A Guide to Termite Control Methods in the Philippines

Termites are one of the most common insects in the Philippines. They can cause expensive and dangerous structural damage to your home if not treated immediately. The good news is that there are multiple termite control methods available. These methods can be used to protect your property from construction up to years later. 

Let’s discuss the different methods for exterminating termites, as well as their pros and cons. 

How to Control Termite Infestation 

Termites are complex pests that live underground and sneak into your homes to eat up any cellulose materials. Here are methods for controlling a termite infestation: 

Physical Barriers

Another way to create a barrier around your home is through physical barriers. Physical barriers prevent termites from coming close to your property so they cannot eat up any wooden structures in your house.

Different materials can be used to create a barrier against termites, some of which can be considered natural termite control methods. The materials used to form a barrier against termites are: 

• Stainless Steel Mesh – A physical barrier made of fine, corrosion-resistant stainless steel mesh that termites cannot pass through.
• Graded Stone –  A layer of small, precisely graded stones is placed around the foundation. Termites cannot pass through nor move the stones. 
• Plastic Sheets with Termiticide – Durable plastic membranes impregnated with termiticide are laid under the foundation to prevent termites from digging through. 
• Sand – The perimeter of the house is filled with sand particles that block termites. Termites cannot tunnel through sand with particles between 2.0 and 2.8 millimeters in size.

Materials like graded stones and sand do not pose any threat against other organisms in the soil, making them more environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, they provide impenetrable protection against termites.

Liquid Chemical Treatment

A common method to prevent termites is to form a liquid barrier around a house’s structure. Liquid chemical treatments can be used in both pre-construction and post-construction. Depending on the construction stage, Pre-construction soil treatment or soil poisoning will normally take a longer process than post-construction treatment. However, this would totally ensure that your structure will be less likely to be damaged by termites in the future.

Liquid chemical treatments for pre-construction requires three phases:

First is the foundation soil treatment where termiticide treatment is applied upon installing the posts or footings before concreting. This is followed by the second phase, which is when the termiticide is applied upon placement of all connecting beans, prior to concreting. Finally, in the third phase, termiticides are directly applied to the floor slab before concrete application.

For post-construction, the exterminators dig a trench around the perimeter of your home and apply liquid chemical termiticide. They then refill the trench periodically, so it becomes an invisible barrier against termites. 

Since this treatment forms a fortress underground, it targets subterranean termites that move and build nests underground. When termites encounter the barrier, they are quickly impaired so that they cannot enter or build a nest inside your property. 

Reticulation Systems

Termite reticulation system is a series of underground piping laid out around a house’s foundation. 

Similar to liquid and physical barriers, this method forms a protective layer against termites. The piping system evenly distributes termiticide around the perimeter. With the right choice of chemical and pressure applied reticulation systems ensure that termites cannot go near your house.

The reticulation system allows the termiticide (whether it’s repellant or non-repellant) to work continuously, allowing a relatively low-maintenance termite protection. You (or your pest control service provider) can replenish the line every year — no need to drill holes. 

Pre-Treated Materials

Termite infestations sometimes start with the soil or the materials, especially wood and lumber, used during construction. A practical termite control tip is to use pre-treated materials from the start. 

Lumber and other wood products are treated with termiticide chemicals to kill termites that might already be living inside and prevent more from colonizing the wood. Examples of these are vacuum treated wood.

Termite-resistant wood like Narra are harder for termites to consume, thus offering some protection. However, non-cellulose materials like steel are termite-proof.

Pre-treated materials are especially useful against subterranean termites but it also works well against other common species of termites in the Philippines as well. Using pre-treated wood can be quite expensive at first, but it provides decades of protection once your home is built.

However, one of the cons of this treatment method is it can only be used on new houses. 

Baiting System

Another effective way to protect your property from termites is baiting systems. In a way, these also function as a barrier. 

You can set up bait stations around the perimeter of your property. The stations are filled with cellulose material seeped in slow-acting termiticide. Termites looking for food consume the bait and carry it to their colony where it will be consumed by the rest until the entire colony dies.

Baiting systems do not only eliminate existing colonies, they can also serve as a way to monitor termite activity. This way, you can implement other termite treatment methods.

Baiting systems are a proven long-term termite control method that uses minimal chemicals. While they target the colony directly, baits take longer to fully exterminate a colony. 

It is also more demanding since it requires regular monitoring and replenishing, which are best done by professional exterminators.

Wood Treatment

Another common termite control method at home is wood treatments. In this method, the exterminators inject the termiticide directly into the infected wood. This may be done with liquid chemicals or foams, which can penetrate cracks and crevices where termites may hide. 

Wood treatment does not only kill existing termites but also soaks the wood in termiticide, which helps prevent future infestations. 

This termite control method is more common for existing homes since it can spread to the entire wood without full access to its surface.

Get Rid of Termites for Good

The best termite control methods for your home depend on several factors, such as the type of termite, the severity of the infestation, whether you’re in pre-construction, and your budget. 

Understanding the different treatment methods can help you determine the right choice for your needs. However, it’s best to consult with professional termite exterminators to help you determine the best treatment for your specific pest problem.

Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can help you get rid of anay.