Don't Let Termites Eat You Out of House and Home

Termites are nature's recyclers. They break down cellulose from fallen trees and decomposing wood and return it to the soil. However, we don't want termites to recycle our houses. The cost of termite damage and toxic treatments annually exceeds one billion dollars, according to the book Common Sense Pest Control. When termites are discovered, homeowners often rush into chemical warfare. "People panic and want the termites gone today," says James Skinner, owner of A&C Exterminators in Long Island, New York. Yet termite damage can be stopped, and even prevented, in far less toxic ways. Here's how:

1. Know Your Pest. If you suspect wood damage due to insects, make sure that you are dealing with termites. Other wood-boring insects, such as carpenter ants or bees, could be the culprit. Three types of termites cause the most damage to buildings:

• Subterranean termites, found throughout the U.S., require moisture to survive and generally live in the soil. They tunnel from their colonies to wood in homes through mud tubes they construct. Subterraneans move indoors when a leak or other source of water is available. The Formosan subterranean termite, on the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts and in Florida and Hawaii, is particularly aggressive.

• Dampwood termites inhabit damp, decaying wood and occasionally dry wood, on the West Coast from British Columbia to lower California.

• Drywood termites, common in the South and all coastal areas, nest in dry wood after entering buildings through cracks.

2. Prevent an Infestation. Keep your property dry. Dampness and wood rot attract termites and provide entryways by cracking your home's foundation. Find and fix all leaks in plumbing. Make sure you have good drainage around your home. Replace defective gutters and redirect those that empty close to the house.

Don't let vines grow on, or plant bushes close to, your home--both trap moisture. Shrubs also block air flow to the foundation, keeping it warm for termites.

Keep wood piles, debris, compost and stacks of newspapers, which termites eat, at least ten feet from your house. Raise firewood or lumber at least 8 inches on cinder blocks or on another non-wood platform. Remove dead tree stumps.

3.Use Least Toxic Alternatives. "In the past, there weren't any alternatives to chemical treatments. But in the last ten years, there has been a lot of progress," says Bill Quarles, managing editor of IPM Practitioner, a publication of Bio-Integral Research Center (BIRC). Infestations of subterranean termites have been treated conventionally by applying chemicals such as chlorpyrifos (Dursban™), and permethrin to the soil to act as a barrier and repellent. Exposure to Dursban, an organophosphate pesticide, may cause acute poisoning and chronic neurological damage. The EPA classifies permethrin as a possible human carcinogen. "Tenting," a method in which the affected house is covered with plastic and gases such as methyl bromide or sulfuryl fluoride (Vikane™) are pumped in, is used on heavy infestations of drywood termites. These gases are highly toxic and have caused the deaths of both workers and residents.

An alternative to toxic chemicals is early detection through regular inspection. Though any sign of termites can be alarming, a small infestation can be easily contained without resorting to extreme measures. Some signs to look for are fecal pellets, which look like little piles of sawdust; holes above the pellet piles (from which the pellets are pushed out); swarming insects on warm spring days; or half-inch wide mud tubes--usually found on the side of the house, extending from the soil to the wood. A thorough inspection, however, requires a trained professional. Homeowners who have experienced a termite infestation should inspect annually, while others should inspect every two years, according to William Schroeder, executive director of the Professional Pest Control Association of New York. Generally, termite inspections are not costly, and some pest control operators (PCOs) will conduct free inspections. In seeking a termite inspector, look for a member of a state or national pest control association, which keeps members abreast of regulations and new methods.

Treating small infestations of dampwood and drywood termites can be as simple as removing infested and rotted wood. Smashing mud tubes can keep subterranean termites at bay by destroying their bridge to your house. To kill termites, PCOs can apply heat to infested walls or heat up the entire house, shock them with electricity using an electrogun, or freeze them by injecting liquid nitrogen into wall voids. (These methods are labor intensive and are most cost-effective as spot treatments.)

For subterranean termites, one of the most promising treatment methods is the Sentricon System™. If termites are found in traps, an insect growth regulator, hexaflumuron, is placed in bait stations. Termites take the bait and spread it throughout the colony. Skinner's first experience with Sentricon sold him on the system. In a year, he was able to completely eradicate a colony that had been plaguing a house in Long Island, New York, for four years. Because the system includes continued monitoring even after the termites have been eliminated, Quarles says, "It is termite insurance."

Another new treatment, effective on all types of termites, is a soil-borne beneficial fungus called Bio-Blast™, which is common in soil but lethal to termites. Bio-Blast must be applied in termite galleries to make an impact because it requires direct contact.

If you find you have termites, don't panic. Remember, termite damage is relatively slow. Investigate your options and get estimates from a number of PCOs . "There's never a case where it's an emergency," says Schroeder.