The Best Termite Protection For Your Yakima County Property

With coloring that ranges from white to brown and black, termites can grow up to an inch long and often have wings. While they may look harmless, subterranean and drywood termites can do a lot of damage. Termites wreak havoc in over half a million homes per year in the US and cost over five billion dollars in damages. Given their destructive nature, protecting your Yakima home from termites is crucial. Here’s what you should know about failed DIY treatments for termites, how to deal with an active infestation, and what you can do to help prevent termites from getting inside your home.

Can You Solve A Termite Problem On Your Own In Yakima County?

Although it may be tempting to look for DIY termite treatments, there’s a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t try and combat these pests on your own. There are homemade remedies that homeowners like to use for termites – but these treatments are unlikely to be effective.

Orange Oil

Homeowners worried about protecting the environment may opt for orange oil, which is an extract made from orange rinds. As an additive for cleaning products, orange oil works great – but its effectiveness for termites isn’t as good.

The active ingredient in orange oil, D-limonene, kills termites on contact. However, orange oil only works if you directly spray it onto the termite. It’s rarely effective at exterminating an entire infestation, and it’s also not as non-toxic as it may seem. Orange oil is low-toxicity compared to some termite treatments, but prolonged exposure to the oil can still cause nausea, vomiting, and even lung irritation for anyone in your home. This product also isn’t very effective against subterranean termites, the most common species for US and Yakima homeowners.

OTC Sprays

Like orange oil, over-the-counter termite sprays have a lot of the same shortcomings. These sprays may kill termites on contact, but they won’t take care of hidden termites that are still causing damage.

Not to mention, many OTC sprays can be even more toxic than orange oil, so using these sprays could potentially put you, your family, or your pets at risk.

Vinegar

White vinegar is another popular home remedy for termite control. The ammonia inside the vinegar can kill termites, but again, you’ll only take care of the ones you see. With most termite infestations, whether drywood or subterranean termites, you need to wipe out the entire colony to get rid of the infestation, and a home remedy like vinegar won’t get the job done.

How To Handle An Active Termite Infestation In Yakima County

For every stray termite that you might spot wandering around your home, there’s usually hundreds more hidden in your walls or your flooring. This is why it’s never a good idea to try and tackle a termite problem on your own. The most effective way to rid your home of these pests is with professional assistance from Prosite.

Not only can we identify what kind of termites are wreaking havoc in your Yakima home, but our experienced professionals have the skills and the gear to locate the root of the infestation too. Rather than wasting your time with DIY products and home remedies that won’t even put a dent into your termite problem, your best option is to call us at Prosite today to learn more about how we can help.

How To Prevent Termites In Yakima County

Termites aren’t as preventable as some pests are, but there are a couple of ways that you can make it harder for them to gain access to your home, such as:

• Termites love cellulose and wood products, so it’s a good idea to store firewood, woodpiles, and any cellulose materials at least twenty feet away from the foundation of your home.
• Termites require moisture to survive, so deal with any drainage issues around your property, such as leaky pipes, obstructed or flooded gutters, and anything else that may be causing water to pool around your foundation.
• Regularly trim tree branches, vegetation, and shrubs located near your home that may provide termites an easy way inside.
• Don’t leave rotting or moisture-damaged wood around your property, as this can also draw termites in.
• Limit soil-to-wood contact, which may also lead to moisture damage and attract termites.

Finally, regular inspections from pest control professionals provide the best and most effective protection against termite infestations. Call Prosite today to learn more about our termite prevention programs.