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Do you
issue Bond Letters, Termite Letters, or Clearance Letters?
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Do you
sell Termite Bonds?
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The sills
of my home are constructed of pressure treated lumber; will I
have to worry about termites?
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I have a
metal building with a slab concrete floor. I should never have
to worry about termites.
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What is
the importance of operational foundation vents in the control of
termites?
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Do you
have anything you can spray for rats?
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Do you
have any of that rat bait that when the rats die they don’t
smell?
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Every
time I treat the fire ants in my yard it seems that they just
move from one spot to another.
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What can
you do for spiders?
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Why are
cockroaches so hard to control?
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What is
the difference between a roach and a waterbug?
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I have
roaches in my home, does that mean I am a poor housekeeper?
Q: Do
you issue Bond Letters, Termite Letters, or Clearance Letters?
A: Yes, The correct term
for this type of inspection is “Official Wood Infestation
Reports”.
Discussion: Official
Wood Infestation Reports are issued in conjunction with the
buying, selling or refinancing or otherwise transferring of a
structure from one owner to another. Depending on the financial
institution involved one may or may not be required from property
transfer. Official Wood Infestation Reports do not only cover
termites, but they also include an inspection for powder post
beetles, wood boring beetles, dry wood termites and wood decaying
fungus. So, the term Termite Letter is not appropriate.
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Q: Do
you sell Termite Bonds?
A: No, we treat
structures for termites and provide a written service agreement
and guarantee of our work.
Discussion: Where the
term “bond” came from in the termite industry can not be pin
pointed, but one could assume that it’s insurance related.
Professional Pest Control Companies who perform Termite or Termite
related services are required to be bonded. This a Surety Bond
and has no direct connection with any one structure. In most
cases what our customers refer to as a bond is in fact a service
agreement or warranty.
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Q:
The sills of my home are constructed of pressure treated lumber;
will I have to worry about termites?
A: Yes, pressure treated
lumber can be consumed by termites.
Discussion: Any Termite
Technician with more than a hand full of termite inspections under
his belt can attest to termites infesting and eating pressure
treated wood. Pressure treated wood is treated to resist rot and
decay which some what slows termites but does not prevent them.
Termites in utility poles are an on going problem for utility
companies regardless of the treatment method, creosote or pressure
treating. The key is that the wood is in contact with the
ground. Wood in contact with the ground creates a conducive
condition for termites, moisture & wood.
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Q: I
have a metal building with a slab concrete floor. I should never
have to worry about termites.
A: Not True.
Discussion: Metal and
Slab buildings are no exception in the termite world. In general,
when termites attack this type structure, it’s the interior walls
and furnishings that are attacked.
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Q:
What is the importance of operational foundation vents in the
control of termites?
A: Termites need food,
water & shelter to survive.
Discussion: While
foundation vents alone will not control termites, having
operational foundation vents controls the moisture level of the
wood members in a crawl space therefore depriving termites of the
moisture they need to survive. Most wood destroying organisms
(too include decay fungi) require damp or wet wood to survive.
UN-PLUG Those Foundation Vents!
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Q:
Do you have anything you can spray for rats?
A: No, Spraying is not
a method of treating for rats/mice. I do not know of any
Rodenticide that may be applied by “spraying”.
Discussion: Treatment
and/or service for rats and mice involves several considerations
and treatment methods. Exclusion, Trapping, Monitoring, &
Baiting, are the treatment methods to be considered based on the
environment and location involved.
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Q: Do
you have any of that rat bait that when the rats die they don’t
smell?
A: No, Dead rodents and
animals smell. This is part of the decay process. Regardless of
stated claims or folk tales there is odor associated with this
process.
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Q:
Every time I treat the fire ants in my yard it seems that they
just move from one spot to another.
A: The fire ants are not
actually moving, they are doing what is called in the ant world as
“budding”. It is recommended that fire ant treatment be done in
the late afternoon and evening, a time when most of the colony has
returned to the mound. Treating the mound during the day when the
workers are out and about is not recommended. In the absence of a
King & Queen Ant (killed by improper mound treatment) a colony of
ants may develop secondary reproductives and budding will occur
and a new colony will be established. Treat fire ant mounds at
the proper time and a larger area.
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Q:
What can you do for spiders?
A: There are several
treatment methods available for spiders, the first of which is
Inspection. A trained professional must determine the reason the
spiders are there, “their food source” and type of spider and will
pesticide treatment alone take care of the problem. In many cases
pesticide treatment alone will not effectively control spiders.
Discussion: There are
many factors at homes and businesses that are conducive to
spiders. From outdoor lighting to landscaping. Inspection and
treatment by a trained professional that considers all conducive
areas is key to controlling spider populations.
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Q:
Why are cockroaches so hard to control?
A: Cockroaches are a
social insect and multiply very rapidly. German Cockroaches have
a larger number of eggs per capsule than the other species that
infest structures and a gestation period of 7-10 days.
Discussion: Treating a
home or office once a month for a cockroach infestation is not
effective pest control. At the pace of one treatment per month
the roaches will multiply 3 times in between visits. It is
normally recommended that structures be treated at least twice per
month for lighter infestations and as extreme as weekly for
heavier infestations. Sanitation of the infested areas is key and
very helpful in reducing populations quickly.
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Q:
What is the difference between a roach and a waterbug?
A: Both are roaches
Discussion: What the
average person calls waterbugs are German Cockroaches (Blattella
germanica(Linnaeus), however the proper waterbug is the American
Cockroach. The American Cockroach is also known as the, Waterbug,
Flying Waterbug, in Florida and other Gulf Coast Regions as the
Palmetto Bug. The American Cockroach may grow to 1 ½ inches or
more in length, while the German Cockroach averages ½ to 5/8 inch
long.
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Q: I
have roaches in my home, does that mean I am a poor housekeeper?
A: No, The most common
way to get cockroaches in your home is to visit your local
supermarket and purchase a bag of potatoes or a bag of dry dog
food and bring it home, second, purchase used furniture or
appliances and bring it home and you bring them home with you.
Discussion: When
entomologist study cockroaches in laboratories they feed the
captive roaches potatoes and dry dog food, they love it. It’s
not bad to have roaches, it’s bad to keep them!
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