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Posts Tagged ‘home repair’

Is Termite Damage Obvious?

September 3rd, 2010

If you own residential or commercial property in a warm to hot country, them I am certain that you have heard of the risk of termite damage. However, do you know which signs of termite damage to look out for? Do you know how quickly you can go from not having a problem to having a large infestation? And do you know how long it will take a major infestation of some termites, notably the Formosan termites, to make your property dangerous?

If you do not know the answer to these questions, then you have two choices, either to learn quickly or hire in an expert. In regions of termite activity, it is suggested that every property is screened at least once a year. There are about fifty species of termites in the USA, so it is not an easy job to identify which species you have.

Having said that, subterranean termites are the worst and the Formosan subterranean termites are the most awful of that bad bunch. They can live in colonies of between several hundred and several million and if a million Formosans decide to dine on your house, then you will have to react very quickly indeed.

Of course, you do not want to lose your own house to a termite infestation, but neither do your neighbours, so you have a moral obligation to destroy any termite colonies on your property. So, why should you suspect that you have a termite issue?

As termites eat wood, amongst other things, the best thing to do is search for wood damage around your house. The basement is a good place to begin. Do not be concerned about what type of timber, check it all, since there are termites that like dry wood, termites that like damp wood and termites that will eat anything.

If you suspect that a piece of timber has or is being eaten, use a screwdriver gently to try to break it open. if you see white insects that resemble ants, you have termites. Sometimes, flying termites swarm too., but so do ants.

Termites are white because they rarely see the sun, they do not like light, so they build so-called galleries to walk through. These galleries can be through a length of timber or they might use chewed wood to build galleries leading to where they want to go. For, example pencil-like galleries may hang off the underside of your floorboards to the ground or be attached to concrete walls.

These tube-like galleries can be abandoned or active. Snap a few and see. If they are brittle they have been abandoned, but that does not mean that the termites have departed.

Sometimes, the tubes are made of soil and this is a very bad sign, because it means you have subterranean termites, probably under your house. If you knock these galleries off the walls, they will leave marks called etchings, which will be a sign of termite activity until the house is knocked down, for anyone who recognizes them.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with Termidor termite treatment – a termite killer. If you are interested in this or if you are wondering: What Does A Termite Look Like?. Please go to our web site now for further details.

Owen Jones Pest Control , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Easy Steps For Eliminating And Preventing Mosquito Infestation

August 29th, 2010

There is always that possibility that your home will have mosquitoes intruding from your garden. Certain types of mosquitoes are carriers of diseases like dengue and malaria so we need to be wary of them. There are some mosquitoes though who do no carry diseases but can cause painful bites in our skin. This is the reason why we have to do some preventive steps to keep them away form our houses. This page will give you some helpful ideas on how to prevent and eliminate mosquitoes.

Make sure that you install screens on your doors and windows. Once you have screens installed then you will not have to worry about mosquitoes entering your house. You can buy these screens at local shops in your area. You can ask for assistance when you do not know what these screens look like. You will be pleased to know that these screens are not very expensive.

It is important that you do some general cleaning on your garden as well. If you have a garden that is clean and without junk then the mosquitoes will not proliferate there. You have to make sure that you eliminate stagnant water in your garden since these are the breeding ground for mosquitoes. Make sure that you dispose of garbage like cans, old tires etc that will hold water.

Next, you can use insect sprays that are commercially sold. Have a day scheduled when you will spray insect spray in your house and leave the house alone for the day. Close all windows so that all mosquitoes inside your house and other pests as well will be killed. When you go home open up all the windows to remove the insecticide inside the house. It is recommended that you stay somewhere else for at least a day when you do this.

You have just read some useful techniques in preventing mosquito infestation in your house. Make it s point to always safeguard your family from mosquitoes. It is good if you follow these tips so that you can eliminate mosquitoes in your garden and your house. These are great tips for keeping your family safe and healthy.

If you need the best in pest control for your home see us at San Diego pest control. We are also in the Rancho Bernardo area with our Rancho Bernardo pest control.

David Dawkins Pest Control , , , , , , , , ,

Pests And Garden Dilemmas Solved

August 20th, 2010

The garden is where different types of pests usually barges in to find food. Some find it quite a challenging task to get rid of pests in their gardens. But fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent pests from entering your garden and to keep your plants and flowers safe and fresh. Read on to find out how to prevent the invasion of pests in your garden.

Insects find it conducive to stay in a garden that is full of leafy plants and flowers. They like to hang around in bushy plants, sweet-smelling flowers, and mate in and around the garden. You should remove all stagnant water in your garden because it can be the breeding ground of insects particularly mosquitoes. It is imperative that you thoroughly inspect your garden and remove all the stagnant water that you may find.

Four-legged creatures which include rodents are also common pests found in the garden. There are lots of ways you can do to get rid of these pests. The baits and traps technique can actually be very effective. Using pesticides can also be very effective. It is also said that spices and moth balls can do the trick. These are some tips that can help you prevent and eliminate pests in homes.

There are some instances though that even birds and other flying animals can be considered as pests. If your garden does not have any covering, there is always a chance that these pests can enter your garden and ruin your plants. However, you can place glossy tapes, CDs and other things you can use the can create reflection of the sun because these things can scare birds away.

And of course, basically you have to have a clean house so that pests will not get attracted to your house and garden. Make it a point to throw away or give away stuff in your garden that you do not really need.

You have just read some of the things that you can do to avoid having pests in your garden. You need to take care of your plants so you must do some pest control management in order to keep your garden fresh, safe and away from pests.

So if you find that these tips aren’t helping see us at our Escondido pest control. We will make sure to eliminate your pests with our ant control service.

David Dawkins Pest Control , , , , , , , , ,

Solutions To Your Pest Garden Problems

August 18th, 2010

Common in gardens are pests that go inside houses to find food. Most house owners find it a challenge to deal with pests in their gardens. But fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent pests from entering your garden and to keep your plants and flowers safe and fresh. This article will teach you how prevent pests form invading your garden.

Insects are one of the notorious pests that like to encroach in gardens. You will find that they love making their dwellings in your plants and they also reproduce there. You should remove all stagnant water in your garden because it can be the breeding ground of insects particularly mosquitoes. Make sure that you inspect your garden and remove all stagnant water that you see.

There are also rodents that may be found in your garden. You have a lot of ways to get rid of these rodents. The baits and traps technique can actually be very effective. Using pesticides can also be very effective. There is a saying that spices is good way to prevent pests but you can also use moth balls. These are some tips that can help you prevent and eliminate pests in homes.

Sometimes, birds and other flying animals may be considered pests by house owners. If your garden does not have any covering, there is always a chance that these pests can enter your garden and ruin your plants. Place shiny things that reflect the sun’s rays to drive away birds.

The most basic way you can do to get rid of different types of garden pests is to clean your area. It is best that you declutter your garden and throw away stuff that are just eating up space.

These are some of the good ideas you may follow to avoid getting pests in your garden. Refer to these things so that you can take good care of your garden and the plants that you have in it.

So if you find that these tips aren’t helping see us at our Escondido pest control. We will make sure to eliminate your pests with our ant control service.

David Dawkins Pest Control , , , , , , , , ,

Basic Ant Elimination Tips

August 13th, 2010

It is common to find black ants in homes. Although not harmful, these tiny insects are considered pests since they get into food and feed themselves. It is a fact that all of us find it annoying to see ant trails inside our houses. So what you need to do now is to eliminate their infestation and do the following tips below.

First, you need to identify the pest control tools and supplies you are going to use. Some of those things are common household items which include multipurpose bleach cleaners, air tight containers, caulking gun and trash bags. You can actually utilize these things that you can find in your kitchen to kill black ants such as red chili powder, cloves, bay leaves and cucumber. It is all natural ant insecticide if you use these items.

The next thing you must do after gathering the things you need to use is to locate entry points and trails of ants, and apply your choice of eliminators. You have to look for holes and crack and even regular opening ways so you can place the caulking, ant poisons or red chili powders.

It is also advisable to use spray insecticides to eliminate ants. You will find spray insecticides very effective for eliminating black ants. You have to make sure you spray on the ant colony so they will not possibly come back or create another infestation.

Make sure that you always have a regular cleaning schedule for your house so that ants will not get attracted. It is a proven fact that regular cleaning in homes will prevent ant infestation. Remember that they enter house to find food so you must ensure all of your foods and snacks are also properly stored and sealed.

These are the easy things you can do to eliminate ant infestation. Make it a point to choose natural ant eliminators so that you will not endanger the health of your family and yourself as well.

If you find the pest infestation is too difficult to do on your own see us at San Diego pest control. We are also in the Rancho Bernardo area with our Rancho Bernardo pest control.

David Dawkins Pest Control , , , , , , , , ,

Getting Rid Of Squirrels That Get Into Your Home

August 8th, 2010

Squirrels can enter homes to the horror and shock of house owners. Squirrels can also provide clutters which you will not surely like. Although the problems they provide are only minor, you want to get rid of this kind of pests as soon as possible before they damage your possessions and give you frustrating issues. This is the reason why you need to have knowledge about how to control and prevent squirrel infestation.

The first thing you need to do is to spray the corners and rooms of your house with squirrel repellents. Squirrel repellants are very effective in eliminating and preventing squirrel infestation. You will find squirrel repellants quite effective in controlling squirrel infestation.

The second basic method and preventive measure you can do is to place traps on areas of your house where there are holes. If you place traps all around the house then you will surely be able to trap some of the squirrels. This method can also get rid of squirrels that have entered your house because once they exit, it is possible that they may be also get stuck through this stop.

Services offered by pest control companies are also a good option you must think of to get rid of squirrels out of your house. Local pest control companies cannot only reduce the number of squirrels but make sure this kind of pests will not return into your home. Make it a point to hire professional pest control services if you see that you already have squirrel infestation at home so that it will not get worse.

To prevent squirrels from coming into your house in the future, you need to regularly inspect your house to make sure you get rid of pests. It is also important that you cover up holes and other entry ways where squirrels can pass through.

These are the things that you can do to prevent and eliminate squirrel infestation in your house. Make sure that you refer to these things so that you can eliminate and prevent squirrel infestation in your house for a long time.

So make sure you call the experts in pest control at our pest control San Diego company. We have extensive experience against all pests at Chula Vista pest control.

David Dawkins Pest Control , , , , , , , , ,

Infra Red Cameras And Termite Detection

August 7th, 2010

Infrared technology has been utilized for decades to search for humans and other animals. It even has applications in various fields of science and technology, but until quite recently, no one had had the idea of using infrared to locate termites and other insects. When, you hear about it, it makes sense, because a huge number of animals working and living together will create heat, even if they are termites.

However, now that the link between infrared and termite detection has been made and there are devices on the market, specialized pest controllers have welcomed the new technology with open arms and adopted it into their armoury of weapons against termites that occupy our homes. Nowadays, thousands of forward-thinking pest control businesses can offer termite location by means of infrared cameras.

Now, these infrared cameras are not cheap, but as with all other kinds of new technology, the price is dropping as there is more and more demand. This will have a big effect on the price of a termite survey, because formerly, people had to go digging holes all over the place to find the nest. You see the real problem is that the most harmful termites are subterranean, ie, their nests are underground.

It was always very tricky to find and annihilate the nest and nearly all the harm caused to timber in the USA is made by these subterranean species of termites. The latest estimation I can find for termite damage and deterrence in the USA is $11 billion – but that was in 1999. More than ten years ago!

Previous to these infrared termite location cameras coming on the market, the method of finding termite galleries, was to tap a joist and listen to determine if it was a little bit hollow. Then, the expert would break the timber open to see whether he was right. Discovering termite galleries or walkways by this means was unavoidably damaging and so not the best.

Additionally, disturbing termite workers in this manner, causes them to signal a retreat and they all go back to the nest. This can reduce the effectiveness of further detection and consequent spraying. The termite pest control industry was looking for a way around this predicament for a long time.

Then along came the infrared termite detection camera. So, these days, a termite exterminator does not even have to interrupt much, he can creep quietly around the property inserting the lens of the video camera into nooks and crannies and see what is going on. The camera lens is on a stem which allows it to be pushed into galleries in timber and earth to make following them back to the nest simpler.

The infrared termite location camera has taken the battle against the termite up to a new level. It has also lowered the amount of damage that an examination for termites leads to and it should bring the cost of a survey down too. The only thing that an infrared termite location camera cannot help you with is the cost of eradicating the termites if you actually do have an infestation.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently concerned with Termidor termite treatment – a termite killer. If you are interested in this or if you are wondering: What Does A Termite Look Like?. Please go to our web site now for further details.

Owen Jones Pest Control , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What Is The NPMA-33 Termite Inspection Form?

August 4th, 2010

If you have termites, or if you suspect that you do, you will need to get a termite inspector or pest control company to visit and make an inspection for you. This could be fraught with dangers of scam inspectors and phony pest control firms, if it were not for the The National Pest Management Association.

The National Pest Management Association is the nationwide governing body for pest control professionals in the United States. Whoever you call out to give you a pest control report, survey or quotation, has to be a member of The National Pest Management Association or give them a wide berth.

When someone comes to do a survey for you, ask to see his NPMA ID card and ring them up to make sure that they really are registered. If they are not, do not use the company and once they have left your property, ring the police and report them as potential con men.

Pest controllers who are truly registered with the The National Pest Management Association will use an NPMA-33 Termite Inspection Form to present their report. These forms are issued by the NPMA to their members.

There can be facsimilies of the NPMA-33 Termite Inspection Form floating around fraud rings and the Internet, so you cannot use sight of an NPMA-33 Termite Inspection Form as proof of bona fide pest controllers.

The NPMA-33 will keep all the details of the termite inspection and will provide copies of the inspection for you, the NPMA and the pest control company. The inspection sheet will also have a unique reference number so that the survey can be easily found again.

The NPMA-33 Termite Inspection Form is a very precious document as it can be utilized as evidence during the sale of a building. It can be requested by the buyer or the estate agents or the vendor can offer one voluntarily. The NPMA-33 is testimony that the house has been checked and given the all-clear or that it had termites and that they have been eradicated.

The NPMA-33 Termite Inspection Form is very simple and easy to understand, so should not be mystery of technological gobbledygook to whomever commissioned it.

The first part of the document specifies the property that was surveyed and the name and registration number of the company that carried out the survey. The registration number does not refer to their NPMA membership number, but to their state license to function as a pest control firm.

The second part of the form gives particulars of the commissioner of the survey and the actual person who carried out the survey along with his or her license number to operate as a pest control inspector. The next section deals with any problems uncovered and how to rectify them.

There should be no portion or even space or field left blank on the The NPMA-33 Termite Inspection Form. When it has been finished, copies should be sent to interested people and agreements about remedial work made. It is a question of mutual agreement whether the corrective work is carried out by the vendor or the buyer.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with types of termites. If you are interested in this or if you are wondering: What Does A Termite Look Like?. Please go to our web site now for further details.

Owen Jones Pest Control , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Termites: Some Interesting Information

August 2nd, 2010

If you have an issue with termites or even if you just that think that you may have, you will have to learn about the appearance of termites and how they behave, unless, of course, you decide to call an expert in, which is obviously the easiest course. A common description of termites is that they look like little white ants.

In spite of the fact that most termites are white, not all of them are. They are also not white ants and closer inspection of a termite will reveal that it only very superficially is similar to an ant in appearance.

In behavioural patterns, there is a closer similarity to ants, as work is divided along gender lines, as in ants. Termites are also completely unrelated to ants. They are not even distant relatives. In fact, it has lately been realized that termites are more directly related to cockroaches.

Ants, bees and wasps belong to the Order of Hymenoptera, whereas termites have been reclassified into a Super Order called Dictyoptera. It has been proposed that termites be reclassified as Family Termitidae in the Order of Blattodea (where cockroaches are).

Termites do loosely look like ants, it is true, but where they resemble ants a lot more is in their behaviour. Just like ants, the workers go out and retrieve food for those members of the colony that do not often (or ever) leave the nest.

However, whereas ants will tunnel to get somewhere, as termites will as well, if travelling means being exposed to daylight or predators, ants will risk it, whereas termites will construct enclosed walk-ways or galleries to get there. This is also the duty of the workers, who, just as with ants, are exclusively female and blind.

If there is a threat to the nest, then the soldiers are summoned. They have exaggerated mandibles or jaws. Sometimes these mandibles are so big that the soldier termites cannot feed themselves and have to be fed by others. Then there are the winged termites which fly off to establish new nests.

At the top of the hierarchy is the queen. She usually has a very distended abdomen, which can be the size of a human fist, although all other body parts, head, legs etc, remain the normal size.

Workers and nest-bound termites are invariably white to cream in colour, because they never see the sun, whereas flying termites are brown. In Thailand they are a reddish brown with three pairs of large white wings. They be inclined to swarm during or just after rainfall and they leave cracks in the ground in bursts of fifty to a hundred.

They look like streamers. Thais eat these termites, called ‘maleng maw’ – they are fatty and full of protein. When they have mated, they fall to the ground, shed their wings. Then they search for the nearest crack in the soil to start the cycle all over again.

Termites do a huge amount of damage in warm countries, but they are still absorbing creatures and it is just thought of as bad luck if your house is chosen by them, unless you take sufficient steps to take care of your property.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with pictures of termites. If you are interested in this or if you are wondering: What Does A Termite Look Like?. Please go to our web site now for further details.

Owen Jones Pest Control , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Worries About Termite Fumigation

August 1st, 2010

Have you recently found out that you have a dangerous termite infestation? Have you recently been told that you will need to use gas on them because it is the fastest method of termite control and you do not have any time to lose? If so, toxic gas probably is the only answer.

However no one would blame you for being a bit concerned about having your house filled with poisonous gas. It does not sound a very beneficial environment to have to live, eat and sleep in afterwards, does it? The good news is that there is little reason for anxiety, especially if you use a reputable company with a history of using gas on termites.

Vikane is one of the most frequently used gases for the fumigation of termites. It is usually used with a practice called tenting. Tenting means quite literally putting a tent over the whole structure concerned, say your home.

The tent is then sealed as much as feasible, the Vikane gas is pumped in and fans are utilized to make sure that it is dispersed throughout your house, including your attic and basement. The gas is left to do its lethal work for a day within the sealed up tent and within your house.

On the second day, the tent is taken off and the house is ventilated using the fans again. Delicate instruments are used to determine the levels of gas in all rooms of your home and when the pest controller is certain that the levels of gas have fallen to where your house is safe for human habitation, you will be permitted to move back in. That will usually be on the third day.

Vikane does not leave a sticky residue, so it will not leave a film on your furnishings which you will have to clean off later. When the house has been properly aired, all the gas will have gone, although there may still be a few harmless pockets left behind rafters and joists in the attic and basement.

Tenting your house may give you grounds to think that the gas must be dangerous for surrounding wildlife or your neighbours, but this is not the motive for tenting. The tent is erected in order to hold the gas against the outside of the exterior walls of your house as well, so that it is treated from inside and out, although it does help stop wasting gas also.

This tenting system of fumigation with Vikane is a very effective method of getting rid of an infestation of termites from a building. In fact, it is so effective that your contractor should issue you with a guarantee, although you may have to have the process repeated every year or two in order to maintain the warranty.

Vikane is aimed solely at termites, so it will not kill any other eco-system that has established itself within your house. It will not kill spiders, ants, bed bugs or cockroaches. More’s the pity, I can hear you saying.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with pictures of termites. If you are interested in this or if you are wondering: What Does A Termite Look Like?. Please go to our web site now for more details.

Owen Jones Pest Control , , , , , , , , , , , , ,