# Termites



## EWC88 (Jul 8, 2017)

So when I bought my house we did a termite inspection, they saw slight damages from them, all got repair. Sellers had a different company come out to do some type of termite preventative that only last a year or two. Current time today, I am so for a preventative or maybe even a check up as well. 

Was curious if people do this themselves or hire out? Do you go with big names like terminix or family business?


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Nothing patented about what the big guys do. Go with someone that you trust and termite abatement isn't rocket science.


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## EWC88 (Jul 8, 2017)

Lol new to this so no clue who I’d trust so I’ll get some quotes, any products you recommend if I do this DIY?


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## DIY_Sam (Oct 24, 2019)

I recently ordered some Boracare from a company called DoMyOwn.com There are a lot of companies online who sell products although some may not be full strength if you need a license or whatever where you are. I'd do my research first before finding where to order something because of a company's temptation to recommend what they profit off of, if you know what I mean.  Also, be very careful to get actual testimony from friends or neighbors if you use any local company whether a national chain or local vendor. My neighbor used to work for a big company and he quit because his conscience wouldn't let him do what they wanted him to do, e.g. recommending service contracts people didn't need, punching holes with screwdrivers in crawl spaces, etc. It was all about the upsell.


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## Dan1973 (Oct 18, 2019)

Another product to look at is Taurus SC (also available from DoMyOwn.com, or doyourownpestcontrol.com.)


It is a generic form of Termidor, which is what a lot of pros use. Active ingredient is Fipronil - same stuff used on some pet flea/tick topical treatments so when it's dry it is safe for pets.


The sites mentioned above have videos on how to use it - basically you dig a 6" wide and 6" deep trench along your house perimeter, make dirt dams every few feet to control distribution and then you pour the diluted product along the trench. You can take a piece of rebar and make holes in the trench for faster penetration.


One treatment should last several years. The house I bought 3 years ago had some termite activity which was professionally treated by the seller and they used Termidor. I had to do some digging next to the house to fix some plumbing issues and when I put the dirt back I treated that area with Taurus just to make sure I was still protected.


I use the same stuff in a sprayer (diluted more) twice a year and spray the perimeter of the house to control ants and it works great for that as well.


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## weatheredwood (Aug 9, 2007)

I ended up not going the DIY route. I think it was due to the amount of water Termidor recommended. It was around 4 gallons per 10 linear feet.


With that said, I wasn't happy with the company I hired. The guy that came out just wanted to rod the entire perimeter instead of digging a trench. He said it was the same thing. The owner had to come out and then the tech said he was going to dig the trench, but I didn't give him a chance to. The tech also didn't want to drill holes in the patio or driveway. The owner had to come out again. I kept second guessing if he even put the correct amount (or any) Termidor into the mixing tanks.


I believe it is supposed to last 10 years, but I will likely do it again before then. Subterranean termites can destroy your house fast. If you had drywood termites, they are much less destructive and require different treatment techniques.


Edit: 

I just saw a guy just doing the trench and treat method pouring the diluted Termidor instead of using a high volume sprayer. This would make it more DIY friendly. You still would need to be able to get the product under patios or slabs.


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