Has anyone bought Termite Control ?

David Stifle

David Stifle

Joined
Nov 20, 2008
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I had an agent of a national pesticide company out last week. He said since my home has a stone foundation I didn't qualify for their nationally promoted $29.99 per month. That would be for installing a Dow Chemical product called senticom (of which they are, I believe, the sole national distributor) and periodic inspections. Instead, he offered to install these bait stations for around $1,200. with a $300. yearly fee for refurbishing the chemical baits. (I don't want to name the company, as I'm not sure if it would violate forum rules or not)

I've since done extensive research on this company, and found they appear to have terrible customer service, and that the effectivness of the product itself is heavily questioned by both customers and a large group of professionals.

I told him no, thank you very much. I don't think I have them, I'm just trying to think ahead. It would be good to have some form of effective protection.

How have you guys approached this issue, and what are your results?
 
yes I have Termite pest control. I live in a mobile home. the bottom is all wood. those prices sound high. I paid 1,000.00 to start the program and 200.00 per year just so they come out and craw under the house and check plus I keep the insurance that covers my mobile home if it ever get's them. I would just start looking around at all of they other people that are doing it to and see what there prices are. you need to see if they are going to be around to pay the claim if it happens.
 
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Some companies have dogs that can smell termites. You could also get under the house with a hammer and go tappin around for anything that feels soft. Cypermethrin is effective in the control of termites. I personally would stay away from any baits. They release a hormone attractant to bring in the termites which may in turn bring in a problem that never would have found you.
 
seedsacker said:
Some companies have dogs that can smell termites. You could also get under the house with a hammer and go tappin around for anything that feels soft. Cypermethrin is effective in the control of termites. I personally would stay away from any baits. They release a hormone attractant to bring in the termites which may in turn bring in a problem that never would have found you.
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I agree with that. That's one reason I didn't get these guys.
 
David, I owned a home inspection business for 8 years and worked with a ton of bug & pest guys. You could say I learned a few things from them. I paid to have the Sentricon system installed at my mom's house about 10 years ago. It was only later that I learned about the only people who like Sentricon are those who sell it, monitor it and re-bait it.

What I did after that was to hire a local Pest Control company to monitor my moms house. This involves a technician coming out once a quarter and checking for termites. Took around 20 minutes and he was gone. It takes a while for termites to cause damage. It doesn't happen overnight. I can't remember how much I paid for that service, but it wasn't a whole lot. I want to say it was less than $40.

In our personal house, we had them come out, check for termites and give us a general spraying. That cost us around $60 (we had a spider problem at the time).

In dealing with Contractors and Pest Control people, I can tell you many are like a lot of mechanics, they don't get paid if there's not a problem and you'll be surprised at the problems they can find ;)
 
Mudbug007 said:
David, I owned a home inspection business for 8 years and worked with a ton of bug & pest guys. You could say I learned a few things from them. I paid to have the Sentricon system installed at my mom's house about 10 years ago. It was only later that I learned about the only people who like Sentricon are those who sell it, monitor it and re-bait it.

What I did after that was to hire a local Pest Control company to monitor my moms house. This involves a technician coming out once a quarter and checking for termites. Took around 20 minutes and he was gone. It takes a while for termites to cause damage. It doesn't happen overnight. I can't remember how much I paid for that service, but it wasn't a whole lot. I want to say it was less than $40.

In our personal house, we had them come out, check for termites and give us a general spraying. That cost us around $60 (we had a spider problem at the time).

In dealing with Contractors and Pest Control people, I can tell you many are like a lot of mechanics, they don't get paid if there's not a problem and you'll be surprised at the problems they can find ;)
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Thanks Don,

That was a kind of input I needed. I've certainly noticed how many "problems" technicians find, be they plumbers, heating and A/C guys, or pest control guys. I've been told the big chain home building companies have effective sprays a guy can use, maybe I'll just do it myself.
 
Termidor is a good termite killer. It's been about 5 years since I've been in the business, don't know if they have a Consumer friendly product or not now. At one time, only licensed Pest Control people could buy it.

Personally, I wouldn't spray if I didn't need to. I don't like all those chemicals around my home. We stopped our quarterly pest control when my daughter was born for this reason. Now I check my home myself and if I was to find them, you can bet I'd use this stuff in a New York second. Just don't want to use it of I don't have to.
 
Back in my days as a research chemist, the company I worked for formulated, compounded, and packaged insecticides. We packaged the green cans of DEET for the troops in Vietnam, and also made a powerful chemical called Vapona. It was a mix of malathion and kepone. We had lab test drums of it in the warehouse, and would get a couple gallons, dig a trench around the house, mix it with about 50 gallons of water, and pour it along the trench...... then cover it up. I don't think termites could invade those places for over 100 years. Unfortunately, it probably isn't safe for anyone else who digs in that dirt for the same period of time. The company that made the kepone eventually had a waste water spill in Hopewell VA that poisoned the James river for over 20 years. That product is now illegal, and procedures for termite application are much better today. As much as I and many on this forum are DIY guys, these chemicals and their application are for professionals. Get a known small local company with a good reputation. As has been said, the big name folks make their money by selling you a lot of things you don't need for more than it is worth.
 
I would be extremely carefull of all pestcides they are dangerous.The exception would be the borax compound.
Pestcides are everywhere !! Sprayed inbuildings, supermarkets and any kind of building you could imagine.The latest invention is a pesticide that chemically bonds to fibers like cotton and some to cotton and polyester
.These are also very difficult to wash off and will contaminate anything it touches !! Common now is the addition of a penetrant which takes the pesticide through things Don't bother to peel the potato the pesticide is already in the entire potato. Penetrants are also used in the printing industry !
The dangers are real ! The latest study shows that Roundup is most likely involved with causing Parkinsons and other medical problems !
Welcome to our pestcide world
 
I used them once. I did not bite on the quarterly treatment plan, which is where they make their money. Get one diagnostic and treatment, and "see ya."
 
Mudbug007 said:
Termidor is a good termite killer. It's been about 5 years since I've been in the business, don't know if they have a Consumer friendly product or not now. At one time, only licensed Pest Control people could buy it.

Personally, I wouldn't spray if I didn't need to. I don't like all those chemicals around my home. We stopped our quarterly pest control when my daughter was born for this reason. Now I check my home myself and if I was to find them, you can bet I'd use this stuff in a New York second. Just don't want to use it of I don't have to.
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this thread popped up at the right time.. just sold my house and I'm moving back into town (tulsa) the house I bought I found termites, so far they appear to be isolated to one particular area... I've been doing research like mad on the net....house was vacant for over 18months and owner had canceled his annual termite inspections, anyhow they've been eating for a year I'd say, and from my lengthy study its Termidor or go home.... period.... seller paid to have house treated and I was there to make sure these guys did like my studies revealed :)

there are also a gob of recluse spiders on a glue board there (house has been vacant), so I bought around 144 glue boards online as well as some bora care to spray on all the areas I demo to replace the wood these worthless scoundrels have destroyed, no telling how much damage until I dive into this thing......

termidor has been nationally tested by various institutions and universitys and appears to hold out for 8 yrs thus far..
 
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