The Termite Treatments We Offer

At Lloyd Pest Control, we specialize in a variety of treatment methods to keep you 100 percent termite-free. These include:

Fumigation

You’ve undoubtedly driven by a home covered with what looks like a circus tent in the past. That’s fumigation, the tried-and-true method of drywood termite eradication – one that’s been handed down from company to company since the dawn of pest control. Our fumigation plan comes with the guarantee that we will rid your home of termites and continued termite damage.

After we tent your home or business, we’ll pump it full of Vikane gas (which is harmful to all creatures, including termites). You, your family, and your pets can’t be home, and you have to carefully seal all food from being affected by the materials. Yes, we know that that’s an inconvenience, but it’s also the most effective termite treatment for large structures, killing all termites living in them.

T3

Our T3 targeted treatment is an effective and economical method of treating small, isolated colonies. We begin with a thorough, comprehensive inspection. A pest management professional will visit the property to electronically determine the affected location. Our scanners detect even the faintest vibrations in your walls with extreme accuracy. They’re like stud finders, but for bugs.

After detecting the colony, we’ll either inject termiticide or replace the affected wood. The advantages of T3 treatments are that:

• You don’t have to leave the premises (unlike fumigation)
• You don’t have to seal up food products
• It’s not harmful to pets or humans

Heat Treatments

Lloyd Pest Control’s Thermal Pest Eradication is patented technology to eliminate termites and other pests from structures. We use specialized heat fans to maintain the core of the wood at 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour – a process that that no termite or egg can survive. We can also apply localized heat treatments to smaller areas.

Sentricon® Baiting

For subterranean termites, we place Sentricon® bait stations in soft soil, old tree stumps, irrigation sprinkler heads, and roof downspouts – anywhere subterranean termites like to hang out. These bait stations disrupt termites’ molting process, eliminating current infestations and preventing future ones by taking on colonies as a whole.

Drill and Trench Treatments

A trench dug around your home and filled with termiticide can be a useful method for subterranean termites. When they crawl through the solution, they transport the material back to their homes, eventually killing the entire colony.

Repairs

The last thing we want to do is come in, eradicate all pests, and leave like some callous bounty hunters. We’ve always believed in leaving a place in better shape than when we found it. We’ll replace fascia boards and rafter tails, which are common locations for termite damage.

Take Advantage of Our Termite Treatments

With our variety of termite treatments, we’ll defend your home against the wood-eating pest in the way that’s best for you. Our Termite Protection Plan is the strongest in the business, and we stand by our methods with an eradication guarantee. With Lloyd Pest Control by your side, we’ll take care of termites before they take control of your Southern California home.

The post How Does Lloyd Pest Control Treat Termites? first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

But Seriously, Does Freezing Work?

Yes, freezing termites does work. These pests have a very low tolerance for temperature extremes, and like all of us in Southern California, termites thrive between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you’ve ever taken a San Diegan to the snow, they’re likely to get uncomfortable. It’s the same for termites: They can’t tolerate cold temperatures.

The freezing method involves administering liquid nitrogen to targeted colonies inside your walls. The nitrogen freezes when it turns into gas, and termites can’t survive the resulting chill.

The Downside to Freezing Treatments

Unfortunately, freezing isn’t all cool. Although it’s proven effective, at Lloyd Pest Control, we don’t offer it as a termite treatment – and for one big reason: When it comes down to it, freezing methods aren’t safe. Using liquid nitrogen may seem like an effective solution on paper, but freezing treatments put your water pipes at risk.

Heat Treatments from Lloyd Pest Control

Although freezing isn’t a proper termite control solution, the opposite, heat treatment, is. Our Thermal Pest Eradication is patented technology for eliminating termites and other pests from your structure. We use specialized heat fans to increase the ambient temperature in your home or business to 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is maintained until the wood interior has sustained at least 130 degrees for one hour – a process that that no termite or larvae can survive. We can also apply localized heat treatments to smaller areas.

Heat treatments are also covered by our Termite Protection Plan guarantee –this ensures continued protection even after we leave. The next time termites cause a ruckus in your home or business in Southern California, let the experts at Lloyd Pest Control get the job done right.

The post Does Freezing Work Against Termites? first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

However, we understand the desire for environmentally friendly options. That’s why, in already-warm Southern California, we offer chemical-free termite control that turns the temperature up – to the point that they can’t survive.

Thermal Heat as an Effective Alternative

Lloyd Pest Control’s Thermal Pest Eradication is patented technology for eliminating termites and other pests from the core of structures. We use specialized heat fans until the ambient temperature in your house is 140-160 F. This temperature is maintained until the core of the wood has sustained 130 F for one hour – a process that that no termite or egg can survive.

For single-family houses with isolated colonies, heat treatments can be just as effective as fumigation. You and your pets can also stay in your home while we apply this treatment; plus, you don’t have to bag up any perishable foods. Just think about it: You could be buttering your toast while, in the very next room, we’re toasting your termites! Well, maybe don’t think about that (sorry if we ruined your appetite).

Other Alternatives: Do They Work?

Some pest control companies offer freezing, zapping, or orange oil alternatives to chemical pesticides, all of which work with varying degrees of success. We have found that orange oil – attractive because of its use of natural ingredients – has the most limitations as a spot treatment. Freezing and Electro-Gun treatments have very limited success rates comparable to heat treatments. They are also more invasive and, in the case of freezing, damaging to water pipes.

Take on Termites with Our Heat Treatment

While fumigation is always dependable, we understand you might want a more eco-friendly solution to get rid of termites. That’s why, for termite control throughout Southern California, we offer an effective alternative. With heat, termites have met their match. Our heat treatments are non-invasive and carry our Termite Protection Plan guarantee. Contact us today to get a free quote.

The post What Are Chemical Free Alternatives to Getting Rid of Termites? first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

Drywood Termites’ Colonies

This type of termite is different from those that build their colonies underground. Subterranean termites rely on contact with soil to live, but their drywood counterparts require little moisture. They can survive in attics and other wood structures without access to soil. Drywood termites eat wood and cellulose, leading them to dine on delicacies like books, carpet, and wooden structures in your home.

Life Cycle of the Drywood Termite

Nymphs, or young termites, go through four to seven phases, known as instars, as they develop. Instars occur between two molting periods. As adults, they join swarms to create new colonies. Nymphs are responsible for food-gathering while the kings and queens reproduce.

Drywood Termite Dangers

The drywood termite can wreak havoc on a home once it enters through an eave, windowsill, vent, or other opening. One reason a swarm can cause so much damage is its tendency to spread out into multiple rooms. Multiple colonies can exist in a single structure. And without the need for soil, once inside, they really don’t have to leave your home.

Preventing an Infestation

While the subterranean termite can cause expensive structural damage in just six months, the drywood termite takes up to five years to inflict the same amount of harm. Termite damage is usually not covered by home insurance policies. However, you can rely on your local pest-prevention experts to provide thorough termite inspections to help you prevent infestations and avoid out-of-pocket repair expenses. Because drywood termites are slower to damage your home or building, it’s easier to catch an infestation before it’s too late.

Drywood Termite Extermination

Often, the drywood termite goes undetected due to its nocturnal habits. However, if you do see one or more of the following, chances are good that your home is infested.

• Swarmers flying in autumn
• Broken off wings, specifically near the window
• Pellets that look like coarse sawdust
• Blistering of paint
• Wood damage

Whether you want to avoid future infestations, need treatment for an existing infestation, or just want an inspection to stay on the safe side, Lloyd Pest Control can help. Call us today for a drywood termite inspection or service in your Southern California home or business.

The post The Termites That Live Without Soil first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

The end of summer brings with it melancholy.  But here in Southern California, it also brings Santa Ana winds.  And wildfires.  And a much less publicized disaster waiting to happen:  termites.  Each September and October, millions of mating termites swarm through our skies in search of new homes to colonize.  The annual cost of termite damage in the U.S.?  Five billion dollars.

Wood is critical to the survival of termites, which is why swarms will fly around in the hope of landing on a wood-framed home, garage, fence or gazebo.  Poor eyesight leaves the fate of the termites up to the winds.  For this reason, 99 percent of the termites in a mating swarm will die trying.  Only one percent will successfully find a wooden structure to call home. The lucky male termites that do happen to latch onto a chunk of raw or exposed wood will look for a female partner.  Water-damaged eaves, paint-chipped fascia boards, – these are the ideal conditions for termite romance.   To termites, the exposed two-by-fours of a garage are like merlot and a Barry White album.  Termite babies are born.  The new family feeds itself on the structure.  In time, the family becomes a colony, eating tunnels through the wood frame of the entire structure, often hollowing out beams and studs until they crumble.

San Diego, Riverside, and Orange County are ideal termite breeding grounds because of the combination of heat and humidity that pervades the region during the months of August, September, and October.   Swarming typically takes place on sunny afternoons, when temperatures are between 80 and 90 degrees F.

While termites are somewhat unpredictable and can infest any type of property, there are some measures that you can take to protect your home and prevent termite infestation.

1. Stay up to date on house repairs: Termites will try to find unpainted  crevices or exposed raw wood fissures to bury themselves. Make sure that all wooden surfaces are sealed or painted.  Don’t ignore exposed surfaces in the attic or garage.
2. Use fine mesh screens over vent openings:  Attic and crawl space vents are a very common point of entry for termites. Installing a fine mesh screen on your vents is easy and inexpensive.
3. Get regular termite inspections: Most companies, such as Lloyd Pest Control, provide a free termite inspection.  A healthy interval between termite inspections is two years.  Eradicating termites before too much damage is done can mean the difference between spending a couple of hundred dollars versus thousands of dollars in termite treatment. Termite damage occurs slowly over time, so catching an infestation early is critical.

Termite damage is commonly identified in door frames, garages, and attics.  Just about any wooden expanse, big or small, can be susceptible – even furniture and items of decor. Because termites work beneath the surface, it can take up to five-to-seven years before a termite colony produces any real detectable damage. Don’t panic if you see a couple of termites here or there; this is natural and should not be cause for alarm.

Warning signs that you may have a mature termite colony and infestation include:

1. A swarm of termites emanating from your house, or termites flying around inside
2. Piles of sawdust-like pellets or translucent wings abandoned near window sills and sliding glass doors.
3. Surface blisters on wood.  Often these blisters are caused by tunnels, or “˜galleys,’ dug by termites.

Following these simple termite preventative measures – and being able to identify termite warning signs – can help you avoid the costs and headaches caused by drywood termite swarms.

Dr. Eric Paysen is the lead Entomologist and Technical Director at Lloyd Pest Control, a Southern California-based company that specializes in ant and termite solutions. Dr. Paysen holds a Ph.D. in Entomology from Clemson University. See more from Dr. Paysen here.

The post Termite Season: Termite Warning Signs and Termite Prevention. first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.