Do-it-yourself termite-extermination tips for homeowners

As a homeowner, you will have to deal with a variety of obstacles when keeping your home free of damage and intruders. One of the most difficult and frustrating of these obstacles is termites.

Hard to detect and harder to get rid of, termites can cost you thousands of dollars in extermination fees. Even though it may seem beyond your scope of ability, you can do your own termite treatment, saving you money and giving you peace of mind.

Termites cause a surprisingly large amount of damage for their small size. You will find three main types of termites in the U.S.: dry wood, damp wood and subterranean.

Subterranean termites are found across the country, while dry wood and damp wood are found more often in coastal regions. Because of their prevalence, subterranean termites cause the most damage, costing homeowners about $4 million every year. The majority of treatment options available are formulated for subterranean termites, so knowing more about these damaging pests will help you to carry out your termite treatment successfully.

Subterranean termites live where their name suggests: underground. They create nests that are occupied by colonies consisting of castes of termites. Workers go out to forage for food before bringing it back to the colony. Swarmers (or "reproductives") are winged and fly out to mate. Colonies also include secondary reproductives and soldiers that are larger and that work to protect the colony.

The colony may be well established in your yard, feeding on tree stumps, woodpiles, or any other wood in contact with the soil. Termites may enter your home where wooden structural elements meet the ground.

Since termites prefer to remain hidden in wood or underground, you won't often see them milling about in your house, but there are some telltale signs of infestation. Raised tunnels of mud, or shelter tubes, on your home near your foundation or indoors can be a clear sign of a termite infestation. Termites kick waste and wood particles out of their tunnels. The waste resembles small pellets, and these pellets pile up around infested wood.

If you suspect you have termites, you can test suspicious wood - like near the foundation, bases of walls, and flooring - by using a sharp tool, like a screwdriver, and probe the wood. If you have an infestation, the wood should give way easily.

Once you have conducted a thorough inspection and have a good idea of the extent of your damage, you will have to decide which direction you want to go in your termite extermination. One of the main differences between professional pest control companies and you is the equipment and products you will use. All the termite treatment and control supplies the pros use are available to you through online retailers, like DoMyOwnPestControl.com.

There are two main methods of control: liquid soil treatments and baiting systems. Liquid soil treatments create a barrier to keep termites from foraging. Trenching around your home, along with drilling into your home's foundation, is usually a necessary step in this type of treatment. This invasive treatment can be off-putting, can last in the soil for years without re-treating, and the termicide used is fast-acting and can reduce termite populations rapidly, as termites encounter the poison quickly.

Bait systems use food sources to draw termites out of your home, then replace the food with poisoned bait. This type of treatment doesn't require invasive drilling or digging, and can be quite effective and easier to install, as seen in this video. However, there is no guarantee when the termites will encounter the baits, so the effectiveness of this treatment can be delayed and requires more upkeep.

Regardless of which method you use, it is definitely possible for you to do your own termite extermination. With a little research and education, you can become your own professional.