Among the different types of destructive pests, homeowners are facing today, termites are the worst. It can destroy your home’s foundation and even your trendy furniture. Studies show that every year,  termite damage to property amounts to  $40 billion and affects more than 60,000 homes. These annoying pests are literally eating your home and your memories from it. This is the reason why you need to know how to get rid of termites.

The homeowners panic if they discover that termites are living in their homes. That should not be the case, and it is best if you call for a professional exterminator to treat for termites. It is the most straightforward approach that you can take for treating termites, but it also costs a huge amount of money. The cost for professional termite treatment can range from $2,000 to $5,000. 

For extreme termite infestation, having an exterminator is the practical option when treating termite. However, if you want to get rid of termites yourself, there are ways to do it. You can get rid of termites that are conquering your home using DIY treatments. It does not cost much, and it is also useful in terminating the termites and its colonies. 

There are different ways to get rid of termites from your home. The most common termite control methods are using poison bait stations. It is also possible to get rid of termites with a perimeter poison barrier, boric acid, and diatomaceous earth. All termite control plans require time and effort but are not impossible.

Here are the best ways on how to get rid of termites.

Poison Bait Stations

This termites pest control approach is proven tested and highly effective in eliminating the termites in your home. With this termite control method, you need to install poison baits around your foundation’s perimeter. There are round cap and hollow plastic tubes in every termite infestation bait station. To attract the foraging termites or subterranean termites, there is a tube with a poison-laced stick. This will prevent the drywood termites from reaching your house. Those are working termites, and their primary duty is to bring back food in the nest. It is useful because these termites will bring back the poison in their nests, which is the toxic wood fibers.

With the bait stations as pest control treatments, you can wipe the entire colony of termites. One feature of the poison bait station to treat termites is the pop-up indicator. You will know if the termites are consuming your wooden stake, and when to replace it. 

All you need to do is put the bait stations three feet away and ten feet apart in your home’s foundation. The total cost for this pest control method for 15 stations is $30 to $40.

Perimeter Poison Barrier

This method does not necessarily require bait stations, but it is a successful approach in killing termites from the outside and inside of your home. It consists of spraying liquid poison in the termite’s colony to address termite infestation. It will create a defense and protect your home’s foundation from drywood termites and subterranean termites. The termites that will encounter this liquid will also poison the termites around the termites the colony, and get rid of them at the same time.

The liquid termite poison should be diluted with water. Read the manufacturer’s guidelines and directions. In most cases, in a gallon of water, you will put a 0.8 ounces liquid poison to kill termites. After this, prepare the pump-up sprayer for the diluted poison for your pest control treatment.

After you prepare the materials, dig a shallow trench around the foundation, make sure that it is six-inch by six-inch. Spray the poison directly to the trench to kill termites. Regularly check the direction of the product. But, it is advisable to spray four gallons of liquid poison in a ten linear feet trench. After spraying the poison in the perimeter, return the soil to its original form.

You can also try spraying the poison directly to your perimeters foundation, but it will reduce the effectivity. It does not last long enough compared to preparing a shallow trench. The good about creating a trench is that it can kill termites for years. But to make sure that your house is safe from a termite problem and to prevent termites from reappearing, reapplying every two years is advisable. The liquid poison costs $70, it is a 20-ounce jug, but if you dilute it, it can cover 24 gallons of poison. This makes it a cost-efficient way to handle a termite problem.

Boric Acid

If you are searching for an environmental-friendly way of killing termites, boric acid can be part of your pest control choices. You can use a manual duster for the fine powder of boric acid. You can spray it directly to the termite damages. Examples are cracks and woods, holes, and crevices on the wall, ceilings, and floors. The boric acid targets the digestive system of termites and kills them in just a few days. You can use termite treatments like this inside and outside of your house; however, the best results are when you do not expose it to the rain.

Boric acid is not as efficient and long-lasting as the bait stations, but it is more comfortable to apply, affordable, and less harmful compared to other termite treatments. The 99 percent pure industrial grade five-pound boric acid only costs $15 and it does kill termites effectively.

Diatomaceous Earth

If you are looking for a safe, non-toxic, and an environmental-friendly way of getting rid of annoying termites, diatomaceous earth is best for you. It is an organic powder made of fossil remains of aquatic animals, and they call it diatoms. For pest control or termite treatments for this is the same process used with the boric acid option. With a manual duster, you spread the powder on the cracks, the termite-infested wood, or around any place you suspect of termite infestation in your home.

Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder at a microscopic level. Every grain is sharp shard that cuts and dices the exoskeleton of termites, that causing termites death. 

Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic and safe, and it can also level the standards of the poison baits and liquid poison solution. But, this method is effective in assaulting termites and killing small colonies of termites. It works best if you are observable about your home surroundings. For a ten-pound bag of this product, you will pay $20 to $40 and you can get thousands of termites. 

Never let your home investment go to waste because of annoying termites. There are different methods and approaches to exterminate the termites around your home. You can remove these pests with various techniques we have mentioned above, just choose one convenient for you.

For your peace of mind and convenience, you can also call in professional exterminators to get rid of your termites. Whatever option you choose, you will end up in the same outcome – and that is getting rid of the destructive pests.