I am about to have a termite treatment done around the exterior of my home.

I'm wondering about how deep into the ground, and how far out from the
exterior wall, the treatment is usually done. It's a house with a full
basement that has cinder block walls on the exterior.

Part of the area around the house has a cement walkway that goes right up to
the cinder block wall, and the rest of the exterior is just dirt/grass. My
understanding is that they are going to drill holes through the cement and
into the ground about every 6 inches or so around the house.

The reason I am asking is that there is a "terra cotta(sp?)" pipe in the
ground along one side of the house. Two of the gutter downspouts empty into
the clay pipe which takes the rain water to the street. The pipe is about 6
inches away from the basement wall and is buried a few inches under the
ground surface. I exposed a portion of it so the pest control person will
see where it is.

NOTE: I also posted this in the alt.consumers.pest-control newsgroup, but
thought someone here might know.

I heard they are no longer allowed to pump any insecticides into the ground.
Could be a local thing I guess.

Sure makes fighting termites tougher!

"Ben Franklin" wrote in message
...
I am about to have a termite treatment done around the exterior of my
home.

I'm wondering about how deep into the ground, and how far out from the
exterior wall, the treatment is usually done. It's a house with a full
basement that has cinder block walls on the exterior.

Part of the area around the house has a cement walkway that goes right up
to
the cinder block wall, and the rest of the exterior is just dirt/grass.
My
understanding is that they are going to drill holes through the cement and
into the ground about every 6 inches or so around the house.

The reason I am asking is that there is a "terra cotta(sp?)" pipe in the
ground along one side of the house. Two of the gutter downspouts empty
into
the clay pipe which takes the rain water to the street. The pipe is about
6
inches away from the basement wall and is buried a few inches under the
ground surface. I exposed a portion of it so the pest control person will
see where it is.

NOTE: I also posted this in the alt.consumers.pest-control newsgroup, but
thought someone here might know.

In article ,
says...
I heard they are no longer allowed to pump any insecticides into the ground.
Could be a local thing I guess.

Sure makes fighting termites tougher!


Or it might be a story given to you by a local company that installs the
more expensive (less effective) baits? I know in an area in
Pennsylvania terminix has discontinued liquid treatments after they were
sued by the state on a mis application by their techs, but I think that
was more of a company decision.
--
Lar

to email....get rid of the BUGS

Lar wrote:
In article ,
says...
I heard they are no longer allowed to pump any insecticides into the ground.
Could be a local thing I guess.

Sure makes fighting termites tougher!


Or it might be a story given to you by a local company that installs the
more expensive (less effective) baits? I know in an area in
Pennsylvania terminix has discontinued liquid treatments after they were
sued by the state on a mis application by their techs, but I think that
was more of a company decision.

It was a big deal in Florida a few years ago - newer subdivision, in the
news a lot, apparently because lots had either diluted or misapplied
poison. What I have read says that the application must be the correct
strength and the barrier not interrupted. I can't imagine how the
application would not be disrupted from landscaping, etc, but don't know
any more. Sounds chancy to me. Drilling holes all over concrete slabs
and foundations sounds like a racket to me, given subterranean termites
can have a colony 200' across and get in through minute cracks and
plumbing entries.

In article ,
says...
It was a big deal in Florida a few years ago - newer subdivision, in the
news a lot, apparently because lots had either diluted or misapplied
poison. What I have read says that the application must be the correct
strength and the barrier not interrupted. I can't imagine how the
application would not be disrupted from landscaping, etc, but don't know
any more. Sounds chancy to me. Drilling holes all over concrete slabs
and foundations sounds like a racket to me, given subterranean termites
can have a colony 200' across and get in through minute cracks and
plumbing entries.


If it was a newer subdivision, it was probably talking about pre treats,
where all the soil is treated before the slab is poured. All too often
the builders will go with the cheapest price that can be 6-10 cents a
square foot and to cover the cost of material a company would have to
charge around 15 cents (if applied properly). With the older
termiticides a continuous barrier would be needed, since they were
basically a chemical shield...any break would allow entry, even push the
termites to the break and needed much drilling in the concrete, but with
the way the newer products work (termidor and Phantom) a continuous
barriers isn't needed to get complete control, the colony is attacked
rather than just keeping them at bay. And less labor can result in less
job cost to the customer and I have yet to have a retreat needed on any
home I've treated with Termidor.
--
Lar

to email....get rid of the BUGS

Lar wrote:
In article ,
says...
It was a big deal in Florida a few years ago - newer subdivision, in the
news a lot, apparently because lots had either diluted or misapplied
poison. What I have read says that the application must be the correct
strength and the barrier not interrupted. I can't imagine how the
application would not be disrupted from landscaping, etc, but don't know
any more. Sounds chancy to me. Drilling holes all over concrete slabs
and foundations sounds like a racket to me, given subterranean termites
can have a colony 200' across and get in through minute cracks and
plumbing entries.


If it was a newer subdivision, it was probably talking about pre treats,
where all the soil is treated before the slab is poured. All too often
the builders will go with the cheapest price that can be 6-10 cents a
square foot and to cover the cost of material a company would have to
charge around 15 cents (if applied properly). With the older
termiticides a continuous barrier would be needed, since they were
basically a chemical shield...any break would allow entry, even push the
termites to the break and needed much drilling in the concrete, but with
the way the newer products work (termidor and Phantom) a continuous

Why aren't these miracles better known? Are there published studies
about them?

barriers isn't needed to get complete control, the colony is attacked
rather than just keeping them at bay. And less labor can result in less
job cost to the customer and I have yet to have a retreat needed on any
home I've treated with Termidor.

If I paid for term. prevention and it didn't work, I'd be inclined not
to call you back. A "barrier" poured around the foundation just doesn't
sound like a sure thing - rain washes away?, folks dig and plant stuff,
etc. Why would termites not go below the barrier?