Pest control experts undergo extensive training, and they understand how termite colonies function. They know all about the social structure, habits, and biology of termites, and this allows them to determine the best methods for treating each type of termite. During an inspection, your inspector will point out vulnerabilities, advise you on best practices for keeping termites away, and come up with a plan to effectively treat your home and get rid of your termites.

Effective Termite Treatment Begins with a Free Inspection from MightyMite Termite Services

When you want to get rid of termites, call the termite control professionals at MightyMite Termite Services. At MightyMite, we’ve earned a reputation as experts in California termite control, by performing termite inspections, riding homes of termites, and working hard to keep termites away permanently. We diagnose and treat infestations with the most effective methods and unmatched warranties, solving your termite problems the first time, with an industry best “no call-back rate.” What does that mean? In short, that’s about as close to permanently getting rid of termites as anyone can get. That, combined with our experience, technology, and highly trained professional staff, makes us the leading extermination company in the Bay Area. We understand that your home is your most important investment, so we work hard for you, utilizing best practices to solve your termite problems. To schedule an inspection or learn more about our services, contact us through our website.