» Termite Inspection
» Treatments
» Low Impact Programs
» Preparation
The living chainsaws inside your walls
Q: What causes over $11 billion in damage to homes throughout the United States every year, but is rarely covered by homeowner’s insurance policies (or Federal disaster relief funds, for that matter)?
A: Termites. Common, everyday, tiny yet exceptionally destructive termites who can silently be at work chewing through the wood structures inside your walls, ceilings, flooring and foundations for many years without you ever knowing they are there.
Termites live on wood. A substantial component of most homes in the U.S. is wood. The alarming facts are that termite infestations do more damage to homes every year than fires and floods combined.
Expert Termite and Pest Control
With over 70 years of experience in homes and businesses throughout California, Antimite’s systematic inspection and treatment program can help detect the presence and severity of termite activity – and more importantly – take the necessary steps to protect your home.
Termite Inspection
Don’t see termites anywhere inside or outside of your home? That doesn’t mean they aren’t there – literally eating you out of house and home.
The fact is that termites only swarm once or twice a year and you may not see them until they’ve done considerable damage. The Antimite experts know the tell-tale signs of termite infestation and will thoroughly inspect your home or business, looking for:
- Termite-damaged or hollow-sounding wood
- Pinholes in drywall or wallpaper
- Small piles of sawdust under flooring or along baseboards (drywood termites)
- Piles of small wings
- Other conditions that may affect your structure, like other wood destroying organisms
- Mud tubes built for protection while termites travel above ground (subterranean termites)
Termite Treatments: Fumigation
Fumigation through Antimite includes the careful, skillful introduction of the correct amount of fumigant gas throughout an enclosed space to eliminate termites and other pests.
Fumigants are used because of their ability to reach termites and other pests where other pesticides cannot penetrate, for example in wall voids and unseen cracks and crevices, and they even penetrate into pores in wood. This allows us to eliminate drywood termites in all areas of your structure. Sulfuryl Fluoride, the active ingredient of Vikane was developed for structural fumigation and used particularly against drywood termites for this purpose. Vikane is nonflammable and non-staining, and does not react with items or compounds in the structures.
Preparing for Termite Fumigation
If your home has been scheduled for fumigation by Antimite, there are a few steps you will need to take in order to provide you with the best possible service and the least inconvenience.
These steps must be taken or fumigation may need to be rescheduled for another time.
- All items suitable for consumption by humans (i.e. foods, beverages, drugs and medicines) that are not in factory sealedmetal cans or plastic bottles must be removed from the structure or double bagged. The items must be bagged in special bags designed for the fumigation process and must be twisted, folded over and sealed with tape, rubber bands or tie wraps. Food inside of refrigerators and freezers must also be double bagged.
- All people, pets and plants must leave or be removed from the building prior to fumigation.
- Do not reenter the structure prior to the licensed fumigator declaring that it is cleared for reentry.
- Notify the fumigation company of any items that connect your structure to another, such as: tunnels, pathways, conduits, etc.
- All heating elements must be unplugged (i.e. heaters, electric skillets, etc.).
- All pilot lights must be extinguished (i.e. ovens, hot water heaters, furnaces, dryers, etc.).
- Gas must be shut off at the main gas value. Shrubbery should be trimmed around the gas meter to allow access for shutoff.
- Turn off all automatic switch controls on all lighting systems and/or appliances.
- All interior doors, closets, drawers and cabinets must be opened. Open drapes, raise blinds and open attic vents.
- All items obstructing the natural flow of the structure must be removed or retracted. These items include: antenna, guide wires, weather vanes or retractable awnings.
- Cut back trees (including those touching the roof) and shrubbery around the structure to prevent damage.
- Remove all pillows and mattresses with waterproof covers.
Termite Low Impact Programs
Termite Treatments: Thermal
Another Antimite method to control destructive pests like termites is our thermal treatment. This proven technique uses heat to kill any drywood termites infesting any structural wood. For the most effective results, highly trained Antimite technicians identify and isolate specific locations of drywood termite activity and expose these areas to sustained application of heated air. While laboratory tests have proven that application of 120-degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes is lethal to drywood termites, Antimite isolates and raises the temperature of infested areas to 160 degrees – about as hot as a sauna. This not only kills termites, but their eggs as well.
The Benefits of Thermal Treatments
A growing number of Antimite customers prefer our thermal termite eradication program for it’s many benefits, including:
- No chemicals are used
- No need to vacate the premises
- 1 Day treatment process (in most cases)
- No odor residue from the treatment
- No roof damage (sometimes caused by “tenting”)
- No bagging of foodstuffs or medicines required
- No potential harm to pets and aquatic creatures
With our thermal treatment process, Antimite’s Heat Division can treat large or small areas of termite infestation with a single application in only six (6) to eight (8) hours. Individual areas of a structure can be sectioned off so treatment is confined to infested areas only. Even inaccessible areas, such as attic areas, can be effectively treated.
Protecting Your Heat-Sensitive Items
Antimite protects any of your large items that cannot easily be removed from a room (TVs, stereo systems, etc.) with special thermal blankets during treatment. We recommend removing sensitive items such as plants, artwork, candles, plastics, CDs and the like from any area receiving thermal treatment.
Before fumigation of your home
Some important steps need to be taken before Antimite fumigates your home. Here’s what you will need to do:
- All items suitable for consumption by humans (i.e. foods, beverages, drugs and medicines) that are not in factory sealedmetal cans or plastic bottles must be removed from the structure or double bagged. The items must be bagged in special bags designed for the fumigation process and must be twisted, folded over and sealed with tape, rubber bands or tie wraps. Food inside of refrigerators and freezers must also be double bagged.
- All people, pets and plants must leave or be removed from the building prior to fumigation.
- Do not reenter the structure prior to the licensed fumigator declaring that it is cleared for reentry.
- Notify the fumigation company of any items that connect your structure to another, such as: tunnels, pathways, conduits, etc.
- All heating elements must be unplugged (i.e. heaters, electric skillets, etc.).
- All pilot lights must be extinguished (i.e. ovens, hot water heaters, furnaces, dryers, etc.).
- Gas must be shut off at the main gas value. Shrubbery should be trimmed around the gas meter to allow access for shutoff.
- Turn off all automatic switch controls on all lighting systems and/or appliances.
- All interior doors, closets, drawers and cabinets must be opened. Open drapes, raise blinds and open attic vents.
- All items obstructing the natural flow of the structure must be removed or retracted. These items include: antenna, guide wires, weather vanes or retractable awnings.
- Cut back trees (including those touching the roof) and shrubbery around the structure to prevent damage.
- Remove all pillows and mattresses with waterproof covers.
