Termites cost homeowners more than $5 billion annually—this is more than floods, tornadoes and fires combined. Protect one of your most precious investments—your home. AEL Pest Solutions, your metro Atlanta and west Georgia termite control company, understands that termites are a fact of life in the southeast and no structure, not even brick or concrete slab construction, is immune to their insidious appetite. Yet termite infestations are often difficult to detect and not covered by your homeowners insurance.
The most common termite in our area is the Eastern Subterranean termite. They live underground and are considered “silent destroyers” because they often cause damage before their presence is even known. In Georgia, studies show that there are 8-12 colonies of Subterranean termites per acre, consisting most commonly of the Eastern Subterranean termite species. Each of those Eastern Subterranean termite colonies can range in size from 20,000 to 5 million members—meaning that, per acre, there could be up to 60 million termites in Georgia.
The first visible sign of termites may be a “swarm” appearing in the spring. If so, this may only be the tip of the iceberg. Termites, which look like flying ants, shed their wings—typically paper-thin—in early spring during mating (swarm) season. Termites are harmless to anything other than wood and cellulose products, but the site of them can be alarming to a homeowner. Worker termites are active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, foraging for new food sources and gathering food to nourish the rest of the termite colony: queens, soldiers, reproductive and young. You may also see pencil-sizes mud tunnels around your foundation and damaged wood. If you notice wooden building parts beginning to sag unexpectedly, you should have a professional pest management company like AEL Pest Solutions inspect your property for termites.
One way to prevent termites is to understand what they’re attracted to. Moisture is conducive to termite issues. Diverting water away from the foundation of your home can minimize your risk of termite activity. Excessive mulch or pine straw or large, overgrown bushes can prevent the soil around a home from drying out, creating an opportunity for termites and other pests to thrive. Sealing crack and holes in your foundation helps to reduce the number of access points for termites and other pests. Ideally, wood siding, stucco and other cellulose-based building materials should be at least six inches above ground.
Your AEL Pest Solutions pest professional will educate you about conducive conditions and recommend actions you can take to do your part in preventing a termite infestation. Contact us today at 678-664-2474 or complete the form below for your FREE inspection and evaluation.
The two most common types of termite control treatments for existing homes are non-repellent liquid treatments and termite baiting systems. AEL Pest Solutions uses Termidor® (liquid) and Trelona® Advance® Termite Bait System (bait) and customizes a treatment to fit your property. Educating you on your choices and working with you on a tailored plan of action that best suits your specific needs, property, construction type and conducive conditions is the primary role of your AEL Pest Solutions pest professional. Having preventative termite protection before an infestation will save you money and time in the long term.
Non-repellent chemicals, the newest liquid barrier chemical treatments, are designed to be totally non-repellent to subterranean termites. This non-repellency factor is a great attribute in Subterranean termite control. Fipronyl, the active ingredient in Termidor, is a non-repellent chemical that termites cannot even sense is present.
Termidor is made from a revolutionary new non-repellent or “undetectable” chemical technology. That means termites cannot see, smell, taste or avoid Termidor. Instead they come into contact with it and unknowlingly ingest it with cellulose and other material. Then, they share it with their nestmates. This is in sharp contrast to older liquid termite controls which rely on repellent barriers that termites can find breaks in or avoid completely. Additionally, Termidor binds tightly with organic matter in the soil, reducing the potential for it to reach groundwater, and making it the most green liquid termite treatment available.
Termites that contact Termidor transfer it directly to every other termite they touch, which defines this unique process called the “Transfer Effect.” And because Termidor is engineered to be slow-acting, termites have ample time to spread it throughout their entire termite colony. Your Villa Rica termite control liquid treatments require annual inspections of the structure to ensure continued protection and are renewable for ten (10) years.
Termite bait systems are by far the most environmentally friendly method of application. At AEL Pest Solutions, we use the Advance Termite Bait System (ATBS), the only termite control product ever to receive the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award. It poses no hazard to groundwater and has norestrictions for use around wells and cisterns. It is AEL’s preferred choice for green termite control.
ATBS provides a preventative and curative termite control program, with the use of active bait from the first day of installation. A number of termite bait stations are installed in the ground around the perimeter of your home’s foundation. These bait stations consists of several unique components that work together to create a localized point of termite colonization and control. They include a plastic housing, wood monitoring device at the bottom of the station and a pesticide-free inspection cartridge containing compressed cellulose. There is no termiticide in the bait stations unless termite activity is observed in or near the bait station. When termites are found, the inspection cartridge is replaced with a bait cartridge containing the active ingredient. Quarterly station inspections are required and the service is renewable annually or quarterly. AEL Pest Solutions uses the Advance Termite Bait System, which features:
If you have an active termite infestation, we will most often complete a spot or a partial liquid treatment directed at the source of infestation and install the Advance Termite Bait System. The liquid will best treat the active infestation and together with the bait system, will provide long term protection.
When it comes to Villa Rica termite control, our experts use several clues to help distinguish termites from ants, examine the insects’ wings, waist and antennae.
While both insects have two pairs of wings, termite wings are relatively equal in size. Ant wings tend to be longer in front and shorter in back. Ants also have a narrow, pinched waist, with three separate body parts. Termites’ waists are thicker and less distinct. In addition, ants’ antennae are elbowed, while termites’ are straight. Worker termites are soft and milky in color. They require a constant source of moisture to prevent dehydration. They travel through mud tubes that they build for protection from air and sunlight. Because they forage constantly for food, they often enter your home unseen and cause damage behind your walls.
The best defense against termites is both a thorough inspection and an ongoing treatment program (whether curative or preventive).
AEL Pest Solutions provides real estate inspections and issues termite clearance letters. To request a Termite Letter, click here.
AEL Pest Solutions offers termite solutions for our builder partners. Click here for more information.
Our guarantee is to get the job done right. That’s why AEL Pest Solutions will provide the purchaser with an annual renewable Damage Repair Warranty that is 100% transferable with no additional fees. Our goal is to exceed your expectations. If you are not completely satisfied with the results of any service provided by our company, we will return at no cost to you and make it right. Your complete satisfaction is our number one goal.
Protect your home from termites! If you want to protect your home and property or believe you have an active termite infestation, complete the form below or call us at 678-664-2474 today for your FREE inspection and evaluation.