Table Of Contents
What Are Termites?
Termites are tiny insects but cause substantial structural damages. They can cause a lot of mayhem in your home if you do not eradicate them as soon as you notice the early signs of infestation. The cost of termite treatment is high and could be extremely expensive if you do not detect and eliminate termites sooner rather than later.
The damage of termites is estimated at roughly 100 million dollars in Australia and more than 300 billion dollars worldwide.
So, how much does termite treatment cost? There are several approaches used in termite treatment. Subsequently, various factors affect the methods of treatment used and the total cost in turn. This article will look at termite treatment and the factors that affect the cost of termite treatment.
But before that, let’s look at how to prevent termite infestation and prepare for termite inspections before treatment. Let’s dive into it!
Preventing Termite Infestation
You have more than likely heard of the phrase that ‘prevention is better than a cure’. This phrase is very accurate when it comes to termite control or pest control in general. As already mentioned, termites can cause severe structural damage within a short time.
The best thing is to prevent their infestation before s large population is established. How then can one prevent termite infestation?
- Termites primarily depend on wood for food and shelter. Therefore, the first step in preventing their infestation would be removing any unnecessary wood from your home. It would help to keep firewood and any other wood items away from your house to prevent termite infestation.
- If you have to keep wood structures close to your house, it is best to treat them and keep them away from moisture since termites like moist environments.
- Another way is having a termite barrier in your home. Termite barriers could be expensive, especially if you have a big home. Therefore, before installing one, it is best to consult a professional.
- Lastly, you can also prevent termite infestation by immediately repairing damaged materials around your home. Termites love damp areas; thus, damaged roofs, wood structures, or pipes would attract them. The best thing is to repair these as quickly as possible to prevent termite infestation.
Inspection Of Termites
As soon as you think you notice any signs of termite infestation, you need to prepare for a termite inspection before a final treatment can be utilized. An assessment would confirm the presence of termite infestation and enable you to organize for termite treatment in good time. Termite inspection comprises of checking the potential hiding places for termites such as the roof, garden, wood structures, basements, etc. Termite inspection costs would depend on the size of your home. So, how does one prepare for a termite inspection?
Preparing For Termite Inspection
- Termites like hiding in moisturized places; therefore, most experts in termite inspection would want to test the moisture levels on your walls. To enable easier access to the walls and save time, it is best to move all your furniture away from the walls and towards the center of the house
- Further, it would help if you remove everything from places with a lot of moisture. Places near pipes, the kitchen, bathrooms, and under the sink tend to have a lot of moisture and could be good hiding places for termites.
- Scatter any piles of firewood and cut bushy vegetation in your home compound for easier accessibility. This will help make places like the garage, basements, and ceilings more accessible for the experts.
Termite Treatment
The immediate step after termite inspection is termite treatment. There are various termite treatment methods; however, the expert who conducted the inspection would advise you on the best method to use, considering all the factors from the inspection. Below are some of the approaches used in termite treatment.
Quick Fix
This approach only targets the places where the experts located termites during the inspection. It does not offer a long-term effect but could be effective in the short-term eradication of termites.
The methods involved in quick fix termite treatment include dusting, foaming, or spraying. Quick fix termite treatment costs from around $300 to $900 depending on your home’s size and structural design, in addition to the company you hired.
Foam Treatment
This method is primarily used when the termites hide in the ceiling, in cracks and crevices, or inside the wood where applying liquid solutions is not easy. The foam used can expand and fill the whole place it is applied, thus trapping all the termites inside.
Termite foams exist in different varieties. There are the types that would kill the termites instantly, while others take some time to work. Those that take time to kill termites are recommended since they allow the termites to move the chemical to others, killing many more termites.
Dust Treatment
Dust treatment works in the same way as foam treatment. Once a few termites get into contact with the dust, they do not die instantly. Instead, the dust allows them to move and intermingle with the rest, thus making it possible to eradicate most of the termite colony.
In this approach, the experts drill small holes in the areas infested and apply the dust before covering the holes. The dust suffocates the termites, with the darkness preventing them from being exposed to sunlight.
However, it is imperative to remember that this method is more effective on small termite colonies and has a short-term effect. If the termite colony is too large, it is best to apply a full termite treatment.
Spray Treatment
Just like the other two methods, the spray treatment targets the areas where experts have located the termites. Spray treatment involves the use of either repellent or non-repellent chemicals. Termites can easily recognize the repellent chemical and look for new hiding places. Therefore, the use of non-repellent chemicals is recommended since termites cannot detect them.
Termite Bait Treatment
The termite baiting system is one method of complete termite treatment. Some experts in termite treatment prefer this method to termite barriers because of the building design. When you choose this method, be prepared to depart with about $2,000 to $4,500 from your wallet. This pricing, however, is dependent on the size of your house.
This method requires frequent check-ups. Upon the detection of termites, the experts will use a termiticide that acts slowly. The aim is to reach and kill the entire termite colony. Termite baits work effectively both above the ground and in the soil. When used in the soil, the baits are placed three meters apart to attract the termites.
Experts use an insect growth regulator, which destroys the termite’s exoskeleton and subsequently kills them. The termite baiting system is not only a treatment method but also a prevention method. It would help to have more baits in your home to obtain better results. The baiting system may last longer but also requires patience in its use.
Termite Barrier Treatment
Termite barriers can be placed anywhere in your home compound. Their effect lasts for as long as eight years. In termite barrier treatment, either repellent or non-repellent chemicals could be used. However, it is recommended for one to use non-repellent chemicals.
The termites cannot detect non-repellent chemicals; thus, it enables the eradication of the entire termite colony once one or a few get into contact with the chemical. Termite barrier treatment costs from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on the chemical used, the areas treated, the building design, and the home’s size.
In most cases, the use of a repellent chemical is cheaper than using a non-repellent chemical. However, repellent chemicals only prevent the termites from using their regular entry points, but termites could always find new entry points.
Baiting Or Barrier System?
There are debates on which method is better than the other. A termite barrier involves the use of chemicals. It may not be easy to apply the chemicals in all regions around the home, as accessing other places may not be possible. This process could also be very costly. On the other hand, baits can be placed anywhere around your home. However, to obtain better results, it would help to combine both the methods if possible.
Factors Affecting Termite Treatment Costs
The cost of termite treatment is not standard. Several factors affect the price of termite treatment including:
The Size of the Property
The size of the property determines the type of treatment method used. If your home is on the larger side, you are likely to spend more on termite treatment.
Building Design
The design of construction impacts the specific treatment method used. Places such as basements, subfloors, and slabs determine which method to be used in treatment. In turn, the treatment method determines the total cost of treatment.
The Location of Your Home
As already mentioned, termites generally like places with a lot of moisture. Therefore, the location of your home would determine the level and type of treatment required. If your home is located in a region with favorable conditions for the survival of termites, you are highly likely to suffer large termite infestation, thus spending more on treatment.
The Level of Termite Infestation
The extent of termite infestation determines the treatment method to be used. Treatment methods for more minor infestations are cheaper, while more extensive termite infestation treatment would require full treatment methods, which are more expensive.
Similarly, the period of infestation also influences the cost of treatment. Termites cause a lot of damage within a short period. If an infestation exists for long periods, the colony’s size will increase, thus more damage. This would mean spending more on treatment.
The Type of Termites
Primarily, there are two types of termites; dry wood and subterranean termites. Every kind of termite prefers staying in different places. The infested dwellings, in turn, determine the treatment method, which affects the cost.
Climatic Conditions
The climatic conditions of a place affect the cost of termite treatment. Termites prefer areas with a lot of moisture; most termites are seen during rainy periods. Climatic conditions favoring the survival of termites would mean spending a lot of money on termite treatment.
Choosing A Termite Treatment Method
Most people prefer cheaper treatment methods because they do not necessarily have to spend a lot of money. However, the more affordable treatment methods are short-term and only effective where small termite colonies are involved. Quick-fix methods such as dusting, foaming, and spraying could lead one to eventually spend a lot of money.
The complete treatment methods like baiting systems and barriers may seem expensive, but they are always more effective. They have a long-term effect and could prevent the return of termites in the future. If you notice or suspect any signs of termite infestations, it would help if you consult a Jim’s Building Inspector to carry out a termite inspection.
The expert would advise you on the best treatment method to use. Remember, the total cost of termite treatment depends on time. The earlier you detect the termites, the more you could save on treatment.
