Spot Treatment for Termites: Is It Effective?

Termites are some of the most structurally destructive pests you can have in your home. Thankfully, there are a lot of pest control methods for treating termite infestations. One of the most widely known is “spot treatment”. What exactly is a spot treatment for termites and how effective is it?

Spot treatment for termites

Spot treatment is the process of “treating a spot” that is infested with termites. The pest controller drills holes in the infested wood and injects a termiticide to get rid of the termite colony.

Getting rid of termites with a spot treatment has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of spot treatments

• Effective in getting rid of termites. In answer the question in the title –  yes,  spot treatment is effective in getting rid of termites. It is a very popular termite control method and there are  a lot of potent termiticides out there commercially available. And they could only become more potent as we understand termites more.
• Great for infestations concentrated in small areas. Spot treatments work best when the enemy is in concentrated areas. For example, if the infestation is limited to a room or a specific part of your home, spot treatments may be the best pest control method for you.
• May eliminate the need for other more invasive pest control methods. Some alternative termite control methods are very invasive. For example, the most common and most effective method of all is termite fumigation. This method bombs your entire home with toxic gas. You will have to leave your home for a few days. This can be a huge hassle for people and may not be worth it, especially if the infestation is only in a small area in the home.

Disadvantages of spot treatments

• They can be ineffective against deeply rooted termites. The process of spot treating wood can be very tricky. You will have to drill holes, inject termiticides, and pray that the termiticides actually reach the termite colony. The problem is that some structures have deep and multiple tunnels. The termiticides may have a hard time reaching the deep ends of the structure.
• They don’t penetrate as well as other pest control methods. Sure, termite fumigation is an invasive pest control method. But it works. This is mainly because it uses gas instead of liquid to get rid of the critters. It is just much more effective in reaching the deep ends of structures. And you won’t even need to bomb a specific area to get rid of the termites there, unlike spot treatments that require precision.
• They need visual evidence to be really potent. Another great thing about termite fumigation is that you don’t necessarily need to look for the signs of a termite infestation. You will bomb the entire home anyway. But spot treatment is different. You will have to look at the signs, such as mud tubes and termite droppings, to know where the termites are and concentrate your attack there.

What we can conclude from these advantages and disadvantages

Spot treatment is effective for termites. It will only get better as companies create more potent termiticides. But it has an inherent flaw. You may miss some termites because of how the process works. No amount of potency from the termiticides will solve this issue.

It’s a good thing that there are other methods available. You have options. You don’t have to settle for a spot treatment that may not even reach the deeply rooted termites in your home.

Other pest control methods

Termites are resilient. It won’t be easy getting rid of them. It is actually better to get the help of pest control professionals. They can diagnose the termite infestation, gauge its severity, and combat it effectively and safely. But there are other pest control methods, some of which you can do yourself.

1. Termite fumigation or tenting

Termite fumigation, also called termite tenting, is the process of bombing your home with a fumigant gas to kill termites. Your home will need to be covered with a tent to contain the gas and avoid it getting into your neighbor’s homes.

Though it is a very effective pest control method, many homeowners find it unattractive because of how invasive it is. You will have to make preparations and leave your home for a few days. And even if you follow protocol, you can still be at risk of health issues like difficulty in breathing, headache, and nausea.

2. Solution injection

Solution injection is the process of injecting a DIY termiticide in the infested structures. It is similar to a spot treatment. There are a lot of DIY solutions you can try, and they all have the same base – water. You can mix boric acid, orange oil, salt, or vinegar with water in no particular ratio. But make sure the boric acid, orange oil, salt, or vinegar is concentrated enough to be effective. Put the resulting solution into a syringe and inject it into the holes of the colony.

The only problem with home remedies is that they tend to have questionable potency. They may work on infestations in small areas, but they may be laughably ineffective on infestations that are more spread out.

3. Solution spray

Solution spray is similar to solution injection. The only difference is that you are simply spraying the solution over the colony and not injecting it into the holes. You can try the same solution from the solution injection – boric acid, orange oil, salt, or vinegar added to a water base. You can also try soapy water, but it can be more slippery compared to the other solutions.

Like solution injection, solution spray can be ineffective against big and mature infestations. But they may work on minor ones.

Spot treatment is effective for termites

Yes, spot treatment is an effective pest control method for termites. It works best in cases where the infestation is concentrated or isolated. But if the infestation is severe and spread out, more invasive methods like termite fumigation may be better.

It’s best to let pest control professionals do the termite fumigation or spot treatment for you. But you can do solution injection and solution spray on your own. Just remember that these solution methods may not be as effective.