What is Termite Baiting System?

1. Why is the Advance Termite Bait System the ideal choice for primary protection of a home?

Advance monitors, detects and eliminates colonies that are currently in your home or that may invade your home in the future. An Advance installation is less intrusive than other alternative liquid treatments. Advance provides long-term protection of your home and is always on guard for new termites foraging around your home without degrading the soil. Advance is low impact to the environment and your pets. Children have no contact with the active ingredient as it is secured below ground in the station housing. Advance utilizes the latest termite research and technology available. It features the ultra low disturbance station design that keeps termites feeding voraciously on the Puri-Cell bait matrix, which leads to colony elimination.

2. Can the Advance Termite Bait System be installed on newly constructed homes to meet lending guidelines?

Yes. The Advance Termite Bait System is approved for use as a pre-construction application in many states, after the home is built and final grade has been completed.

3. Do I need to leave my home at any time during an Advance Termite Bait System treatment?

No, there is no reason that an installation of ATBS would require you to leave your home. ATBS is designed to be family-friendly and not require any treatment inconvenience.

4. How often will my bait stations be checked when using the Advance Termite Bait System?

Stations are checked on a regular basis based on the needs of your home and the feeding activity of termites in your area. These monitoring inspections help ensure that termite colonies entering the area are picked up early.

5. Will the Advance Termite Bait System work fast enough to effectively control my termite problem?

Yes. PMP data indicates that termites typically locate the bait station within the first 15 to 45 days. Plus, colony elimination can occur as fast as 120 days depending on colony size and other factors.

6. Why is the Advance Termite Bait System called a “next generation?system?

“Next generation?refers to the fact that the Advance Termite Bait System is designed to effectively solve the speed and efficiency challenges of previous bait systems, making it the best termite bait control option on the market today.

7. What are termites?

Termites are wood-destroying insects. Their presence dates back to the dinosaurs. While they play an important role in nature, experts estimate they cause $5 billion of property damage each year.

8. Are there different kinds of termites?

Yes, the three major kinds of termites in the United States are dampwood, drywood and subterranean. Dampwood termites commonly live in heavily forested areas of the country as they prefer wet wood; while, drywood termites, much more rare in the United States, prefer extremely dry wood. Subterranean termites require moist environments, live mainly in the soil and are the most destructive species.

9. How do you recognize termites?

Depending on your geographical location, termite swarms should be visible in the early spring. Termite swarms can be confused with flying ants. Telltale signs of termite infestation include soft wood in the home, mud tubes in the interior or exterior of your home (often near the foundation), and darkening or blistering of wood structures.

10. What is the biology of a termite?

Termites are social insects that live in colonies. Each termite has a specific role in the colony. The queen lays the eggs - possibly several thousand each day for certain kinds of termites. Worker termites are the only ones that cause damage to wood ?their job is to gather food and enlarge the colony. Soldiers have huge heads and long jaws they use to protect the colony from enemies. The termites that you may see are the winged reproductives that swarm in early spring.

11. How much damage do termites cause?

It's often said, there are two kinds of homes: those that have had termites and those that will get them. Termites work 24 hours/7 days a week at damaging the wood in and around a structure. And, while they cause $5 billion in damage each year, there is no reason to think that termites cannot be controlled.

12. When does a homeowner typically see termites?

Termites swarm in the early spring, depending on their geographical location.

13. Can I have termites in my home and not see a “termite swarm?

Yes, termites can be in a home for years without swarming in a visible area. Each year, thousands of homes have termites that are found only by inspection from a professional pest management company.

14. What can a homeowner do to prevent termites?

The most important thing is to remove the conducive conditions termites need to survive. Termites love moisture; avoid moisture accumulation around the foundation of your home. Divert water away with properly functioning downspouts, gutters and splash blocks. Reduce humidity in crawl spaces with proper ventilation. Prevent shrubs, vines and other vegetation from growing over and covering vents. Be sure to remove old form boards, grade stakes, etc., left in place after the building was constructed. Remove old tree stumps and roots around and beneath the building. Most importantly, eliminate any wood contact with the soil. An 18-inch gap between the soil and wood portions of the building is ideal. It doesn’t hurt to routinely inspect the foundation of your home for signs of termite damage.

15. Does homeowner's insurance cover termite damage?

Homeowner’s insurance typically does not cover termite damage.

16. How difficult are termites to treat?

Termites are nearly impossible for homeowners to treat on their own. On the other hand, pest management professionals have the training, expertise and technology to eliminate termite infestations.

17. Why should someone hire a professional instead of attempting to control their pest problems by themselves?

Just as you wouldn’t prescribe medicine for yourself or drill your own cavities you shouldn’t attempt to control termites ?or other pests -- on your own. The products and the expertise offered by management professionals far surpasses what a homeowner could do on his own.

18. Is it true that termites are only a problem in southeastern states?

Termites are a problem in homes from New England to Florida, throughout the Midwest and to California. All states except Alaska have some degree of termite pressure. Having your home preventatively treated with the Advance Termite Bait System is a sound decision to protect your largest investment.