DIY termite prevention

[meandmyfamily]

Has anyone done their own termite prevention?  In the past we have paid for it.  It is $1255 for 5 years treatment in our area!  Any DIYers?  Any tips?  I am guessing this is a regional thing.  We are in the Southwest.  Termites are a problem.  Currently we are fine but we can see some tracts on our neighbors home.

[Roots&Wings]

Following. I've read a bit about Borax for termite treatment, but haven't done anything myself yet.

[Clean Shaven]

Interested in this too - I have some evidence of termites on the ground (dirt) in our crawlspace, but nowhere near the wood. Termite company wants $$$ for preventative treatment, but thinking I could DIY.

[Fishindude]

Yeah, I spray around my house and buildings a few times each year, not a big deal.
Big thing is to make sure you don't have soil or mulch heaped up against siding where termites can make direct access from the ground to the bottom of your wood framed walls.

[Jack]

A traditional termite treatment involves digging a trench all the way around your foundation, pouring hundreds of gallons of termiticide into it and letting it soak into the bottom, then mixing the rest of the fill dirt with more termiticide before refilling the trench. (The goal is to get a continuous barrier of termiticide all the way around the foundation, 4 feet deep.) And then drill holes in the basement walls and slab and inject more termiticide.

Here's a detailed set of instructions.

I've considered doing this myself, but haven't because, honestly, that's a lot of work and I'm too lazy (and I'd be worried about missing a spot and screwing it up).

[meandmyfamily]

Here they drill holes in the slab and the dirt around the entire house and fill it with chemicals to make a barrier.  I know I can't do that but was wondering if anyone does anything different.

[Holyoak]

I used a bunch of Spectracide Terminate stakes, and they gobbled them up like candy.  I moved before I could tell if the results were permanent.  Had my home trenched and rodded, using Bayer "Premise", but had a flare-up in the same area that I observed a swarm in the home.  I would do it myself next time, and would ONLY use Termidor or it's equivalent.  Outside of Chlordane, this stuff is supposed to be the best by far.

If you go pro, make sure you insist they mix any chemical from a sealed bottle/bag in front of you...  I truly think my folks diluted it too much/forgot/whatever.  As mentioned, keep 6" or so of space between the framing and dirt, look for mud tubes, keep mulch away, and keep it dry with good drainage/slope!  Moisture problems are a huge invite for termites.  Good luck.

[RetiredAt63]

You are all making me appreciate winter.  -20C discourages them.

[tallen]

I did it last year, have a well near the house so didn't trench all the way around but spot treated the area outside where they where coming in and used termidor foam inside between the joists where I found them and put monitoring stations around the perimiter. No hit on the stations but within a few days of treatment all activity stopped so my spot treatments got em :)

If your a DIY kind of guy it's pretty easy and saves a boatload of money.

[tallen]

Here's the link where I got my stuff and it has videos on how to do it (not an affiliate link, just trying to help)

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/subterranean-termite-treatment-guide-a-478.html

[The_path_less_taken]

THANK YOU for the link!!!

I have a huge problem, but have not wanted to spend 8k to get a pro to treat the house or tent the house.

I actually can lay a piece of plywood on the ground and have them underneath it within days so I know I need to treat.

(chickens eat them like popcorn though)