For many people in the Treasure Valley termites can seem like the a myth from a far away land. But the reality is, they are present right here, and have been for quite some time. The reason we are so ignorant of termites is because the specific termites we deal with here all live below the ground and require very specific circumstances to emerge above it. That’s why people are so shocked when they find termite damage while remodeling a bathroom or kitchen and so casual when receiving a termite inspection for a home loan — it is simply not in the forefront of our minds. And then, those who have termite issues are left with very few options for treatment, most very expensive and from national brands. While they certainly do good work, we have found an effective way to treat that is less expensive and allows you, the customer, to work with a local company.
Barrier Pest Control entered the termite game a little over three years ago when we became licensed users of the Sentricon termite baiting system. In addition to needing a certification for identifying and treating for Structural Pests from Idaho Department of Agriculture, Sentricon only works with certain partner companies — we are lucky enough to be one of those.
The system addresses two main needs of the customer: (1) eliminating the current termite problem and (2) preventing future termite issues. The system works by us installing in-ground bait stations every 10 feet around the perimeter of the home and, in homes where we identify an active termite issue, installing stations directly to the areas of activity. Special care is taken prior to service being done to preserve those areas for proper treatment conditions. Each station is baited with a cellulose based product with a termiticide that mimics the termites natural food source and then slowly spreads the product throughout the colony with the eventual result of killing the queen. This takes place over the course of a few months as termites forage for food, discover the bait, and it eventually reaches the colony, but it has the added benefit of once those stations are in the ground, they serve as a preventative against further incursion.
If you have any questions or concerns about termites, we are happy to do an inspection on your home and help educate you about these very real mythical-esque creatures, termites.
