termite inspections Archives

Termite Fumigation vs. Local Treatments

Leave a Comment / Termite Fumigation / John Gelhard

Termite Fumigation vs. Local Treating Fumigation Pros: A successful fumigation eliminates all living termites in a home. Although fumigation does not penetrate egg casings, termite offspring cannot digest wood without ingesting protozoans from adult termites. Since the fumigation kills all adults, the colony cannot regenerate. The most comprehensive treatment available, reaching all wood structures in […]

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Professional vs. do it yourself termite treatments

DIY vs. Professional

Leave a Comment / Termite Treatments / John Gelhard

DIY vs. Professional Professional vs. DIY Over the years, I’ve inspected countless homes where the owner tried to handle their termite problem on their own. These DIY attempts range from spraying swarmers with Raid to taping over drywood termite kickout holes in hopes of sealing the problem away. When homeowners turn to big-box stores—whether their

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Is Termite Fumigation Going Away in California?

Leave a Comment / Termite Fumigation / John Gelhard

Is Termite Fumigation Going Away in California? California leads the nation in environmental regulations, especially when it comes to air quality and global warming. When I replaced my water heater a few years ago, I had to purchase a low-emissions model. Until then, I never even considered that water heaters produced emissions—let alone enough to

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Fear of Fumigation

Leave a Comment / Termite Fumigation / John Gelhard

Don’t Let the Fear of Fumigation Stop You from Contacting a Termite Company… because many times you don’t need to. According to Section 1992 of the California Structural Pest Control Board Act, any termite treatment other than fumigation is considered substandard. If a termite company recommends an alternative treatment, they are legally required to disclose

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Attic Hazards

Leave a Comment / Termite Inspection / John Gelhard

Attic Hazards Attic Hazards Nails. Attics are filled with nails — thousands of them — protruding through the roof sheathing, their sharp points just waiting to get you. I’ve hit my head on them so many times that I joke about styling my hair with Neosporin. It’s not funny when it happens, though. Truss Plates.

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Termite Inspection Mishaps

Leave a Comment / Termite Inspection / John Gelhard

Termite Inspection Attic Mishaps Ask any termite inspector or technician how many times they’ve put a foot through a ceiling, and they’ll likely give you an exact number—along with a vivid, sad story. No one ever wants to step through a ceiling; it’s one of the worst feelings imaginable. If it happens during an initial

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Communication in the Termite Industry

Leave a Comment / Termite Inspection / John Gelhard

Communication in the Termite Industry A termite inspection isn’t just about identifying termites and other wood-destroying organisms—it’s also about clear communication between the inspector and the termite technicians who will complete the treatment. Inspectors use two key tools to relay information: graphs and chalk marks. Graphs: Mapping the Infestation Graphs, created on paper or a

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The Importance of Masking Termite Droppings

Leave a Comment / Drywood Termites, Termites / John Gelhard

The Importance of Masking Termite Droppings A termite inspector looks for four main signs of infestation: termite damage, subterranean termite mud tubes, termite wings, and termite droppings (frass). Termite droppings are made of wood and do not decompose over time. Some inspectors claim droppings darken with age, but unless they saw them when they were

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Four Reasons to Appreciate Termites

Leave a Comment / Termites / John Gelhard

Four Reasons to Appreciate Termites Let’s be honest—no one outside the pest control business likes termites. Those of us in the industry? We don’t mind a good termite swarm, as long as it’s not in our own or our customers’ homes. But termites do serve a purpose in nature. Without them, along with fungi and

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5 Signs You Have Drywood Termites

Leave a Comment / Drywood Termites / John Gelhard

5 Signs You Have Drywood Termites Termite Droppings (Frass) Drywood termites eat wood and leave behind tiny, sand-like droppings called frass. Since they live inside the wood, they push their frass out as their colony expands. You might find termite droppings on the floor, on belongings in your garage, on a trash can, or on

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