We live deep down in termite country, and it’s time to think about extending our termite contract. Our house had a clean bill of health when we bought it earlier this summer, but the initial five year termite contract is almost up. Thus, we’re currently considering our options. Right now we have two main alternatives… The Sentricon System and Termidor.
The Sentricon System consists of a series of bait stations surrounding the perimeter of your house. The pest control company periodically monitors these stations and, once they detect termite activity, they replace the wood bait with a poison that is supposed to wipe out the colony. Sentricon is probably the most ‘green’ solution out there, but its effectiveness has also been brought into question by a number of so-called experts.
Termidor, on the other hand, is a chemical termiticide that provides a soil barrier surrounding your house. From what I’ve read, it’s far more effective than Sentricon, and not particularly dangerous to people. Termidor costs about $50 more than Sentricon up front, but the annual contract, which covers monitoring, periodic reapplication (if necessary) and repair of any termite damage is about $150 less for Termidor as compared to Sentricon.
We had Sentricon at our previous house, and we never had any termite activity (either in the house or in the bait stations). But that house was built on a slab foundation, and it was much more difficult to apply a chemical barrier in that situation — in fact, some companies refused to even treat slab houses. Our new house is on a crawl space, so you can readily access the foundation (inside and out). Thus, chemical treatment is a more viable alternative.
Does anyone out there have real life experience with either of these? Any recommendations? And please don’t say to just go without — where we live that’s just not an option.
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June 1, 2017 Just FYI for others: southern US, quote for 272 linear feet, $1875 for installation, then $375 per year from Terminix using DOW Agrosciences Sentricon system. Chemical is noviflumuron that is non-toxic. The system is baited from the start with “Recruit HD” that is a cellulose product said to be preferred by the termites. The constantly foraging termites will run across the bait tube and like it over the house wood, so will start to feed from the tube. I have learned that enough chemical in one tube to wipe out a colony. Prevents molting by inhibiting chitin formation. The workers can’t grow and gather food, so eventually the colony starves and dies out. — They only come out once a year to check the bait stations. — I have read that the tubes get pheromones from active termites, which may ward off future colony workers. There are constantly new termites coming into the area, which is why the system must be kept up permanently as a preventative. I suppose the company would replace a plastic tube once has been infested and no longer showing activity. If they don’t, then think something would be amiss. The active termites in the house (which I have) appear to be ignored by Terminix and expect that over time they will be eliminated by the Sentricon system, which probably could take months. — I don’t know what happens if you do not renew with them, but think they leave the tubes in the ground. My neighbor has some from a former owner that are not being used, for example.
The cost to stick some plastic tubes in the ground seems outrageous. Sentricon is only sold via Certified companies by DOW. I have found a similar system still sold by DOW Agrosciences that uses the prior chemical called hexaflumuron, which uses same chitin molting issue for termites. This system uses “Shatter” termite bait. First you put in the tubes with some tasty wood and have to monitor for activity monthly. When you find any termites, then you swap out with the bait and keep monitoring. It is basically like the old Sentricon method that required more trips to check, etc.
Now the new Sentricon uses tastier wood product that includes bait from the start and only needs checking once a year for activity. The plastic tubes are found by scanning for a chip, so can be covered over by grass or landscaping. DOW sells special equipment to their termite dealers for finding the tubes and wants tracking information. The dealers must get training and sign an agreement to pay for product. I don’t know how much Sentricon costs the termite companies, but that cost is passed onto the customers obviously.
I plan to get other bids and ask about spot treatment advice for the walls of my entrance.
Good luck folks!
To all of my friends here. Your home is probably the largest investment you have. You need to do your homework. Termidor is a great product, if it is used correctly. Termidor has to application rates. .06% and .125%. Look atyour paperwork. If it says .06% you were taken advantage of. You will never see a ten year protection from it. The only way to get to 10-years is .125%. Now that said why wouldn’t the applicator use .125%? The answer is you. You want the cheapest price. Termidor is termidor right? Wrong! Every company has to make it at the end of the day. The only way to deal with you wanting a cheaper price is cut the rate. Stop looking for cheap and focus more on quality. And what ever you do stay away from all baits. ALL! They don’t work period. If you are concerned about how safe termidor is or putting “chemicals”in the ground, use Altriset. Altriset is safer then the bait. I have treated thousands of homes over 26-years. Never have I used baits or applied termidor at .06% and I have never had a re treatment in 26-years. Not a one. If you want real protection talk to a family owned company. Stay away from company’s like orkin, terminix and other national company’s. They have 5- days of training and then they are out doing termite treatments. Sit down and ask questions. Perform reference checks of other customers they have services. Stop looking so much at the price. My basic treatment is about $2,200. I’m booked out 6-8 weeks all year. Must be doing something right but hey what do I know.
Who owns the bait stations after a contract is terminated/expired/over?
I have had a Sentricon system for about 5 years. For the first 2 years there was termite activity in the bait stations, but none since. However, some of the stations seem to attract a lot of tiny ants. Is this common and does Sentricon also kill ant colonies?
I know this is an old post so I am hoping someone responds. I am a fan of chemicals so I am leanings towards Termidor. However, I live just north of Boston in an old house that is largely fieldstone foundation. I found some evidence of old termite damage and in removing that wood found some live termites on a piece of wood that was contacting the ground. this was in my shed which has a dirt floor and is abuts the house so I guess would be considered attached. the first local pest control company are the ones that want to do the injection. terminex wont inject a fieldstone foundation and wants to use sentricon. had to opt for a 3rd private company. He favors termindor but didn’t want to use it with a fieldstone foundation. to add, my house is on wetlands, mostly in the back yard and the soil around here seems to contain a decent amount of clay.
with all that said really what is my best option? Is termidor safe enough that some seepage is no big deal? or is this a case where I need to pray to the termite poison god that Sentricon gets this done?
First, I stumbled upon this thread while researching some quotes for a class I am teaching and I honestly sat and read the entire thread in one sitting. As a pest professional with years of experience with several companies, I need to make clear that NOTHING, no chemicals or baiting stations, is going to be 100% effective 100% of the time. As someone pointed out earlier a LOT has to do with the company and the individuals who are treating your home, their experience, and their training. That cost is often reflected in the cost of the treatment-no matter what you choose. So, if you choose to go the cheapest route you will often get sub-par treatment by technicians with sub-par products.
I also would like to clarify that far too often homeowners will impede where or how we can treat by not allowing us access to certain areas either during the treatment or during the reoccurring inspections. They don’t want to pull up the deck or want us to drill a patio. We are the professionals and we know the best way to protect your home so PLEASE let us do our job and expect us to get into the crawl spaces during the reinspections each & every year. If your termite company does not do this then you need to find another company.
Finally, in the past 5 years I have not personally seen nor issued any retreatments on a home where Sentricon HD was installed properly. Although I still continue to find live activity in homes where Termidor was applied. It only takes 1/32 of an inch for termites to get through to the home and far too often that gap can occur from an earthquake, flooding, landscaping, etc. You may believe that you have a repair warranty with a company but if you read the fine print LIVE TERMITES MUST BE FOUND IN THE WOOD AND NEW DAMAGE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LIVE TERMITES. This is a huge warning sign. These termiticides do not work like a repellent, there can be MINIMAL superficial damage to an area before the termites die off and any company who issues you a damage/repair warranty should be scrunitized. Again, as a homeowner and as a termite professionalI had Termidor applied during the building of my home and I now have Sentricon installed around the perimeter. My professional opinion is that you can never be too cautious with your largest investment.
My termite company has jacked their prices up to $1000 for a chemical treatment 163 of) and is charging $600 for a bait system. In the past it was always around $500 for chemical barriers. I have used them for the 12 years I have had the home and repeatedly had to have them come out and spot treat between whole area treatments. I’m done with them. I’d rather use both types of bait alternating in 10 feet intervals and monitor weekly. If it doesn’t attract them, then I’ll reconsider chemical barrier treatment. I’m in az
I have to say, this thread has been both fascinating and entertaining. It would seem the technology to treat termites has advanced quite a bit (at least in terms of the baiting systems), since this article was authored. It is so very difficult to find such detailed information online, directly from professionals. That is why I have been duped into paying for both Sentricon AND Termidor, as well as quarterly inspections for the next five years. Sounds like we could have just opted for Termidor and told them where to shove their Sentricon AND quarterly inspections. Sigh. C’est la vie. On the bright side, I suppose we’re overprotected, which is always better than being underprotected.
I only hope that everyone else who stumbles upon this page and its comments reads all the way to the end. Reading the comments from several years ago, I thought I was given incorrect information Sentricon system altogether! Turns out, it has just gotten more advanced since 2010. Whew! Reading further saved me from having to make a VERY nasty phone call!
And one more thing! The extent of my knowledge in treating termite infestations is limited to my meeting with our initial pest inspector and reading these comments. Therefore, I have no ammo in an argument about the efficacy of one product/treatment vs. another product/treatment. That said, waaaaaaay earlier in this comment thread, Dr. Nan-Yao Su was mentioned to be a foremost expert in the field of termite behavior. I went a-Googling his name, hoping to find some additional information. What I found was that he and the University of Florida have made MILLIONS on the royalties from the Sentricon system, due to the good doctor’s involvement in the development of same. So, I would just be very, very aware of that while reviewing and before implementing Dr. Su’s opinions on termite treatment.
Termite Sentricon – Does Baiting Work?
Termite baiting systems are becoming a less invasive alternative to conventional barrier methods of treatment. They allow less poison to be injected into the ground, and offer customers a ray of hope when dealing with these unpleasant, invasive pests. However, baiting systems such as termite Sentricon can also be extremely expensive. This means that many people are concerned with whether or not this kind of treatment will actually get rid of their termite problems. Let’s take a look at the way products like this work, their benefits, and their downsides.
The termite Sentricon system relies on the ability of termites to find stakes in below ground bait stations. Once termites start feeding on these stakes, the stakes are removed and a bait tube is added. If the termites know that this area offers food, they’ll then start feeding on the bait station. Sentricon’s bait includes a chemical that inhibits the growth of chitin. This substance is passed around the colony by the termites, and keeps them from properly molting.
Since this is a slow process, termites don’t notice that the colony is in trouble. That keeps the increased breeding that often happens when many termites are killed from happening. Over time, this kind of termite treatment has the potential to kill the entire colony. However, it may take a long time, and there are some factors that could complicate matters. Removal of the bait stakes from the station can cause problems with the tubes that lead to them, causing the termites to abandon the station.
Stations that are located in dryer areas may not be found by termites, which require wet soil to live and feed. They’ll stick to foraging low down in the ground and won’t come up to the area where the station is located. This can lead to the homeowner believing that the colony has been wiped out, when it has been merely slowed down. This can be be a real issue when it comes to using termite Sentricon baiting systems. The system has to be put in place in the correct environmental conditions, and termites must be able to reach the bait, in order for the system to work correctly.
In most cases, if you’re using the termite Sentricon system, you’ll be in a contract that states you’ll receive conventional treatment if Sentricon doesn’t work in two years. The length of this contract is due to the fact that baiting is a long term proposition that takes time to work. It won’t just wipe out termites right away. Termite baiting stations must be used in the right conditions – when wet, not too hot, and not too cold, they have the ability to reduce or eliminate the population of a local termite colony. To make sure that the termites disappear, partial conventional treatment might be used as well.
If you use them right, baiting systems like termite Sentricon can be really useful. Just remember that they’re not a magic bullet, you won’t see results right away, and the company you hire has to know what they’re doing for the product to work. Do your research and find out everything you can about these types of products, and any other termite control methods, then make your choice based on what you find out.
not sure of the websitw
Thank you.
I live in New York and had my house treated about 5 years ago with chemicals and bait. My contract was sold to a dealer who put in Sentricon. There was absolutely no termites this year at all. They said renewals in my area are $350. I only have to pay $262.50, which is a 10% increase. Frankly I’m tired of paying $250 every year and now the company wants to increase it. Should I renew or just take my chances and get a new company if I see termites again?
Yes. This sounds like a routine treatment. Standard and safe
Thanks, Jay. To be clear, the guy who did the treatment stood in my basement and drilled holes parallel to the ground through the cinderblock walls into the dirt around the basement walls in addition to walking the perimeter of the house and drilling down into the ground. He latched the holes in the hollow cinderblock with cement. When you look at two of my basement walls there are patches holes 12″ apart about 3 feet up from the floor. This is standard and safe?
1) Termidor is safe around kids and pets. It is not topical. It goes under the ground. No worriess
2) It depends where the live termites were found.
3) The company that treated you home will probably come back and inspect free whenever you have a concern.
We just bought a home with extensive termite damage that wasn’t found until after closing, despite TWO termite inspections by different companies. We have now treated extensively with Termidor. The first unqualified treatment was done by the sellers. Only a handful of drill holes around the base of the house. The second, the guy did a thorough treatment, every 12″ and then drilled under the slab and drilled into the cinderblock along two sides in the basement.
Three questions:
1) Is the basement safe to use as a children’s play space with that much Termidor in the ground and walls around it? The guy who did the second, thorough treatment said he used a lot of extra to protect the property, but now I’m worried about my kids – we planned to use the basement almost exclusively as a place for them to play a lot each day.
2) In addition to old, inactive termite damage, we found live termites in one area. Do we need to do anything in addition to the Termidor?
3) Since TWO inspections missed extensive damage, should we continue checking inside walls anywhere we are worried about even if the inspectors say don’t worry? They missed a lot at the outset.
Thank you so much!
After reading back my post, I realise I mentioned an ant pile.. so that’s not termites… will Termidor take care of them though? Also I apologize for all the typos, my phone was acting up as I was typing the message.
I’m buying a frame house built in 1987 in the Tampa Florida area. We had to have a WDO inspection for the mortgage lender and it was found that we have some evidence (pellets) of drywood termites under the front left eave of the house. Sounds like this is by the roof. The inspector later told me he saw no signs of subterraneans (despite the fact that I see a big ant pile against the house outside the kitchen wall). I spoke with aantcouple people I trust and they said they wwouldn’tshy away from the house but Iin order to be safe my wife andI hhavedecided to get the house tented… It will be treated with Vikane. I’m wondering if we should put sentricon outside the house. Its on a slab. I would prefer not to use chemicals but I heard Sentricon is an idea that could work but it’s more of a scheme to help line the pockets Terminix and the University of Florida, etc. I’m aware that those of you who push sentricon in your business have a vested interest in protecting it’s name… I’m just wondering, how can I know for sure what to do. I just can’t afford to drop 1000$ on something that may be a bit of a scam. Also how long can we expect the house to be clear after fumigation?
Trip-
I would recommend having your home protected with Termidor after all of the construction is complete. The construction will likely disrupt the termites foraging behavior, but another benefit is that the product will protect your home for years (15 + and counting. Hope this has helped.
Mike- It is usually not best to treat your home with Termidor/Premise AND Sentricon. Even though these termiticides are non-repellant, they inhibit the feeding for the Sentricon bait. There are several species of termites in the United States. I would ask an Authorized Sentricon Operator in your area for advice for your particular situation.
I have an active termite infestation in Maryland (have seen swarms emerge inside and outside of house near front stoop for a few years. I am going to have a Termidor treatment done. The problem is that we want to have a patio installed in this area, against the house. The patio will require digging down at least a foot or two near the foundation, and then up to 3 feet deep within 5 to 10 feet of the foundation for a concrete base for steps and a low wall.
Should the treatment be done before or after the digging?
If we treat now, the workers will stir up a ton of dust (Termidor sticks to soil) which will pose a danger to workers and us, and spread the poison around the surface of our property. The digging might also be deep enough to reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
If we wait until after the work is done, won’t we be disturbing the existing termite tunnels and causing them to relocate, thus ruining our best chance of targeting their most active location?
Either way seems like a bad idea. Any suggestions?
Mike,
Thank you. My concern is that the termite found in the sentricon station may not from the same colony that swarm under the refrigerator?
Now I understand the house was treated with Bora-Care for all the woods during construction. That means the soil was never treated?
At this point, we just have to wait and see before doing the termitor full treatment? If any sign of termite found, then a full treatment will be required….
I supposed Termidor/Premise should not interfere with Sentricon always active stations since those chemical is non-rependent?
Thank you so much for help!
wilson
One of your statements: “During sentricon bi-annual check in Feb 2014, one of the station found active termite. they ate lots of bait and the technician replaced a tube of bait.” is the key. Once termites start eating the bait, they spread it to all the other termites in the colony and they literally wipe themselves out of existence. Termites work very slowly, so they can’t do much damage in a year or two. I would give it another year and then make a move. The fact that the bait is now into the colony should solve your problem without adding to your expense with a liquid chemical treatment.
I am living in north Florida. House was built in 2008. The pretreatment is Bora-Care. in Feb, 2013, 24 stations of sentricon always active installed. In March 2013, saw a swarm from under refrigerator. I did not know that was termite and did not call my termite company. In March 2014, swarm again in the same location. Termite guy came and sprayed Premise behind refrigerator inside the drywall. No wood damage. only a little paper on the dry wall was eaten. No active termites found. two days later, another swarm out from another location nearby. The termite thinks they are from the same colony since they are close. more Premise was used. upon my request, 3 more sentricon always active stations installed to bring the total 27.
During sentricon bi-annual check in Feb 2014, one of the station found active termite. they ate lots of bait and the technician replaced a tube of bait.
At this point, what should I do? The termite guy thinks Sentricon always active will work. I plan to ask the company to come back to foam saturated the wall with Termidor or Premise. Should I request a full treatment with termidor now while still keep those sentricon stations? Or maybe just trench along the house to do partial treatment?
I have asked a couple big local owned company and they all said they are authorized to do both Sentricon and Termidor. They all said they would like to do sentricon if possible. My current company can also do both. They did ask my choice for sentricon or liquid and I chose sentricon in year 2013… A big mistake or am I ok?
Thank you!
wilson
I am a PMP (pest management professional). My company uses both Termidor and Sentricon. For slab homes, Sentricon is probably the best. I also understand the cost aspect of it, so I would call your current vendor and try to negotiate a lower price with them. Most Sentricon vendors have gone to once a year inspections with the new generation (AE/Always Active) bait. That should lower your cost because they don’t have to make as many visits. Hopefully, they value as a client and will work with you. Otherwise, you are probably looking at $800 – $1,000 for a termidor treatment.
I have had Sentricon for 4 years, and have been thinking of going with another company that uses Termidor. (manly because the pricing for the sentricon quarterly visits keeps going up) The company that would use the Termidor came out to give me an estimate and indicated that I had termite damage on my privacy fence that surrounds the back yard, as well as live termites 50 feet from the house in some wood debris. My question is should I switch to Termidor or stay with Sentricon and hope the termites find there way to the bait. My house is on a slab in Florida. Any advise would be appreciated.
So Bobby, for 15 years your industry was inept by placing wooden sticks into the ground. Finally the big revelation of using “always active” and only checking the tubes one time per year. If it’s too hot or too cold-no termites. If it’s too wet or too dry-no termites. “Sir, we have eliminated your termite colony. It’s time to renew your termite warranty”. It’s VERY doubtful that a pest company will reveal damage to a customer when found during a yearly inspection. What does that company do when they find termites under a home that still has termites active in the home? They apply Termidor or Premise to the affected area.
My point is that if a homeowner has termites eating their home RIGHT now, they should NOT rely on a baiting system ALONE to entice them to stop. Use Termidor or Premise. Don’t let these companies scare you into an expensive termite job. If you have termites in your home, buy a drill, masonry bits, and some termiticideat Lowes. Go to youtube and see how to treat it.
Interesting reading. As a termite professional with over 30 years of experience, I have to agree with Vern and all the other professionals who support baiting technology. Ron- you are right that 15 years ago, termites preferred the wood over the bait. That is why wood was put in the Sentricon stations in the beginning, then replaced with the bait after they entered the stations. NOW, with Always Active Sentricon technology, the termites prefer the new bait much more than wood. That is why the bait is put in from the beginning now and left in there to control the termites continuously. As an honest professional, I take issue with you trying to scare people with your termite damage estimates of $30,000!. In 30 years, I have only seen that level of damage a couple of times. Usually, the damage is closer to $1,000. And, since we started using Sentricon (we use Termidor too), our damage claims are ZERO, for the past 15 years. Both products work great. Ron, it is people like you who give our industry a bad name. Please go back to your backwoods ways and leave the expertise and advice to the true professionals in this industry.
BT: You have found out what MANY other people found-out; termites just won’t leave perfectly good food in a home to eat bait in a tube. While they are eating a pound of wood per day in a home, a few stragglers may find a bait tube while foraging. It might take months or years to locate, and that means LOTS of wall studs destroyed, bands gone, sill plates gone, and a homeowner with $30K in repairs. Even if they eat the bait, it might not even be the same colony of termites eating the home, and might not even destroy the colony anyway. These companies make a HUGE profit off unsuspecting homeowners. Termidor or Premise is the way to go.
He won’t come up with anything. Obviously, Ron has no credibility at all. Sentricon is the only University-tested termite control product that totally eliminates the termite colonies underground at their source. It is a shame that he has to resort to lying to make it look like he knows what he is talking about. Most pest control companies use bait technology these days. Only a few don’t.
Ron – could you please post the link about Do Nan Yao Su saying that Sentricon is only 20% effective against subterranean termites? You obviously read that on line somewhere. That would be good to share.
Dr. Nan Yao Su of the University of Florida indicated that Sentricon (and he’s the one that helped develop it) is only 20% effective against subterranean termites.
Another little tidbit to keep in mind…a mature termite colony will eat a pound of wood per day. That’s an eight foot 2×4 every week and a half.
Want to get rid of termites? Have a pest control company use Termidor or Premise. Vern says all the big companies use Sentricon; that should be a huge red flag to everyone.
No way I’d put those over-priced sticks around my home. If termites are currently eating on your home, it’s doubtful that they’ll leave that perfect food source to feed on some bait stuck in the ground out in the lawn. From what I have been reading, very few entomologists have faith in termite baiting systems. I imagine Vern and some of the other promoters of baiting systems have something to gain from their sales. They certainly become defensive when someone questions the effectiveness of baiting systems. Let’s face it; the pest control industry doesn’t exactly hire people of high intellect.
I found this site while researching the effectiveness of Sentricon. I had a Sentricon baiting system installed after a plumber found termites under my home. The termite company said the bait would get rid of the termites that were eating my home. The HVAC man found them last week all under my home. I called a different termite company to check since the other company said they found no termites in March. This company said there were tubes all over and showed me pictures of the damage. Needless to say, but I have contacted an attorney and will never trust a termite bait again. In four years I have spent a total of $1,750 on this Sentricon crap. I do not advise using this type of bait.
That is just plain silly. Obviously, bait systems work! That’s why all the biggest companies use them (ie Orkin, Terminex, American, Massey, etc, etc and 95% of the other pest companies use them…. Because they are environmentally friendly AND they work. They work great! Only a tiny percentage of the pest companies (most who have a hard time understanding the technology) don’t use the baits. Welcome to the 21st century, Ron! Get green or become obsolete. You can’t keep spewing half-truths forever and get away with it.
Don’t use any baiting system. Simply put, they do NOT rid a home of termites. They are a waste of your money and all the pest control companies care about is your money. They care nothing of “green” issues. They are in business to make money, Period.
Ron- Please go back to working on cars or waiting tables or whatever it is you do for a living and leave the expertise on termites and other insects to the professionals. I am trying hard to not put you down, but you spew hatred and vengeance toward Sentricon, which is an excellent, green product. You offer “advice” on this thread, which is confusing and misleading about products you know very little about because you have never used them. The world is getting greener all the time and Sentricon is a product that works great and does not involve injecting a hundred gallons of pesticide into the environment. Authorized Sentricon Operators are not “just selling a warranty”. The stations are baited with a low-impact bait that eliminates all the termite colonies within 100 feet or so of a structure. There is labor and material and expertise involved in each Sentricon Installation. Most termite companies offer baiting systems, whether it is Sentricon or Advance. Why? Because they are progressive and care about the environment. They are highly effective or most companies wouldn’t use them. Only people like Ron, who are stuck in the 1980s are still using liquid termiticides as their only option.
I don’t see where I ever stated anything about $10/tube. Hey Vern, why do you even use liquids if the Sentricon is so effective? Few homeowners know the difference, so why not just drill twenty holes in the ground and install those silly stations? The fact is that if termites are eating on a home are NOT going to leave to eat some nasty crap in a bait tube.
$270 per year? The homeowner has paid for another termite job after just four years. What these companies DON’T tell you is that they are just selling you a warranty. They treat the active infestation with Termidor or Premise. If termites pop-up elsewhere in your home, they will locally use chemical again. Don’t use any company that offers baiting stations; they’re not honest.
Morg- With the new “Always Active” termites, it is baited, then inspected one time per year. Our company does the Sentricon. We have been around since the 1950s and have done thousands of Sentricon installations (as well as thousands of liquid treatments). I am not sure who that Ron guy is, but after reading through various posts, he doesn’t seem very knowledgeable, in my opinion. We charge around $600 – $900 for most Sentricon jobs. Then, we charge around $270 for the annual visit which includes inspecting all the stations, replacing the bait where it has been eaten and doing a full visual inspection of the home. Then, anytime within the year, we come back for free to inspect or treat. Alternatively, liquid jobs (ie Termidor) costs more for the initial application and less for the annual inspection, but the cost difference is insignificant. We don’t use Premise or any of the other cheaper brands because they don’t hold up as well. Not sure where Ron gets his “$10 per bait” number since he is not an Authorized Sentricon Dealer, but he is way off base on this. Advance bait is about $15 for EVERY bait tube (about $300 per job) and Sentricon runs a little over $300 to Dow Agrosciences for the initial material to install Sentricon, then $50 on up to Dow for the annual upkeep. Then, there is labor, vehicle, gas, insurance, etc.
Different companies do the payments in different ways. Some charge quarterly and others yearly; most are yearly renewal warranties. My neighbor paid $375/year after an installment fee of $1200. In a sense, he pays the equivalent of a new termite job every three years. A termidor or Premise chemical treatment would last much longer and cost much less.
What is the policy for Experts coming back to check the Sentricon Baits? Do I have to pay for each time they come back or is it covered in the initial cost? I guess I just want to know the process of how it all works. Any help is greatly appreciated.
If you don’t want chemical, baiting is the next best option. Ants love to get in those systems, and once there, termites will never enter them again. Termites will detect the ant’s pheremones and NEVER enter that bait tube again.
Pest Control companies make a tremendous amount of money on these bait systems for very little work. If they find that termites have infested your home afterwards, they come in and treat with chemical anyway. They may have $10 in chemical invested on this. The fact is that these baiting systems seldom work and all they are doing is selling you a VERY expensive warranty.
Just my opinion…..no way I let anyone dig around my entire house plus drill holes through the floors then pour chemical that they claim to last 15 years…. I rather go bait system and get a warranty behind a reputable pest company….there no guarantee either system will work ( sentricon,Thermidor) but common sense says the less chemical the better for my family and the environment….plus if I worked for a pest control company I would never want to spray Thermidor…..I truly think that bait technique would phrase out chemical barrier technique….just my opinion…..
Rich P In my opinion you were not ripped off it’s always best to make sure your chemical barriers are at their recommended strength versus taking the chance of them to be broke down in certain areas so yeah it was a good idea to have your house retreated if you’re originally treated in 2007 And always active technology is the new version of sentricon where they Always have the bait inside of them versus them just putting wood in the station and check on them quarterly and once they have actives then placing in the bait If that’s the system you have I would contact the pest company that you’re dealing with and have them upgrade your system to always active
Chase,,,,What do you mean by “the always active technology”?? When our home was built,(2007)they used Termidor…2 years ago, they said we needed another “dose” of termite killer and they recommended that I have Sentricon,,,,I went with it and I have had no problems ….yet…The question I have is “How long is Termidor supposed to last”? Was I ripped off???
We live in central Florida.
Thanks,
Rich P
I work in the industry and hands-down I would recommend Sentricon only if it is the always active technology if it’s not the always active technology I would highly recommend Termidor The good thing about the always active technology is our company will guarantee the system for life’s asking as the renewal was payed the bad thing with Termidor is that it’s only gonna last in the soil for a number years and usually after 5 to 7 years you have to have your home retreated
That’s Wood Destroying Organisms Division, not wood destroying insect committee. Judging from your pompous nature, straying from the truth, and pseudo-intellectualism, I’m guessing you are some lowly sales rep for a mid-level pest control company.
I simply cannot see anyone asking you to be an “expert witness” in any courtroom setting; you’re just too emotional. You also exhibit a “how dare anyone disagree with me” attitude. I simply stated my beliefs about Sentricon and you went on the attack.
Once again, it’s Wood Destroying Organisms Division, not wood destroying insect committee. Check your facts before you decide to lie about them. Wait, maybe you ARE the perfect rep for baiting systems. LOL.
Homeowners beware. There are lots of pest control people like Cade out there. If you have termites eating on your home, don’t let some slickster like him/her shine you out of your money.
Well, I can call him a nut, because I know him personally. I have been an expert witness with him in two national termite damage liability cases. I have also served as chairman of the wood destroying insect committee of the National Pest Management Assn. You just cut and paste information that you google to try and make Sentricon look ineffective. It is the ONLY termite control product on the market that actually eliminates all the termite colonies surrounding a structure. It has years of data backing up its effectiveness in several University studies. These are facts. You can try to change them all you want, but your pettiness and skewed numbers are very easy to see through. Dang… 🙂
Don’t bad-mouth products, but it’s OK to call a PhD entomologist a “nut”. I’d say that alone destroys what little credibility you had. People who push Sentricon are only selling a homeowner a warranty. To you homeowners: Don’t trust anyone that tries to sell you one of these systems. Tell them “no thanks” and send them on their way in a hurry; especially if their name is Cade. A neighbor had Sentricon for nine years and had a swarm of termites last year. Lots of damage in the crawlspace. What did the company do? They came out and drilled, then applied Termidor. Seriously, NINE years.
The company that tried to sell me Sentricon proposed a $1600 installation with a $425 renewal for 268 lineal feet of foundation. I ended-up having a treatment with Bayer Premise for $1200.00 with a $150.00 renewal. Over ten years that comes to $2,550.00. With the Sentricon, It would have been $5,425.00 for a difference of $2,875.00. That’s a savings I like, and I don’t have to worry about termites finding some sticks in the ground.
Come on, Ron. Is that all you have? Everyone knows that Roger Gold is a nut and will take money from anyone who pays him. Currently, it is Dupont for Altiset. I am not knocking Altriset, because I have used it and it is a good product, but Gold has switched sides many time, depending on where the money is. Since you are not an Authorized Sentricon Operator, you have no idea what the costs or procedures are. You just make up numbers to try and support your weak case (ie $1,200 install/$400 annual). These numbers are way off. I use Altriset, Termidor and Sentricon. The cost for all three treatment types is nearly equal. And they are all equally effective. I have years of research and thousands of treatments to prove it. If you are reading this thread and are just looking for answers to your questions. Don’t look for advice from someone who only pitches liquids (ie Termidor, Premise, etc) or baits (ie Sentricon, Advance). Look for someone who uses all these products so that he/she won’t try to sell only the one that they use. Sometimes, we recommend Termidor, sometimes we recommend Altriset and sometimes we recommend Sentricon, depending on the particular situation. Slabs and homes with high water tables tend to be better situations for Sentricon. Lots of exterior concrete tend to be better for liquids. Sometimes we recommend a combo – Sentricon with a spot liquid treatment to immediately stop the infestation. I’m sure Premise has worked well for Ron and others who want a lower cost alternative, but they shouldn’t bad mouth products that they have never used and know very little about.
Here is a quote from an entomologist about the research on Sentricon by the University of Florida: “It’s a major conflict of interest,” Texas A&M entomology Professor Roger Gold said. The public does not know about the relationship, and “it looks bad,” Gold’s research on baiting systems was financed by the Texas Attorney General’s office. Now why would an Attorney General be financing this investigation unless there were piles of complaints? “Texas A&M University is reporting that in test sites across the State of Texas, Sentricon has achieved only 30%-40% control in 2+ years of controlled study. This percentage is low due to the fact that in many of the 25 test sites, termites have not even begun feeding on the Sentricon stations (Gold). So let’s say you have termites eating on your home right now and it takes 2 + years to achieve control. that’s up to 730 pounds of subfloor, girder beam, floor joists, studwall, etc… that will be gone. Chemical treatment with Premise or Termidor=dead termites THAT week!!!
Hmmm. I just looked back wondering where I “bad-mouthed” any company, and found none. A company has to be authorized to sell Sentri”con”? Well, that explains it Cade; you or your company is authorized and protected in your geographical area and make heaps of money off homeowners scared to death their home is about to fall down. Drill 20 holes with an auger, slide in 20 bait stations, collect a pile of money, and drive-off. What is your investment, 50 dollars and thirty minutes? Nice profit margin buddy! Meanwhile the termite colony is still eating a pound of wood per day at that home until, by chance, they happen upon a bait station. Even then, the bait is likely to be moldy or the station filled with ants that drive off the termites. The largest company in the world, Terminix International, has discontinued the use of Sentricon because they deemed it a failure. They also have the most respected entomologist on the planet advising them. Cade, don’t argue with me; argue with Stoy Hedges PhD.
My intention is ONLY to advise a homeowner to do research before they drop a load of money on a system that simply will not work as well as a chemical treatment. Well, we really don’t know how well they work do we? Dow refuses to release their research and efficacy statistics to the public. All the while they send $millions every year to U of Florida to continue research and hide findings.
My money is on Premise or Termidor.
Any PROFESSIONAL knows that you don’t badmouth other companies or products. You should stay far away from advice from Ron D. This is a good website that provides a good discussion about liquid vs bait termite products. It should be noted that he recommends using the cheapest, lowest-effective products on the market. Sentricon and Termidor are both great products. They both work well with good product support and years of testing and real-life history. Ron was probably never selected as a Sentricon Authorized Operator so he continually bad mouths it. What a shame. Great product. Been using it for years. What ever area of the country you are in, look at the reputable companies and go with their recommendations. The products are only as good as the technicians who are applying them.
Yes you should have. No telling what you are paying for your contract renewal for Sentri”con”. They’re supposed to have “always active” bait in all the stations now, so they don’t have to visit but one time per year. Let me guess; $1200.00 to install and $400.00/year to renew. What a rip-off. Spot treatment with Termidor behind the fridge? Indoors? Illegal.
I live in Northern Virginia and after seeing swarmers in our kitchen by the frigerator last year, we were choosing between Sentricon and Termidor.
We decided to go w/Sentricon and annual contract including 4 visits/year to check the bait stations.
The following spring (2 months ago), we found swarmers by the fridge again. called in the pest control operator who did perimeter treatment using Termidor and spot treatment behind the fridge.
Did we go wrong with Sentricon and should have we just gone w/Termidor to start with?
Dang, I keep finding false info the more I read. I know it’s a bit late for some of the previous questions, but maybe it will help down the line. If you have a termite infestation in your home right now, go with a liquid treatment. I would NOT depend on ANY baiting system to get rid of it. I would not depend on DuPont’s Altriset either. Safe chemical, but not enough field research completed to date.
Jim, DuPont’s Arilon is NOT a new product. Arilon (Indoxicarb) is in the Oxadiazine class and has been around for over 25 years. I sure hope you’ll stop advising these people incorrectly. More frightening than chemicals in the home is pest control people that don’t understand what they are applying.
Termite baiting stations will not eliminate colonies of termites…period. The science behind them is that the termites will find the bait in the stations, eat it, go feed up to several million of their sisters, then be unable to shed their skins (exo-skeletons), then die as a result. The stations are generally 10′ apart, so the average home has 17-18 stations, and the termites are supposed to find them via random foraging. 10 feet for a termite is equal to just over a mile for a human.
If you homeowners want to get rid of termites and protect your home, have a liquid termiticide applied. Fipronil (Termidor or Taurus) or Imidacloprid (Premise or a generic) are your best bets.
Debra Eller: Those bath traps, or any hole through the slab, are vital areas that MUST be treated. Personally, I trust Imidacloprid more from a health standpoint.
Krista: As long as the well is 10′ or more from the foundation, they can use the “Backfill method” and you’ll be fine. Or you can ask them not to treat that area if you prefer.
The message from “Jim” three posts above is completely rediulous. Sentricon’s chemical (Noviflumuron) will not contaminate the soil at all; it won’t get rid of termites either. Any salesperson trying to sell you ANY termite baiting system is just wanting your money. These companies that sell termite baiting stations are not honest companies at all.
Both BASF’s Termidor (Fipronil) and Bayer’s Premise (Imidacloprid) are decent termiticides and provide equal protection in the soil. Both are neo-nicotinal class insecticides, but Termidor is the more expensive of the two. Neither will leech as both are cationic molecules (positively-charged) and the soil has a net negative charge on the exchange sites.
Best bang for your Buck? Imidacloprid by far, which by the way is the same chemical in Bayer Advantage for dogs. Biggest rip-off? Sentricon; “con” being the key word.
We are having our home treated with Termidor around the outside perimeter of the house and all buildings. Just moved into this house one year ago. There is no current termite infestation. There are signs that there was an infestation sometime in the past. (old exit holes in a ceiling tile on one end of house only) The company also wants to put the liquid Termidor inside in the bathtub drain traps, they said it would stay there for 20 years. I don’t want anything in the house that may release a harmful chemical into the air. I cant find any info about what chemicals are used in Termidor. Would appreciate opinions about how necessary you feel the drain trap treatment is.
Arnoldo, contact Arrow Exterminators for a free evaluation. They offer both Sentricon and Termidor.
We have a well in front of our house. I”m thinking that using termidor isn”t real smart. I think Sentricon is are only solution. What do you think?
I’ve just spent the better part of the afternoon reading through these comments. There is quality information throughout, but what I see is that the best solution varies case by case. I live in NE Fl and I just found termites (flying) in my house (outdoor patio, none found inside). It looks like there is some kind of pre-con system installed (looks like outdoor electric outlets with 2 hoses). Based on the inspection sticker on the electrical panel, I’m going to guess that it’s some kind of Sentricon system. My question is that given that I have some kind of system installed, will the initial installation fee be reduced any by returning to the original pest company?
People worry about the possible toxicity of Termidor to humans and pets.
Why wouldn’t everyone just treat with Termidor, and forget about termites until another 10-15 years? Why wait to get them? Sorry if that’s a stupid question, but well, I don’t know anything about this.n everyone OS talking about treatment after the fact. I have a brick house on a concrete slab in south Mississippi.
I work for a local pest control company in jscksonville Fl, and I use termidor on a daily basis. I have to say in my experience the sentricon system doesnt even come close to the termidor barrier system. Termidor is much more effective for sub and formosan termite control.
Both products are equally effective. I would find a vendor that offers both products, so that they don’t try to oversell one product over the other. Then, I would go with the lowest long term cost to protect your condos
I am an HOA president of a condo association in the panhandle of Florida. We are located across the street from the gulf. Our condos are on slabs and are part stucco and vinyl and wood. I have listened to the pros and cons of both termidor and sentricon. We have 187 units. I am at a dilemmq as to which product is the best to use to treat our community. Can you offer any solutions/suggestions to our problem?
After ready all the back and forth for Sentricon and termidor I am still at a loss as to which is the best . My house isbuilt on a slab about 5 years old in north central ga 30114. No one has mention anything about the content of the contract . If termite damage occurs will the vendor repair all damages regardless of cost or is their a maximum?.Can you negotiate escalation cost on the yearly contract etc ? Can you stipulate that all termites must be covered or can the vendor exclude cetain types . If they can the average layman will have no idea if they tell you the type the find is the one that is excluded .
Any recommendation on a reputable company in the 30114 area that will give an honest evaluation of both types of treatment . And should I expect to pay for this evaluation. Thanks for any help
Arnaldo
Come on, Grant. Get with the 21st Century! Sentricon works just as well as Termidor. You are down in Tennessee where consumers are not as concerned about pesticides. In other parts of the country, people want an effective alternative to liquid termiticides and Sentricon works great. I use both and both are equally effective. Plus, with Sentricon, you don’t have to drill holes thru peoples stoops and patios. Cost is about the same. Just because you don’t use baits doesn’t mean they don’t work.
I worked with a Termite Control Company while in High School from 1958 to 1960, and have been in the business continually since 1968 and in eastern Tenness for the past 20 plus years now. I have used all Termite and Pest Control products in 54 years, including hydrocarbon and organophosphate products that have been removed from the market by the EPA due to environmental pollution reasons. Some of the products were DDT, Chlorodane, Heptaclor, Lindane, Aldrin, Deldrin, Diazanon,and most recently Dursban to name a few. These were powerful insecticides that helped control not only termites, but also eradicate the “Bed Bug” problem that existed throughout society 50 plus years ago, and that now is a major “come back” problem . I have used both so-called Termite Bait Systems, Premise, and Termidor since it came on the market in the year 2000. I have treated several thousand houses with Termidor during this 13 year period, without a single call back, reinfestation, or failure. “Complete” and thorough treatment however is the key to termite control and prevention. The use of the bait systems is like installing a fence around your property, with the fence posts and nothing in between. So having said this, use your common sense in making your decision.
Sentricon can not be purchased on line. It can only be installed by an authorized operator. You may be able to find other brands on line, but they are probably not as effective or have the testing history of Sentricon.
Out of Date/old information.
Sentricon system is no longer offered by Terminix who inspected our home last week. Termidor kills yes, it is toxic and a danger to anyone with MCS – Environmental Illness. For us it is a last resort after sand barriers, bait stations and screens are used. Cancer and insecticides don’t mix and as a cancer survivor any heavy duty chemical on my property is a health risk.
Bait stations are a natural alternative and don’t dump chemicals into the soil or kill beneficial insects especially ants that kill termites. They will not effect your health or that of your family.
You can purchase bait stations on line to install and monitor yourself.
The pest control people I trust tell me that if a chemical can get loose into the environment, it will. Murphy’s Law prevails. Best environmental remediation person in my area says the same. I too was concerned with the stirred up/digging issue and Termidor. Then this week I must have a backhoe dig out my water supply line to replace it — no chance to plan as dealing with rupture of a line under severe drought conditions. There was plenty of excavation in areas that would have been treated by Termidor if I’d taken that route, plenty of tracking of dirt all over my yard and organic garden, plenty of opportunity for exposure. Such excavation is not a highly unusual event for the typical homeowner. I am quite relieved I didn’t have Termidor applied the week (or month or year) before.
Regarding safety of Altriset — EPA does not require any warning or caution labeling, which is quite rare. I’m going to keep reading, then go either with quite a bit of Altriset in the ground plus traps or TermidorDry spot application to tunnels on the house foundation, not in the ground, plus traps.
Again, any thoughts or opinions would be most welcome.
My concern with termidor and other ground injected chemicals is that they will inevitably migrate or be unearthed. If the stuff hangs around for 15 years, then it will eventually make its way to the surface. No way I’m gonna be able to avoid digging anywhere within 2 feet of the entire perimeter of my house. What if a water line goes bad and needs to be replaced, or I get a new communications line, etc. What if the wife wants to plant flowers near the house. What if we decide to add a patio, redo a deck? When it’s stirred up vie digging, isn’t the Termidor going to be clinging to the dust that results since it binds to soil?
Also, I believe I have polypipe outside the house. If that stuff leaks, then how porous is it? When they inject termidor 4 feet down, how close will it be the polypipe? What about when it rains hard for 2 weeks and the gutters overflow? I always see basements with a few cinderblocks that are darker due to moisture penetration or even crusty from water pushing salts in the concrete through. Won’t the water that penetrates those cinderblocks dislocate at least some of the Termidor and bring it into the wall or house?
Even though I truly believe that Termidor is pretty much bullet proof, it makes me nervous…and I am NOT an envirowacko. Is this Altriset really any safer?
I have one offer to use Altriset for spot treatment of known infestation, paired with Advance bait. Local company with strongest recommendations is willing to apply TermidorDry directly to visible tunnels, paired with Advance bait. Sentricon bids are paired with Termidor spot treatment and are from adjacent metro, thus lacking recommendations from anyone I know. I’m inclined to go with TermidorDry & bait from the locally referenced applicator, but he candidly says that he would much prefer to do perimeter Termidor as his bait applications have been less successful. Other company reps report equal success with bait vs. chemicals but they ARE slicker sales guys. I don’t want exposure risk of perimeter Termidor. Opinions?
Maryann- Yes, I would ask your bidders if they would use Altriset. I think it is going to be a very good product. And the assessed risk as per the label is ZERO.
To Jim: see my question above regarding risk factors with application of Termidor. At what point could humans, pets, bees come in contact with the applied product? Not theoretically, but in real experience? Also, I don’t understand what you mean by “go out and retreat everything”?
I have not used Altriset but I have used Arilon which is a new and similar product also from Dupont . I had to go out and retreat everything I did with Phantom . I will put no faith in Altriset til I see a BUNCH of real world data . Also the cost to treat with Altriset is as high or higher than Termidor which is bullet proof .
To JJ: I greatly appreciate your analysis of how the business aspect drives some recommendations. Do you think it would be feasible for me to persuade a local company to use Altriset for the first time for my application? Does it seem reasonable to trust the research results for Altriset’s effectiveness (which appear very good), given my concern with potential for pet or human exposure to Termidor? I find it difficult to assess the likelihood of exposure from a Termidor application — but my experience is that chemicals seem to find their way into the environment regardless of best laid plans.
To MaryAnn: I think Altriset looks like it will be a good product. I have only used it on one job, so far. Not enough raw data yet. I wouldn’t be afraid to use it though. Something is “fishy” about the pest guy’s claims. First of all, Advance is an old technology (9-10 yrs?). Is he ignorant about Always Active Sentricon, or just lying? Advance has the potential to favor the pest company, instead of the consumer because with Sentricon, everything (stations, bait, support, etc) is included with the fee. So, in round numbers, the pest guy’s cost is about $350 per job. If a house needs 1 bait tube or 50 bait tubes, there is no incentive to scrimp (sp?)because the fee has already been paid. Sort of like a buffet. You can eat as much as you like. With Advance (and all the other bait products out there), the pest company pays piecemeal (approx $10 per station and $20 per bait tube). So, if a house turns out to have a lot of termites, and that is hard to tell ahead of time, the pest company is reluctant to keep putting in additional bait, because he could lose money. I have seen many jobs that take 30 – 40 bait tubes. At $20 per tube, is your pest guy gonna spend the $800 it really takes to get rid of your termites? This is fact. I have a few Advance customers, but I would NEVER recommend it over Sentricon. I am in an internet chat room with pest companies all over the world and almost all the Advance users are backing off now, because they have been burnt by numerous jobs where they lost money because of large underground infestations. If they aren’t Authorized Sentricon Operators, then they recommend Termidor or Altriset over the Advance.
To JJ: The “newer” claim was made by a company that can provide either Sentricon or Advance, but says they are moving to Advance unless a customer specifies Sentricon, because they believe the technology works better.
The more I read, the better Altriset sounds. Any down side? Other than finding a local company that has begun to use it?
Advance is not newer technology. Sentricon’s “Always Active” technology is the newest and most advanced. ANY Pest professional can use Advance. It is open to anybody. Only authorized operators can install Sentricon. You have be selected, go thru training and be in good standing to use Sentricon. So, any of the Sentricon authorized operators can use Advance, but not just anyone can use Sentricon. Advance is usually more expensive too, because the label for Advance states that it needs to be checked at least 3 times per year. The new “Always Active” Sentricon uses an advanced bait that lasts at least one year, so stations only need to be checked 0nce per year, thus lowering labor costs, This means a better bait and a lower cost to the consumer. Those pest guys that push Advance Bait are usually operators who either never got accepted as an AO (Authorized Operator), or who had their dealership taken away.
I’d just about decided to go with Sentricon baits for a known infestation in NE Kansas, then started hearing from local companies that they are moving to Advance baits, because it is “newer” technology. Earlier posts on this site indicate that Sentricon was preferable, but these were couple years old posts. Current thoughts? Wish I could throw up my hands and accept Termidor but lost a beloved cat to Frontline and very suspicious of fipronil.
The traps are not that far from the home…3 feet maybe…I will keep you posted as to when he returns and the result!!
Thanks Bart….
Rich
It could depend on how far away from the home that the stations were installed. The original liquid Termidor treatment barrier was probably done within a foot or two from the home foundation. The termites found in the Sentricon station could have been 6 feet from the foundation – outside the original Termidor barrier. As for why your PMP (pest management professional) hasn’t returned to re-bait, it depends on which version of Sentricon he/she is using. The newest version is called “Always Active” and the bait is designed to last 1-5 years. However, if they are using the prior generation of Sentricon, they will need to return within 3 months to check and add bait to the infested station.
Just an FYI/ follow up ………My termite guy came by (7-26-12) to check the Sentricon “traps” and found activity in one of them. He baited it but has not returned..Today is 8-13-12. Wouldn’t / shouldn’t the Termidor be still working if I got the 7 to 10 years with it, installed 2006?
I am confused….
But thank you for your insight…
Rich
Rich- I agree with Jim that you will probably get at least 7 years residual out of Termidor. I also agree with Jim that most baits don’t work as well as Termidor. I’d have to disagree with comparing the effectiveness of Termidor and Sentricon (which is a bait). I have done thousands of both (over 42 personal years of experience) and the re-treat rate is about the same – about 1/2% retreatment rate, assuming the job was done right the first time. In other words, both products are extremely effective. I think Altriset will be a good product too. Just not enough history with it yet. So, Jim, back to your situation… The termite pressures in Florida are extremely heavy, so you should probably do something in the next two years. You have two choices. 1) Do a “post-construction” treatment with Termidor or Altriset or 2)Do a Sentricon install. Without knowing the size of your home, I could “ballpark” an estimated cost of around $1,000 for Termidor or $800 using the new “always active” Sentricon. The renewal inspection rate should probably be around $120 for Termidor or $285 for Sentricon. So, over 5 years, you would pay $1,480 with Termidor ($1,000 + 4 X $120) or $1,940 for Sentricon ($800 + 4 X $285). The Sentricon is higher. What do you get for the extra 500 bucks? No holes drilled thru your exterior concrete (stoops, patios, garage door jambs, etc) and a more environmentally friendly treatment (no liquid insecticides). If you are ok with the drilled holes, but want environmentally friendly, you might take a look at Altriset. That should give you some points to think about over the next 2 years about your termite protection.
@ Kim ,, Termidor lasts a solid 7 and up to 15 years . It’s the only product on the market that doesn’t re-emulsify (mix with water ). So once it dries in the soil it stays unless you shovel out the soil around your foundation . I have been in the pest business for over 26 years , I have used most every bait and liquid over the years . I’ve recently made the decision that my company no longer does anything but Termidor. Baits just don’t work as good as Termidor and I usually ( approximately 25%Of the time )end up doing a spot treatment with Termidor to save a claim .
Our Florida home which was a “new just built home” at the time, was treated in 2006 with Termidor. I got an email from the pest company in 2010 stating that “my current product” (termidor) is in it’s 4th year of a 5 year service cycle and due to expire. They proposed we go with the “Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System which features a lifespan that would shadow the life expectancy of our home for the life of the home. Was, is Termidor still effective now in 2012, and did this pest company sell me something I did not need?
I think it is more important to go with a company that has a good reputation and you feel comfortable with. Termites work very slowly, so it doesn’t really matter which type of treatment you go with (Sentricon or Termidor). If you want a green treatment, you might consider spot treating the infested area with Altriset (a Dupont product), then installing Sentricon. I would stick with one of those three products though (Termidor, Sentricon, Altriset).The rest of the products out there are effective, just not as effective as those three. For more unbiased info, go to http://tiny.cc/9eu3fw
Our old floorboards started lifting so we decided to replace them. We were removing our old laminate floorboards so that the hardwood company could come to install the new ones and then we discovered to our surprise that there were all these live active termites underneath them. We bought some permetrin to spray them as we removed the rest. We called around a few pest companies the next day and were told that we had disturbed them too much. Some said bait system is the way to go, some said both, one gave us both option but said that due to the distubance its best we go with termidor. Can someone out there please help advise us with an unbiased opinion that would benefit us and not the pest company
Ben- you are slighly mistaken on two counts.
1) Sentricon IS a green product. The Sentricon System is the only termite control product ever to earn the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, a top federal environmental honor. The award recognizes technical innovation incorporating environmentally responsible1 chemistry into its design, manufacture and use.
2) Novaflumuron is the active ingredient in the newest incarnation on Sentricon. Hexaflumuron is the active ingredient in the original generation of Sentricon.
Your input is appreciated, however, you facts are slightly off. I use Termidor and Altriset too, so I am not married to Sentricon. But I hate to see any of these products misconstrued by bad information.
Kirk,
Sentricon is not “Green” by definition. It is merely a more controlled treatment that is less intrusive and not nearly as environmentally hazardous. Hexaflumuron is the active ingredient which contains a toxicity to it.
Anyone wishing to evaluate the relative effectiveness of Sentricon vs Termidor need not look any further than the statement, “Sentricon is certainly the greener solution”.
When it comes to pesticides, detergents, appliances, etc., I’ve come to equate “green” with “junk” as demonstrated by today’s “green” toilets that can’t manage to flush down a decent dump without clogging or today’s “green” washing machines that require specialized (i.e. expensive) detergents and still don’t clean nearly as well as those built just 10 years ago.
I’d say you better use Termidor while you can because its days are numbered; the whack-o’s will eventually succeed in outlawing it, too.
I had Sentricon put in several years ago. I have had to replace trim around my garage door 3 times and now they have eaten a basement window frame. The termite trap was less than 2 feet from the damage. I have a feeling they were too lazy to replace the insert when needed.
No offer has ever been made to pay for the damage. The owner of the business always says it is dry rot or flying ants. Anything to get out of paying. You can clearly see it was termites.
Also they only show up a couple times during the year.
Hello everyone and thank you for your attention. I want to let you know that I have a Bachelor’s Degree in biology, a Master’s degree in entomology, and a Ph.D. in insect toxicology, entomology, and nematology. I also have 50 years experience as a pest control professional and I can say without hesitation or reservation that the particular brand of pest control product that my company sells is far superior to all other alternatives in every way, and I encourage you to pay no attention to distractions such as damage warranties or other reasonable measures of capability or confidence and simply trust my assurance that the product from which I stand to gain financially is the best one.
Also, I promise that the product I sell is the one I use on my own home and I am telling you honestly that I haven’t seen a bug within 100 miles of my pristine abode in 50 years thanks to a single application of my company’s awesome safe green 100% effective (not-guaranteed) product.
Thank you for your time and please remember that I am a completely disinterested party and I’m just trying to help you poor confused homeowners realize that the product my company sells is clearly (though neither provably nor guaranteed to be) superior to all others in every way.
Looking forward to your initial payment and monthly/quarterly/annual payments so we can continue to milk you and tell you to go pound sand when (not if) your house is destroyed by what we’ll claim is a special kind of bug that isn’t covered by our “warranty.”
All our best (profits), Love,
Every single one of your local pest control companies
I would go with either Sentricon or Termidor. Premise is a cheaper alternative that does not work as well.
My 94 year old father lives in FL in a termite infested home which was built on a slab. One pest control company is pushing the Sentricon bait system while the other is pushing “drill and inject” with Premise, which they claim is as effective as Termidor but less expensive.
Please help clear my confused state!!!!
How long does Termidor last? Terminix rep claimed it was good for 10-15 years. I don’t believe that considering the amount of rain that we get in the south during hurricane season. When should it be applied again?
I totally agree with Ben! Both methods are about 99.5% effective. Prices are comparable for the initial treatment/installation. The renewal fee is a little higher for Sentricon, but there are no holes drilled through the exterior stoops, patios + no liquid pesticides applied, so it is a case by case decision based on the preferences of the individual client.
My company has been around for 50 years and I am an authorized user of Sentricon as well as a current user of Termidor. BOTH methods work. I have no axe to grind when speaking to customer for one product or the other. There are pros and cons to both and it really is house by house. Sentricon is certainly the safer, less instrusive way to do it. Termidor is a great product but requires much more TLC when applying and if you have a an ill-informed applicator you will be VERY dissatisfied. I will say this- whoever you choose, make CERTAIN they have the ability to do both methods or you will be getting a VERY biased opinion. Companies that can do either, will give you the right suggestion for your home.
I live in south Mississippi. I used to have Terminix but decided not to renew since all they did was inspect. Besides, I asked the rep about this insect inside my house that I thought could be termites, but he told me it wasn\\\’t termites. This was probably 1 1/2 yrs ago. I didn\\\’t see the insects anymore until a few days ago. So, I decided I needed a 2nd opinion. I called orkin. He told me it was termites and I should get treatment. I don\\\’t know who to believe. I\\\’m going to be safe than sorry, but I think I saw some damage downstairs that he didn\\\’t see during the inspection. My question is is there a way I can tell how much damage is done without tearing down the house? The first appearance was down stairs, but a few days ago they were in a few rooms upstairs. I don\\\’t want to be taken advantage of again. BTW, orkin is suppose to use termidor treatment. I asked if they would treat upstairs too, but he said no that downstairs and outside would be enough. What do you think?
I live in south Mississippi. I used to have Terminix but decided not to renew since all they did was inspect. Besides, I asked the rep about this insect inside my house that I thought could be termites, but he told me it wasn’t termites. This was probably 1 1/2 yrs ago. I didn’t see the insects anymore until a few days ago. So, I decided I needed a 2nd opinion. I called orkin. He told me it was termites and I should get treatment. I don’t know who to believe. I’m going to be safe than sorry, but I think I saw some damage downstairs that he didn’t see during the inspection. My question is is there a way I can tell how much damage is done without tearing down the house? The first appearance was down stairs, but a few days ago they were in a few rooms upstairs. I don’t want to be taken advantage of again. BTW, orkin is suppose to use termidor treatment. I asked if they would treat upstairs too, but he said no that downstairs and outside would be enough. What do you think?
Sharon, termidor bonds with the soil. Your well is safe.
I have active termites in my Maryland Home.I live within 100′ of the water and also have a well 20′ from the house. I have had one company bid using termidor for $750 for treating about 225 linear ft around whole house with $100 for reinspect & warranaty. They do not sell bait system. Another company recommended Sentricon and est is $1282 with $400 a year to maintain. I am concerned about safety of the well. Should I be? And do these estimates sound typical for 2012. It is higher than any prices mentioned above. Only one message said termidor does not travel and turns to a solid. How long does that take. Is my wll water at risk?
Marty, treating now before termites find your home and damage it is WAY cheaper than having to repair termite damage. Go with termidor, its the best option and it will save you money.
I live in the heart of the south in Mississippi. Eastern subterranean termites are everywhere. My company has been around for over 50 years and we offer the bait stations and termidor. From years of field experience I can honestly say termidor is the best product. While it is still high its the best. Some companies will offer cheaper products such as talstar which is fine for conventional but not for slab. Termidor labeling now says you can get by by just treating the exterior walls for conventional but we still treat piers and the inside wall just to be safe. Find a long standing company that will stand behind their work and products. Just know that this expert almost always recommends termidor.
My advice to Marty (I’m a homeowner not a professional) is to keep the annual inspection by Terminix but no treat until there are signs of termite presence…don’t wait until there is actual termite damage.
From the comments, it sounds like both Senticon and Termidor are very effective, it’s just a bit more up front for Termidor but more long term cost with Sentricon because someone has to come by more often to monitor the baits. Sentricon is more environmentally friendly.
I particularly appreciated the comments by Jim and Jay. Thank you! My house was treated with chlordane in the 80s but flying termites appeared this year which apparantly means there are workers present and trails in place so we have to treat.
I’m still on the fence between Termidor vs. Sentricon but I feel more educated having read these comments. I want effective but i’m also concerned with toxicity as we have a cat and little ones.
I have an annual termite inspection by Terminix. So far no problems. In 1986 my property was “treated” to prevent termite damage. Now, the Terminix rep is pushing for a treatment ( 26 yrs, etc. ). My questions for anyone who might be kind enough to respond:
1. Do I need a “pre-emptive” treatment or should I wait until termites are “discovered?”
2. If I go for a treatment now ( no termites ) which is better-Termidor (the liquid) or Sentricon ( the baits )?
3. If I wait until termites are found which treatment ( above) is best. Thanks, M
I live in Pa. I have a log home. we have noticed the “swarmer” termites in a couple areas of the home (no more than 15 bugs) I had the terminex guy out today, and he recommended treating with termidor. the cost is for the house, and the 36×78′ garage. cost is 2600.00. my question is: if I dont need to treat the barns that are 100ft away, why do I need to treat the garage that is 10 ft awaY. I want to know if they treat the perimeter of the house, wont that take care of the termites if they are in the garage area too?
I live in mass. and have had my property treated twice with Termador and still have termites. I have an estimate for more termador or sentricon. Curious as to what to do.
I have a 8 X 10 shed in Arizona that has concrete around 2 sides. The other 2 sides are surrounded by gravel.
I purchased Termador and am wondering: Can I just treat the gravel areas and still kill the termites with Thermador? I don’t like having to drill holes in the concrete. Too much work for an old man.
So far I see no evidence of termites.
How can I as a home owner tell if the pest control company is realy using termidor or water down or counterfit when they come to aply. I got 5 estaments, all the in same price range and prety much the same area treatment procedure. I have narrowed my choice to 2, one is along time local area pest control , my second choice is a relative company young company aprox (5 years) both phone book adds have terimidor seal? what can I look for when they arive to treat smell, consistancy color?
Sounds like you are in great shape! Termidor and Sentricon are both great, proven termiticides.
Thanks. They came out this morning and did the Termidor SC treatment through the 4″ foundation slab and installed 31 Sentricon bait stations around the perimeter of the house.
Sounds like a good plan to me. The liquid application will take care of the immediate problem, and the Sentricon will be a good long term solution to eliminating all the termite colonies surrounding your home.
We have been living in a house for 20 years that was built in 1955 on a concrete slab. I assume it had chlordane treatment that lasted for decades.
Yesterday, while having a parquet square in our wood flooring repaired, we found subterranean termites under that board and one more. A reputable investigator came out, spent a considerable time checking everywhere for evidence of termites in other places, and found none. He suggested a maintenance plan that involves Sentricon around the house at every eight feet and application of a termiticide through the concrete slab in the place where we found the termite activity (the floorboards are already removed and access to the concrete is immediate). This all sounds rather reasonable to me. Any comments?
Debbie- go to the Sentricon website (wwww.sentricon.com) It will show all the authorized operators. The reason that your renewal fee did not drop is that the new technology involves baiting every station. The bait is much more expensive than the wood that was in there before. Your home is now being protected year round with active bait. Your dealer’s labor cost will go down, but their cost to the manufacturer (Dow) will go up.
I have been using a Sentricon system for many years. My pest control company has just informed me that due to advances in technology, they will only need to inspect the stations two times per year, instead of four. I expressed joy that my annual fee would surely drop, only to find that this will not happen. I’d like to shop for a new Sentricon provider, but does Sentricon grant only one license to a city? I’m in Memphis and I don’t seem to find anyone who provides Sentricon other than my existing pest control company.
Argh!! Right now I am really frustrated and looking through numerous websites. I had the sentricon system installed in my house last October when we first found out we had termites. This system is expensive but heck if it was going to give us peace of mind it was worth it. Well last month we ecountered termites in our bathrooms. We call our pest control company and they install bait stations in our bathrooms. On Sunday I noticed what appeared to be little black mosquitos lying dead in my bathroom floor and one of my hallways. I sweeped them up only to notice that there were more coming out of my vents – gross!. Last night that I get home I had even more dead all over my house. Well turns out they’re full grown termites. I am at my wits end and don’t know what to do. My pest control company is supposed to go this weekend. My house is seven years old and was pre-treated before construction. Will I ever get rid of these pests?!!
Hi, I have recently discovered termites (Desert sub.) in my home. They are isolated in my upstairs master shower area. I discovered them by turning the light on one night and there were a couple hundred flying termites. Had no sign once so ever that I had an issue. The home had been treated previously, I was about 1 yr outside the warranty. Anyway, I have a new company working on it. My concern is that it has been 5 weeks and they are not completely gone, although dwindling in number dramatically. I have had a complete Termidor treatment, and they have done an interior dusting twice, including drilling in under my tub deck in the master and shooting the dust there. Do you think I could have an issue with the plumbing and is it providing moisture for them to live there? Or is it normal for the chemical to take some time to wipe out a whole colony? I keep getting told that they must go back to the soil and in that case they should be dying out??
I’m a retired Pest ControlCompany Owner: Hands down Termidor is the only game in town for Sub- Termite if you want control.
Sentricon is not effective and a waist of money.
Hi,
Thanks, the pest control company has already come out and accessed the damage. Termindor treatment only for the exterior walls, he didn’t recommend Sentricon as we have active termite activity.
Hi,
Yes the local pest control company who are going with suggested Termindor for the exterior walls as the infestation appears to be coming from the exterior walls. No treatment will be needed inside the house.
Thanks,
Amanda
I am very well aware. I have been treating termites since 1969.
Well Bart it depends where the termites are. Termidor is labeled for indoor use if you’re drilling an interior expansion joint or foaming a termite infested wall. So, to answer your question Amanda, it all depends on where they have infested your home. Your best bet is to leave it up to a proffesional to determine the best possible treatment for your situation.
Termidor is now labeled for exterior only. No treatment will be necessary in the inside.
Hi,
Ok a couple of months ago we thought we only had termites on the about 6 ft and beyond from the house. However last night we discovered termites in our basement, mind you I had two termite complete a termite check and told no termites inside the house. So now we will have to do treatment and was wondering if we went to Termindor for the outside would they also do additional treatment inside to kill the termites in the house, or is Termindor enough.
Thanks!
Keith,
I am certified in Termite Biology through Texas A&M, and have never heard of such a thing. The whole point of a non-repellant is to transfer the poison without the termites realizing what is going on… which leads me to believe that he is lying.
I would hesitate to use that company. They could be a good company with a misinformed salesman, but that just sounds to me like he is trying to pull a fast one on you.
I work for Orkin, and I think very highly of the company. We only use Termidor, we use flow meters, we foam termite infested walls, and we genuinly treat at a rate of 4 gallons per ten feet per foot of footer depth. Have you had Orkin out to give you a quote?
Double check with that guy about what termiticide he is using. Something smells fishy to me…
Thanks Tyler. Sorry, I left out the most important part of the message! He claimed that the dying termites (or dead termites?) would emit pheromones that would chase the colony next door. Is there any truth to this? This is despite using a non-repellant insecticide, don’t know which one.
Keith,
You are correct IF they are using Termidor, or a simliar product. A lot of the discount companies like to use products like Talstar or even worse, MaxxThor, which uses Bifenthrin as an active ingredient. Bifenthrin, although it will kill termites that come in contact with it, will repel termites once it is in the soil. Cypermethrin is also a repellant, so it just depends on what they are using.
Fipronil (Termidor) and Imadacloprid (Premise or generic version) will not repel termites. It will kill them. What did he tell you they were using?
If that is what the sales guy told you, he is either trying to pull a fast one on you and your neighbors or he is not using Termidor.
A termite inspector told me I should warn the next door neighbors that since we were getting a treatment around our house that they might need one as well since we would be chasing the colony over to them. Uh.. wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of non-repellant poisons like Termidor? Maybe I am missing some information?
domyownpestcontrol.com is a legit site, and their customer service is incredible. I have ordered products from them before, and I absolutely love those people. Would recommend them to anyone.
I really have a problem with Diaflubenzeron as the active ingredient, My company at one time was the largest Exterra operator on the East Coast of Fl. and even though termites feed on the bait it seems that all we ever did was keep feeding them…we feed them for 3 years and never eliminated them…once becoming a Sentricon AO we eliminated the colony at the Exterra sites in a few months with soldier heads in the bait tubes…I never found that in the Exterra stations or Advance… I recently purchased a company in Central Fl. and they have many Advanced Accounts, after servicing those accounts I feel the stations have a bad design like Exterra with allowing too much sand in the stations( soil intrusion). At least Sentricon and Hex-Pro clean themselves when pulling the monitoring device or bait tube out. The cavity of the other Bait systems are just full of sand.
My experience with Termidor failures are that they do happen and had to use Above Ground Sentricon stations to get rid of the problem…I will tell you that Termidor does work great but a lot of homes do not want drilling of block or adjoining slabs and this still should be done even with using Termidor, but companies have been taking short cuts… That is why I am sticking with Sentricon as my primary offer to consumers.
With the exception of Firstline which is the only bait system proven to not give colony elimination , the difference really comes in the company you choose . I have used most all of them in my 25 years ( Firstline , Sentricon, Advance and Ensystex ) or at least the major brands . Size does count , with the larger stations I’ve had more hits. As big fan of Termidor I have now seen 2 failures , both done by Terminix. I blame Terminix not Termidor which is for the most part a bullet proof product . As far as do-it-yourself baits and without some basic training odds for success are truly slim at best. Tom, good description >.The 2 major company’s you keep talking about, they are like dirty used car salesmans…. Although I was recently called by someone with active termites who had been using another local small company like me for years . The home was 210 linear feet around and these JOKERS only had 7 Advance stations . The best advice to consumers is don’t get rushed into any company or brand, and do some local research among friends and family and neighbors …
As a Sentricon AO, and a pest control owner for 22 years, I am hear to tell you that as far as a bait system Sentricon is the best.
I have used them All.
They are not equal, the always active prebaited stations is a game changer. And the Sentricon Above ground station hands down also works great! I have used Termidor, Premise, dursban, permethrins, etc. I still use Termidor, but this new always active station is awesome. I am very excited to offer this product now.
We will monitor these stations 2 times a year, but are only required 1 time a year.
As far as you telling the public that Shatter, and Advance are the same product, Please use your head….that is a joke. Give up on the do it yourself treatments!
As far as The 2 major company’s you keep talking about, they are like dirty used car salesmans.
Anthony- Yes, I think sites like “domyownpestcontrol” are legit. They are owned by pest management companies (like mine). They just buy from the suppliers and mark it up 50% (or so). You are right that you won’t be able to buy Sentricon online. If you do, something is wrong. It is tightly controlled and is only available to Authorized Operators who go thru extensive training. As for Advance, it is not as tightly controlled, but it is not as effective, and is VERY expensive because you have to buy each and every component. So, if you get hits in 10 stations (not unlikely), you will have to pay about $15 per bait tube for each stations (on top of what you already paid for the stations).
Its very common to have ground water leaks and with newer liquid and bait drilling the floor just for prevention is a little outdated. Don’t buy any liquid pesticides from eBay they’re mostly fake / counterfeit. .
Jim,
Leak how? The chemical or ground water?
Also, how often do pre-baited systems need to be checked?
Bart,
I wouldn’t buy from eBay. I’ve found a couple of sites like domyownpestcontrol, etc that look legit. They have phone customer service, reviews, the official Advance logos and product literature pdfs and even videos to show you how to install the products. You really think even they are selling knockoffs? I’d think that there would be huge lawsuits if that were the case. These sites have been around for a few years at least. I can never find Sentricon products, probably due to their specific rules for selling the product, but Advanced is available on several sites.
Lisa, whatever you do don’t drill your basement floor. Its totally unnecessary with Termidor unless you have activity there . Drilling will almost always leak.
Also, are Termidor and Sentricon the best two systems out there?
We are in the process of purchasing a new house that has been sitting on the market for 3 years. (Builder foreclosure). Both Terminix and Arrow discovered active termites in the garage. The two quotes are quite different in price. Arrow is charging $500 to treat/$275 to repair the damaged 2X6 along with a $250 annual renewal maintenance fee for their Sentricon system. Terminix is charging $1,080 for the Termidor treatment, with a $225 annual maintenance fee. Both companies “guarantee” to repair any termite damage found after treatment. Of course, the Termidor system is liquid and includes digging trenches around the house, and drilling into the basement. Which should we go with, or should we get a third quote? What worries me is not knowing how extensive the garage damage is. I envision millions of tunnels throughout the garage walls….. May or may not be the case, but which system will be best for our situation?
Anthony- I would be very careful about buying any of these products on line. There are a lot of black market and boot-leg products out there. The “real” products are tightly controlled by the manufacturers and if they find out about them being sold on e-bay, they take action immediately. Even if you did buy the “real” product, you would have no support from the manufacturers since you are not an “authorized operator.”
Anthony , you can pre-bait both . You can buy both Advance and Sentricon on e-bay. You can also look for Shatter which is the exact same thing as Sentricon..
Laura ,Termidor would be your best option but not Orkin. At $1800.00 I would assume your home to be approximately 150 linear feet . Orkin charges $12.00 per foot ( 12 x 150 =1800 ) most small local companies change $6 to $8 per foot ($900 – $1200 )and come with just as good if not better guarantee with a more affordable renewal . Also Termidor will solve your problem in months not years and as for above ground baits ,,,, they have a high failure rate ..
I found swarmers and worker termites in my garage, in a crack where the floor meets the wall attached to the house.
Orkin says that Termidor would be the best option at 1800.00. They will drill holes in the garage floor and put Termidor there as well as around the house and porch and patio.
Terminix tells me Sentricon (800.00 up front and 220.00/yr after that)and a smaller local company (399.00 up front and 280.00/yr) also says to go with Sentricon. The two that say Sentricon said that they would treat with active above ground bait in the garage as well as all of the bait traps in the ground.
I live in Missouri in the country. I want the termites GONE NOW!
My basement is finished, so I have no idea if they are possibly in the walls of my basement bedroom, which is right there next to the garage wall where I saw the termites.
Everything I have read on here makes me lean towards Termidor. Howver, 1800.00 seems like a lot of money!! is this higher than the norm? The Orkin man told me that they were the highest in the business. Without having any other bids for Termidor, what should be a reasonable cost??
Jim,
Is Advance also now “always active” or “pre-baited”? That’s the only reason I’d want to go Sentricon.
I understand that non pre-baited units need to be inspected every 2 months, but how often do the pre-baited stations need to be checked?
I assume if I went Sentricon, I could not monitor it myself because I would not be able to by refills?
Thanks
I would compare the bids carefully to make sure that all the terms are equal. Also, make sure that they are all using Sentricon. I was under the impression that Terminex is no longer an Authorized Dealer of Sentricon. The rest is just a basic function of profit and overhead. A national “chain” is going to have higher overhead because they pay a chunk to headquarters. Not sure why Atlantic is so high. Call them and ask them.
Jack Asks:
I have 3 quotes for the Sentricon System that include the Initial Installation + Quarterly Monitoring of the Sentricon Stations for the 1st Year.
The quotes are: $900 from Home Team Pest Defender, $1500 from Terminix, and $1710 from Atlantic Pest Management.
How can there be such a diparity in the quotes for the same system, Sentricon.
Jack
Thanks, yeah after thinking about it, it sounded like a bad program since you are relying on their word that they will treat it. So now the decision is back to prevention now or wait until we find termites closer to the house.
Anthony there are several excellent baits you can buy online and install yourself. Advance, Shatter ( which is a consumer version of Sentricon ) & Exterra by Ensystex .
Sounds like a bad program to me. Why waste your money paying for insurance. Why don’t you just pay a professional pest company to come and get rid of the termites?
Amanda, stay clear of that program its a scam on consumers and has been banned in several states and is under scrutiny by many attorney generals .
Hi Jim,
We got a recent quote from Terminx, the program costs about $359 a yr as long as no termites are found within a 5ft barrier of the house. It’s more of an insurance, once your on the program, and the customer suspects termite activity, they will come to inspect and if confirmed then treat using Termindor.The program also has a yearly inspection to make sure no termites are found within 5ft of the house.
Hi Jim,
What do you think of the Terminx program, where they come out yearly and inspect but unless termites are found within 5ft of the house they do not treat. But if termites are found within the 5ft barrier then they will treat using termindor, and they have a guarantee that they will repair any damages caused from the termites.
Amanda, if it comes to a choice between Termidor & Premise 75 the Termidor wins easily . Both work great initially but what makes Termidor better is it doesn’t re-emulsify and Premise does . Which means every time the soil around your home gets wet Premise will dilute and spread thinner .Termidor bonds with the soil and does not move . As for baits Sentricon / Shatter , Advance and Ensysex are all proven baits . Firstline termite bait is the only bait proven to not work , and that I know because about 12 years ago while working for Orkin I had to sign off on several legal documents pertaining to what I could disclose to customers and if asked by the media .If you do choose baits go all pre baited if inspections are more than 2 months apart .
Hi,
We recently found termites both the reproductive and workers about 60 ft from the house and another location about 5-7 ft from the house. We have gotten estimates for both the chemical treatment using terminador from co A and premise from co b. We also got an est for Sentricon HD always active from co A, and Sentricon Monitoring from co b. And we have a quote from Terminx that has a protection plan with no treatment until termites are found within a 5 ft from the house and at that point they will treat with termindor. We are torn with what option to go with and have been told from both Terminx and another vendor that Sentricon is a waste of money and does not work.
Is Sectricon something that I can check on my own after the first year or is it a system that I can’t get into or that requires an electronic detector to check. I don’t mind walking around my house every two months to check the canisters.
Scott- We have been having fantastic results with the new “always active” Sentricon formulation. The bait composite is much more condensed now (sort of like a bar of soap), so it lasts a long time in the ground and eliminates many times more termites than before. Since the bait tubes are about every 10 feet around the structure, it will take care of millions of termites. Best of all, it will do so using no liquid chemicals.
All non repellents are very restricted in Europe. They were thought to be the cause Honey Bee’s dying. Even though it has been proven to not be the cause they have had a tough time making a comeback.
I’ve just found out Termidor is banned in France as they think it is harmfull to the enviroment. I’ve been using Sentricon around my house for years and have been very happy with the results. They just switched me to bait in every station now and I can only think it will work even better.
Actually Bart I charges less for my bi-monthly plan than most do for their quarterly, tri-annual or annual checks . With the new sentricon 1 bait tube will kill a small to mid-sized colony so if a large colony hits it and your checking too far apart then you’ve lost that hit. A large colony can empty a bait tube in 2 weeks , I’ve seen it happen many times .
And isn’t the test material in advances also poisonous to a degree?
The Sentricon bait tubes are made different now. They are hard and designed to last underground for up to 5 years. Since it is a new product, it still remains to be seen whether his is true or not. If it does last, it will be a great product for the marketplace.
“The only way I would do more than bi-monthly is if they are pre-baited.”
So from the above commenter I see that Sentricon is now pre-baited. Does that really mean you can let it sit for a year?
Doesn’t the bait in Advanced have some amount of active ingredient as well?
What’s to stop you from just pre-baiting all the tubes in the area where you have seen swarmers?
The new Sentricon (called “Always Active”) IS pre-baited. The bait is put in from the beginning and only needs to be monitored once a year to add bait. You guys who do “every other month” monitoring is crazy. You are living in the dark ages. The world is changing. Try to keep up! Just because you go more frequently, doesn’t make your service better. It just costs the consumer more to pay for your unnecessary visits.
Tyler, not all Orkin and Terminix tech’s are bad. I worked for both for about 12 years each. I worked at 9 different Orkin branches in 5 states , I mainly worked at one branch but was regularly sent to others take care of complaints/state complaints due to untrained techs and managers who really didn’t care. I witnessed how Orkin trained salesmen to work the obituaries and how to drive through neighborhoods looking for yard ornaments common to the elderly (targeting elderly ).I worked at 2 Terminix branches , both were great when they were local owned franchises but once Service Master took over it got really bad . We were being told by the region manager to spray water , that’s when I walked away. Now after owning a small business for several years and asking several bait manufacturers why they are spreading the bait checks out so far they have all gave me the same answer ,,,, It has nothing to do with quality and is being done because of pressure from the big companies to save money on manpower… I have been told this now from every manufacturer …. The only way I would do more than bi-monthly is if they are pre-baited…
Jim,
Not to impressed with some of your comments. Why are you so against Orkin?
I work for Orkin, and in my area Orkin is the most thorough company with the best customer service. I really don’t appreciate your blanket statements about my company. Should I say the same negative things about your company? Think before you speak brother.
hi,
im from the philippines. where can i order termidol to be shipped here?
thanks,
mike
Last week I found termites in our basement, it seems they entered around an old stoop that now has a deck built over the top of. We have had two estimates one from Orkin and the other from Terminex. Orkin would do only a Sentricon system, with an above ground bait box inside where they entered, due to our well being within 5 feet of our home. Terminex would apply Termidor thinking that the well was probably not a problem and was far enough away. I am not sure what is the best way to go with water contamination a possibility. Since the well is in front of the home and the known entry area in the rear would Termidor applied in the back yard and Sentricon around the whole house be a reasonable method?
I would appreciate your input!
If they are being evasive about a guarantee don’t deal with them. Sounds like they have something to hide like maybe not being licensed and insured.
Marquina, fact is any licensed and insured company has a repair guarantee . That’s what my insurance company told me.
Thank you Jim, yes they do check the baits every 2 months.
Is it ok that they don’t offer a warranty? I am torn because of that
If you choose to do it go with All Safe , but make sure it’s checked at least bi-monthly.
Hello
I bought a house last year, the house was previously treated for termites 5 years ago, in the inspector said that there were no active termites at the moment I bought the house.
I want to be on the safe side and I just requested 3 free quotes: one with Orkin, they charge 1,100 and they use both baits and liquid treatment, they didn’t see any active termites. Then Terminix did an inspection, they want to charge me 1,800 and they have only the option of Termidor, the guy saw a little whole, the size of the tip of a pen and he said that it was from active termites, then I found another company: All safe pest and termite, which is BBB accredited and is part of the National Pest Management Association They came to the house, we showed the technician the little whole and he said that it was not from active termites they charge $600 they use sentricon and spot treatment with termidor if they see any active termites, they also mentioned that they have infrared camaras to see if damaged has been created by termites, do these cameras really work? Also they don’t offer a warranty.
I am not really sure what to do, should I get more inspections? I don;t understand one company tells me I have termites the other 2 that I don’t.
If I pay extra for the warranty will any of the big companies cover the possible damage caused by termites?
In short stay away from Orkin and FMC Frontline baits. Choose a company that does no less than 6 checks per year, quarterly and tri annual is a pure profit rip off. ….good luck. Jim
The detector on the moistest corner of the house was tripped (paper strip “chewed” and button popped). There is a narrow sidewalk and 3ft. high foundation, with a couple of basement windows with lower sills. No mud tubes have ever been seen and that area in the basement is accessible and inspected during the quarterly (regular) bug treatment. Our local company was recently taken over by Orkin (NOT happy about that) and recommends the Sentricon, at $1100 and $300/yr. after first year. Advice, please? I’m in Missouri, if that makes a difference.
EPA regulation says all termiticides must show initial signs of breaking down in 3 – 5 years. Termidor’s 10 year tests show plenty enough strength to kill with an estimated 15 year max in the right soil conditions.. termidor does not dilute every time it rains like other products such as Premise 75.. There is a new product just hitting the market called Altriset which is made by Dupont and so far looks like it may be as good as Termidor (if that is possible )…As far as warranties go some companies offer a repair guarantee and some just a retreat guarantee,(prices vary) ..The truth is if a company is insured ALL treatments are backed by a repair guarantee whether they tell you or not…
I’m doing a lot of research and getting conflicting information. This conversation has been helpful, though. Two questions stick out. 1-how long does Termidor really last? 2-is there really any value to a warranty against damage, with how the exclusions are written?
Dan another option for you is to purchase Advanced Bait systems from a doityourself website. A lot of people think they are better than sentricon. I’m thinking about doing this to my house. I plan on checking them every 2 months. I just wonder if I need to really check them between December and February. If not that means checking them 5 times which isn’t bad.
KA, one of the doityourself sites has videos on how to install and maintain bait stations. I would think you could also call the site operators or maybe even contact the manufacturer and ask for info. Tell them you are a concerned home owner having the baits installed by a profession and you jsut want to make sure the proper procedures are being followed. 🙂
It’s hard to find unbiased advice about termite treatments – I hope I can find it here.
My mother’s house is in NY where Termidor can’t be used. She had a swarm in the basement of her split-level house in April. The mud tunnels are in the boiler room leading up from the joint between the floor and the wall (poured concrete), about 4 ft below grade. The rest of the basement was drywalled 2 years ago with no sign of termite activity.
3 inspections by small companies and she doesn’t want to spend $1,500+. I bought 28 Sentricon stations over the internet with plans to install and inspect them myself. I read the university studies and was satisfied about their effectiveness, but I’m a little concerned about the issue of disrupting the tunnels when inspecting them. I can’t find any Sentricon AG stations, which I think would be very helpful now (none of the previous discussions mentions these as a more immediate baiting treatment for active infestations – why?) How often should I inspect the stations? Should I clean out any mud that gets in them? Any tips I should know?
We also got a quote for $750 to treat the boiler room with Transport, drilled into the basement floor, and trenched and rodded from the outside. I’m concerned with conflicting info about whether Transport is a nonrepellent or not – the FMC website says it is but bifenthrin is described as a repellent elsewhere. Using a repellent would seem stupid because it would just divert the termites to a part of the basement where we couldn’t see them (if they’re not already there). I could buy Termidor myself from doityourown… but I don’t have special equipment and I’m not qualified to drill into the basement.
I would appreciate honest advice since I hope it’s apparent that I’ve spent a lot of time and thought on this.
Dan, just be careful buying Termidor online.There is alot of counterfeit being sold online and E-Bay is full of it..You can get it from one of those doityourselfpestcontrol.com sites, but once you buy enough to do it right you’ll have almost as much in it as if you had paid a pro. That garage would only be about $400 – $500 to treat which will kill the colonies feeding on the garage so they will never get to your home…..Stay away from Orkin, find a good locally owned company.
Sorry to stir up an old thread guys, but I’d like some input on my situation from a few experts that are not going to make a buck off me.
I live in Cleveland, OH. I have an active termite infestation in my detached garage, which is basically nothing more than an enclosed parking space. The house just got a clean bill of health from two different exterminators. I need to ensure that the termites do NOT make it into the house, here is my plan:
Pay the quoted $1000 price for Sentricon installation by the pro(Orkin).
Purchase Termidor online and apply it myself around and under the garage (its small, 16×20).
Based on what I’ve read from all of the conversations above, this is probably overkill. However, I personally like overkill if it makes it more likely to keep the little bastards out of my house.
Thoughts or comments?
Thanks in advance!
Is there a best time of year to do wither termidor liquid or sentricon baits. Do season, soil temperature, or soil moisture make doing either treatment better at one time or another?
Joey, If the last check had activity in a station it should not have passed unless the inspection was done by the company doing the baits, or the realtor shopped around til they found someone to pass it. It happens all the time, realtors are mostly all crooked!!! If you are going to keep a bait service you need to find someone who will do monthly or bi-monthly service, quarterly and tri-annual is a complete and total rip-off unless ALL stations are — PRE-BAITED—-.. Termites will clean out the wood monitors easily in less than 2 months. Also choose a reputable small to mid size company, the larger ones like Orkin and Terminix will usually process you like a piece of meat.
I just closed on a house that had termite damage a couple of years ago, but was repaired. It is a den that was built above and old carport, and is inaccessible. The former owner got a local company to spot treat the area with Termidor, and put Sentricon around the house. The last check revealed one of the bait stations had been hit. This house is mostly crawl space, about 50 years old. A termite inspection was done before closing, and no active termites found. I am thinking about doing a whole house Termidor treatment for peace of mind. It just seems there is a lot of unguarded space between stations–the stations could be bypassed. I live in South Georgia. I have to make a decision soon as I will have to renew the Sentricon warranty for another year. $280/yr for just retreatment coverage and $340 for damage repair. They monitor stations every 3 months.
Any chance the flexible pvc pipes are chemical permiable?
If Sentricon works, it should kill the entire colony. Personally, I wouldn’t plant edible plants anywhere near a Termidor treatment no matter what anyone tells you. Why risk it? That’s just my opinion.
I appreciate the conversations here; I hope someone responds to my termite dilemma. I live in northeast PA. Home is 10 years old and no signs of damage. I discovered I have termites because I had holes in my KAF-FLEX flexible PVC pipes to my 6 yr old inground pool. I uncovered 6-7 ft of pipes but I am unable to uncover the other 9 feet because they greatly drop down below the ground and under a 4ft Versa-Lock wall. I am concerned about those pipes and even damage to the pool. I had terminix and Ehrlich both give Sentricon and Termidor options. I collected live soldiers so I have proof termites are doing the damage. My dilemma is the fact that the pipes to the pool go througha lush garden area. If I use termidor, terminix says I can keep my garden just not any eatable plants within 3ft of the treated areas. Ehrlich says they wouldn’t plant anything in the whole garden. That is why Ehrlich thinks the Sentricon system might be best. I think termidor is best since I know I have a colony that can continue to attack other pipes and the house. I also need to determine if the rest of the pipes need to be ripped up prior to treating with Termidor. I am afraid of discovering pool pipe damage in future years then having to remove treated soil. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
if you have swarmers in the northeast, what degree of damage can you expect?
There is no perfect science to a termite inspection. Finished basements can often hide damage til the floor starts to swag or a colony matures enough to swarm. That is where a prevention treatment could be a good thing and actually save money in the long run.
What about for areas in the basement that are drywalled or patios with brick steps that go right up against he siding. Also cases where termites have come through cracks in the floor of the basement directly into studs. Will an inspection catch termites in all cases?
Howard, A termite treatment , prevention or active is the same treatment ( bait and Liquid ).. A prevention treatment is not a rip-off with the right guarantee.. I don’t push prevention treatments like some companies do.. If you don’t have termites I recommend a yearly inspection which any reputable company will do at no charge . If a company wants to charge for a yearly inspection with no initial treatment, run away from them as fast as you can… Terminix is now selling a program called T.I.P. (termite inspection program )which is a rip-off. It will cost you more in the long run than a full treatment will. It is currently under review by attorney generals nation wide and I believe banned in California?
Jay/Jim,
A pest control company once told me that since termites prevention and termite treatment are using the exact same stuffs, there is really NO need to do anything termites prevetion, which is “actually ripping”. Annual or semi-annual inspection over the house and treat only after spotting any active termites is the right way… do you agree?
Anthony: It depends. It filters automatically based on an algorithm that factors in a bunch of different things, but one of the biggest factors seems to be the inclusion of links. Once you exceed 2-3 the likelihood of getting filtered goes up dramatically. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil as there is way too much spam to moderate things manually.
I did have a few links. How many are allowed?
Anthony: The only other explanation that I can think of is that they contained an excessive number of links and got moderated. Otherwise, it must have been accidental.
Nickel,
I had 2 almost identical posts which were in no way personal, but which were deleted. I had a strange feeling that the posts would be deleted so I saved them as a Word file. I’ll post it again on Monday. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t delete that posting.
Anthony
Anthony & Jim: I had to go through and cleanse the comments due to personal attacks, etc. It’s possible that Anthony’s comments got inadvertently caught up in that purge. There were also several comments where people were trying to guess the complete, real world names of two of the people that were arguing the most strongly. Those were also deleted.
As far as “the person running this site” being pro-Sentricon… Oh please. This is a personal finance site where I write about my personal experiences. Go back and read the original article. I’m not pro-anything. We had Sentricon at our old house, we have Termidor at our new house. We didn’t get termites either place. I have no idea which is truly “better” which is why I was asking for recommendations.
Enough with the immature pissing matches and conspiracy theories. I would like to leave the comments open on this thread because there has been a lot of good discussion. However, if I have to spend any further time moderating it, I will simply lock the comments.
Theresa,, Termidor is good for about 10 – 15 years . EPA regulations say all termiticides must show signs of breaking down in 3 – 5 years. Some companies will only carry a guarantee for so many years and then you must re-treat or drop the guarantee. Check around and good luck…………Anthony,,, I’m shocked to hear your posts against Termidor was removed. It looks to me like the person running this is pro Sentricon..
I’m curious as to why my 2 posts detailing my concerns with using Termidor have been deleted. I did not say anything offensive or personal in the posts. I’m starting to think this site is biased. Anyone know what’s going on?
I live in GA and recently found active termites in the front of my home behind a brick wall (the rest of the house is hardi-plank). The pest control company I called indicated the Termidor system was only good for 7 yrs and would have to be redone at that time. Does that sound right?
We had our house treated with Termidor last year. We saw some signs of termites, but they came back and spot treated, twice. They did an exterior treatment and also treated all the perimeter walls from the inside. The call backs were to treat roof areas (two story house) Its swarming season again and a few signs have been located. Most everybody here in Florida gets tented, but the company I’m using says the Termidor will kill them all, just be patient. From reading all the posts, I curious to hear what would be the next course of action. Thanks in advance.
Had our house treated with Termidor 5 years ago. I paid about $450 per year with a Terminix franchise on ground termite repair protection. Bi-annual termite inspections have not seen any indication of ground termite activities.
Recently we found drywood termite droppings in a piece of furniture. Terminix franchise said it’s not covered because damage the was not caused by ground termites. They recommend to tent the house ($2800) and add drywood termite repair protection.
During the one hot night this season, I saw 4 flying termites in the house. Should I tent the house? I am concern with roof damage.
Appreciate your feedbacks.
Jim,
You should call the headquarters and report them. They have no business doing shady garbage like that. The North Carolina branches switched from Firstline to Advance (thank God) last year. The one I worked at was very fair and honest, and our branch manager really took the customer service a step above, which is why it angers me to know there are Orkin branches doing shady stuff like that. Everyone of them ought to be reported to Atlanta. I was very proud to work for Orkin. They (or at least the one I worked at) did work that was second to none and treated their customers very fairly.
Tyler, good to hear there is a good Orkin office. I worked for Orkin for 11.5 years, and worked at 10 different offices in WV, Va, Ky and Penn.I found them all to be crooked. They taught the sales staff how to work the obituaries, and how to drive through areas with alot of elderly and look for certain lawn ornaments (frogs & turtles) or just alot of ornaments. Which is a good sign of a elderly lady and possibly a widow.I was sent to fix there screw-ups, and the tough retreats back in the dark days with Dursban and Pryfon 6 (junk). which is why I was at so many branches. I honestly didn’t know any Orkin branches were using Advance, that’s good. Firstline is a stomach poison, it can reduce the colony size , but not eliminate. In my area Orkin has a really bad reputation for high pressure sales..
Jim,
You are wrong about Orkin. For one, Orkin (at least in North Carolina) uses Advance bait stations, and not Firstline. And their training is world class. They are ranked at 59th in the country for training. I know this because I worked for them for a while after college. I had 2 full weeks of satelite training (a system that Glen Rollins paid almost 5 Million dollars for so he could have the best trained technicians in the industry) and they sent me down to Atlanta for another full week of classroom training before I was allowed to talk to anybody about a termite job. That is not undertraining. They are a great company with great customer service, so get your facts straight.
Tom- Jim is right in that Termidor will be your best answer. Especially since you have an active infestation. Termidor will by far be in your best interest.
Jessica, you won’t regret going with Termidor. You mentioned bait complaints online, there are alot of them yet very few on Termidor. In your case it sounds like either one (with the right company) would would be fine. Tom, the best advise would be to stay away from Orkin (Firstline is by far the worst bait on the market), overpriced and under trained. Orkin is known for hiring guys off the street,shows them a couple of training videos turn them loose and tells them to tell customers that they have been exterminating for 2 years. New York has some very restrictive laws on Termidor.Termidor and Phantom are both great products. Termidor does spread much better than any other non-repellent
I live in a raised ranch in NY and have found termites in my basement. One tunnel led in through the foundation and they have eaten away some of my paneling’s support wood and a mud tunnel led in up thru my shingles into the basement. I have not removed paneling there but am sure they’re munching away on the paneling supports as well. I am sure but no evidence yet that they’ve also gone in thru my stoop as well.
I’ve had 3 companies recommend Sentricon (Erlich & Knockout only bait, Orkin bait and borate sprayed on damaged wood) and 1 local company (Pest Shield) that recommends using Phantom around the outside of the house (drilled into my stoop and rear patio as well) & sprayed on damaged wood inside, in combination with Advanced bait traps around the house.
I am leaning toward the Phantom/Advance trap combination and would appreciate any input on this solution. I’ve read good things about Phantom but would appreciate input on Phantom vs. Termidor.
Thanks
Yes, I admit that I get defensive when I am personally attacked, and I apologize for that. Instead of a thread to help people learn about the difference between liquid and bait termite treatments, it has turned into an “two against one” anti-Sentricon site. I was accused early on (if you read the posts) of working for Sentricon. Some of these posts were actually taken out by the web host because of the personal attacks on me. That kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I am merely a bug guy working for a family pest control business…with a lot of experience – 41 years. I have tried to educate consumers about the difference between the two products. I don’t get paid for that, nor do I wish to. Some types of treatments are better for some situations and some types of treatments are better for others. Enough said. This will be may last post.
Thanks guys. I think Termidor is the way I’m going to go. It seems to have less complaints online than the bait stations as well. I hope it works good for me.
P.S.
Jay, work on your attitude! I’ve reviewed all the posts to see what the huff and puff was about, and have seen the way you talk to people… you’re not very nice mister!
Jessica,
Your best bet is to go with Termidor. Termidor is a superior treatment, and the annual renwal is usually a lot less. Baits can work, but liquid will work faster and is easier to maintain. I would recommend Termidor. And I would agree with Jim on the Advance bait stations. They are bigger and have a unique two part feeding station. Getting a system that involved Termidor and bait stations would be a great treatment as well. Hope that helps, and good luck!
You know what Jay? I’ll be the bigger man here and apologize. I did not mean to get personal with you, or insult you as a person. I know what I have seen, and I know what has worked for me. It is not to impressive to see a grown man acting on his emotions, so I will end this for your sake. With the reputation of Gunter Pest Management on your shoulders, I think that will be in your best interest. Your attitude and display of self control has been way below where it should be (as the president of a business).
I do not change my position. I think liquid will always be better than bait, but I do apologize for personally offending you.
You can dish it out, but you can’t take it, my friend.
Jay- you are rude and a poor business man. And whats with the arrogant attitude? You don’t look like a proffesional to me. For being president of your little Gunter Pest management, you sure treat people poorly. You should stop replying to my messages before you make yourself look any more stupid than you alredy have. And relax Jay, I don’t think killing bugs is something to get a complex over anyway lol!
Tyler- Obviously, you make my case. How could you “attempt” to be a Sentricon Dealer when it is Dow who selects you? You had no say in it. The foremost expert on Termites in the United States is Dr. Nan-Yau Su, Professor of Entomology for the University of Florida. He spent over 10 years researching the habits of termites and knows Sentricon is very effective. You are welcome to your biased opinion as to how effective Sentricon is, however, my opinion, having worked with both products is that they are equally effective. Your absurd comments regarding the wood monitors is just plain wrong. Termites go for the wood in the ground no matter how old it is. Please stop trying to play expert in a matter which you know very little about.
Jay- I never attempted to become ‘selected’ by Sentricon. Why would I when Termidor is better anyway? You may be correct in a few isolated cases, but wrong in most. Again, the leading experts say that bait alone is not enough. Experience shows that a bait station not checked monthly can grow fungus and mold, which repels termites. So why would I be bitter that I was not selected (again, I never applied) to sell an inferior product?
Jessica, This guy Jay is always Blah-Blah-Blah Sentricon.The truth is sentricon is the second worst bait on the market due to its SMALL size.The worst is Firstline which is what Orkin uses.And for the record I turned down Sentricon!Also bait is MUCh more expensive in the long run. Jessica if you do choose baits go with Exterra or Advance.And it sounds like your home would be a candidate for either one.
Jessica- A lot of it is political. In order to be a Sentricon Dealer, you have to have been selected, sort of like a Mercedes Dealer. There were a lot of hurt feelings in the industry from those that did not get selected, therefore they badmouth Sentricon every chance they get. Termidor is probably the best liquid treatment material out there and Sentricon is the best bait product out there. They both work equally (about 98-99% effective). Termidor works a little quicker. Sentricon is more environmentally friendly. Cost is about the same. Get bids for both types and make the decision for yourself.
I am thinking about getting a termite job to our house to keep termites out. I thought about going with a bait system, but there seems to be controversy over it, whereas there really doesn’t seem to be too much controversy with the Termidor. Not sure what to do.
Okay Jim I’ve got it… that sounds like a good system you have in place. And I agree with you on the bigger bait stations too. I did pest control for a little while after college, and we used Advance bait stations. They seem to work well. I like the idea of a 2 part monitoring system. Keep up the good work.
Sorry Tyler but I think we are misunderstanding each other on guarantees . What I do is a 5 year guarantee,with no yearly renewal fee due for the first five years, then after 5 years a yearly renewal fee of 50.00 -75.00. As far as I know I am the only one in the state that has no yearly fees for the first 5 years.Its an awesome sales point.And now for a KILLER reason to choose Termidor over bait. With Termidor if you choose not to keep a renewal you still have the Termidor in the ground killing termites. With baits if you don’t renew all you have is a plastic station with two pieces of wood in it. And if you do choose baits SIZE COUNTS. When I worked at Terminix we used Sentricon for years until Dow fired Terminix. Then Terminix went to Advance Bait Stations which is a little larger. Our hits doubled with a larger station. I use Ensystex ,the Exterra bait station is the largest station I have seen.Ensystex has done studies that prove termites hit a larger target more often.The Exterra station is recommended at 15 feet apart and no more than 20 feet. In fact it gets more hits at 20′ than Sentricon at 10′ spacing because of it’s size..
Jim,
A one year guarantee on a Termidor treatment is pathetic! Have you ever thought of extending your guarantee? You could have great success.
If everybody else in your town is only offering a one year guarantee, you should offer a 15 or 20 year guarantee with a renewal price at 15% of the initial treatment. We both know you could safely offer that, and it would really make you stand out from the competition. Plus those 15 or 20 years would give you plenty of chances to sell the customer other services, such as moisture barriers, crawl space insulation, etc. A guy like you who, unlike some of us, knows how to treat people could go real far. I wish you the best!
MJ, 500.00 sounds a little cheap but that greatly depends on the size of your home. Both bids are not that far apart, cause if you asked the 500.00 company to price it at .12% instead of .06% their price would be about $700.00 also. Tyler, my 5 year guarantee is the only one in my area, everyone else does a 1 year guarantee. The bottom line is Termidor will last 10 – 15 years..
MJ,
At a dilution ratio of 0.06% you will apply 4 gallons per ten feet, but in clay BASF says it is okay to double the dilution (0.0125%) and apply 2 gallons per ten feet. The 4 gallons per ten feet is desirable, but 2 gallons per ten feet may be better in your case.
Termidor is safe. The first 24 hours after the treatment, keep your kids away from the foundation wall. After that, it has had enough time to dry and should be fine.
As far as a one or even a five year guarantee, both of those are a little short. If somebody does a conventional style treatment with Termidor, there is no reason not to put a ten year guarantee on it, unless of course the house has some rare and conducive condition that can not be fixed. BASF says that the Perimeter Plus style treatment, or EPLI, is good for ten years. So Truthfully, a conventional treatment with Termidor should, in most cases, last longer than that. Again, every house is different, but you can get more than 5 years out of Termidor in most cases.
The only other thing I want you to be careful of MJ is to make sure they are doing the job properly. $500 is a cheap Termidor treatment, so be careful. Both Jim and I have been sent in to clean up the messes of companies who’s only goal is to see how cheap they can make their prices. Sometimes it is worth it to spend a little extra a use a company you know is going to do the job properly. Good luck!
MJ, I use .06 myself in an area with alot of clay (WV) and have never had a problem. What I don’t understand is all these companies only doing a 1 year guarantee I do a 5 year. BASF who makes Termidor backs it for 5 years so it’s no sweat off the companies back..
This has been very informative. We just bought a home, originally built in 1975. The house was inspected in January and there were no signs of termites. On Sunday, however, we saw a swarm of several dozen swarmers, which are ‘hiding’ in the wood paneling on our front stoop.
We’ve gotten two bids — both to use Termidor. Company A would charge $500, use .06 concentration, and then $75/year to maintain the warranty. Company B would charge $700, plus $69/year for the warranty, at .12 concentration. Company B says that .06 is not sufficient for our soil, which has a lot of clay. What do you think about this argument? I can’t seem to find any information online about the concentration issue.
Also, can someone provide more information about the toxicity of termidor. Company A has said it is not a neurotoxin, and is ‘totally safe’ for animals and people — just like Frontline. I have three little kids (and a cat), whom I want to protect.
Let’s see what some of the leading experts have to say.
“The barrier treatments are effective immediately upon application. In the case of the bait installations, the average time to first feeding is 100 days, and there is no estimate of the average time to termite control.”
-Dr. Roger E. Gold, Entomologist, Texas A&M University
“Termite baits are another tool to control termite infestations. However, they don’t always eliminate the infestation and even when they do, one or more years is often required to eliminate the infestation. Therefore, other tools such as liquid soil treatments, wood treatments and mechanical alterations should be used when possible. Other tools quickly stop the damage which is occurring and permit baits to provide a long term solution. When used alone, baits often fail or additional damage may continue to occur until they work. The best termite control strategy considers all available tools and integrates them to provide the customer the best possible termite protection.”
-Dr. Doug Mampe, Consultant
Exactly what I’ve been saying. Bait only is not the best treatment for termites. You either need liquid, or a liquid PLUS bait to protect from termites.
And as far as having ‘hundreds of gallons of pesticide’ dumped around your home with a liquid treatment, not true. It is true that hundreds of gallons will be used, but most of that is water. With a Termidor treatment, it is recommended to treat at a dilution ratio of 0.06%, which is .8 ounces per gallon of water. So for every one hundred gallons, only 80 ounces of it is chemical while the rest is water.
I hope that helps somebody!
TB I agree with you. Liquid will always be better than bait. Someone made a comment earlier about the White House using Sentricon… great. The government does everything right don’t they? We are twelve trillion dollars in debt right now, and by 2019 we will owe one trillion dollars in interest on our national debt. So clearly everything they do is the best way to do it.
Liquid is the only thing that can give you a solid barrier all the way around your home. Not to mention TB that once a bait grows fungus on it (which can after about 1 month of being in the ground) it will repel termites. You will never get that with a liquid. Termidor is the best way to treat a house for termites.
Termidor wins hands down,i have been a sentricon tech for 11 years,and we are constantly going back to treat because the termites still get in the house,we NEVER have call backs with termidor.just hammer some wood in thr ground and check it yourself,what they are selling you is 2 pieces of wood and a piece of plastic,also alot of the techs that service the sentricon have no training in pest control,i am pretty sure you do not have to have a license to service this
Scott, $10/LF would be the higher end of our local rates.With the exception of Orkin and another locally owned company at $12/LF. I am at $4-$6/LF myself, which would be $920.00 with a 5 year guarantee ..My location is near the center/east coast. Jay is right to say the farther north you are the higher the prices.Down south with a year round bug season there are alot of companies competing.
Scott- We would be a little lower than either of those quotes, but regional pricing is different. Up your way, their prices are a little higher because they are more seasonal and have a much smaller window to bring in revenue. Yet, they need to pay their overhead year round, so they need to price a little higher. We would probably be around $1,000 + $100 renewal for Termidor. Sentricon would be around $900 + $300 renewal.
I’ve gotten a couple of quotes now from two Termidor treatment companies. The prices quoted were $10/lin ft from one company and a total of $1920 from another. Would any of you tell me what the going rate would be to inject termidor around a total of 184 linear feet of house foundation including approximately 60 linear ft that is concrete(driveway, back patio and along inside wall of attached garage)? The rest of the foundation is easy to access and is just lawn and landscaping. Also, what would the annual maintenance cost be? One firm’s annual charge would be 10% of the original injection cost (around $190) and the other didn’t specifiy because, originally, we had only gotten a quote for spot treatment and not treatment of the entire foundation.
Thanks. P.s – I have ruled out the Sentricon system for our northern climate. Just don’t feel like it will be as effective for us as termidor.
Scott,
The exterior should be enough, but you might want to have a bath trap installed if there are any bath tubs in your basement. You can find amazing testimonies online about homes and barns that were infested with termites, and an exterior only treatment with Termidor solved their problem.
Termidor is faster and more effective, plus the annual renewal will be a lot less because the treatment is (in most cases) maintanence free once it is in the ground. Unless you have a well, cistern or pond withing 25 feet of your home, go with Termidor.
Jay you seem to have a lot of knowledge for someone so hell-bent on Sentricon. There are situation where each one is better at times. For prevention baits can be a better choice. But for active termites nothing is faster than Termidor!! Studies show Termidor is 99% effective in 90 days, I have never known of a failure. Sentricon is 98% effective over a 5 (five) year period. Let’s see, 90 days for Termidor, 5 YEARS for Sentricon…NO competition!
There is very little way to know where the termites are tunneling since most of the activity is underground. In the old days, we used to always drill and treat under the basement slabs, but Termidor has proven to be effective by only treating the exterior and maybe the garage slab if it is attached to your home. You are smart to do your homework. Whichever way you choose to go, you will be ok. Good luck!
I’ve got a third company coming to the house tomorrow. They only do Termidor. I asked if they’ve ever done the baits and they said that they’ve researched it and felt that they were not as effective in a northern climate as Termidor.
I have to say, i’m leaning towards the termidor. I’ve yet to hear anything bad about it other than the fact that holes have to be drilled. fortunately, in the case of my home, we have only a 20′ concrete driveway and 15′ concrete patio to drill through – the rest of the house is surrounded by landscape beds and easy to drill/inject into. I don’t think the concrete disturbance will be too bad. My only concern is whether the exterior treatment will take care of any termite colonies that might be located directly under the middle of the basement slab. Do you guys think internal drilling/injection is necessary around the areas where the support posts were found to have termites and termite damage or, since we have seen no sign of re-entry into the basement for a year now, is it safe to assume that the termites are foreaging outward and the external treatment will be sufficient?
This forum discussion has been very valuable so I thank all of you who have shared your insights and experience with me.
scott
Jim- you are welcome to your opinion. Sentricon works in all climates. In fact it is protecting the White House right now and that is in a “Northern” climate. As for the service intervals of baiting (and more specifically, Sentricon), quarterly works just fine. In fact, within a couple years, Sentricon will be labeled for annual (once a year) inspections, rather than quarterly. This is done after extensive field training and approval by the EPA.
Tyler, these companies that do bait checks quarterly and tri-annually are just RIP_OFFS . Several manufactures have said to me that the label change from monthly and bi-monthly to quarterly and tri-annually was only done because the larger companies wanted a way to cut back on service/manpower.I have seen multiple hits in the first month a few times. I have more often than not seen it take 3 – 5 years to get the first hit.During that time the termites are still eating your home.. The climate Scott is in it should not even be legal to sell baits, or maybe only in a VERY sensitive area.
Scott,
You’re safest bet is going to be a full treatment with Termidor. Within 90 days, all termites in or around your house will be dead. Jim is right in that the bait stations need to be checked every month. If they are not, the wood will grow fungus which repels the termites. Either use baits that are monitored monthly or go with a liquid.
Jay talked about that house that took 4 months to get a hit and one year to control the termites… you need something faster than that. A termite that passes through Termidor will only live about 3 days and will infect other members of the termite colony, thereby rendering the ‘second kill.’
I’m not taking away from baits, but a liquid treatment will be much more in your favor. The Termidor is a very safe product as well. It has the same active ingredient (Fipronil) as Frontline Flea and Tick control, which is safe to apply directly to your animals skin.
Scott, the climate you are in would not be the best place for baits.Baits are ok in a area that can be checked at least bi-monthly year round. If you do not have the extra cash , do the spot for now and save for the exterior treatment later. Your home is warm year round and even when the termites will not come close to the baits in the winter they can come up in the middle of your home to feed.
Scott- Our company is more in line with Cincinnatti. If you go to the Sentricon website, you could probably find an authorized operator in your part of the country who could give you more localized information. In terms of experience, I have worked personally for 41 years. I have worked with Chlordane, Aldrin, Dursban TC, and many others, as well as Sentricon and Termidor. I have inspected over 10,000 homes for termites and also chaired the Wood Destroying Insect Committee for the National Pest Management Assn. My company has treated over 30,000 homes for termites in the past 50 years.
Jay,
I appreciate your input on this. You may have mentioned the state(s) you work in but could you repeat for my benefit what hands-on experience you have with using baits in cold climates as far north as zone 2-3 (I live right close to the SD/ND border).
You’ve been helpful to me so I hate to put you on the spot – I’d just like to know if you yourself have actually used sentricon baits in this far north of a climate and had the results you are claiming? If so, may I ask if the results are the same, better, worse than those observed in a warmer southern climate?
Scott
Scott- The termites don’t need to come to the surface or to build tunnels. The Sentricon Stations are about 1 foot underground, where the termites are foraging. Termites only build the tunnels to stay in the dark when they need to forage above the surface- like when they forage into the basement of a home or up an exterior foundation. Otherwise, they are usually foraging underground. It just takes one of them to find the wood in the station underground, then they leave pheromones to attract the other termites. There is a reason why all the larger local companies in every market use Sentricon. It works! If it didn’t, we wouldn’t risk our reputations or the cost of callbacks using it. Don’t let the naysayers influence you. It is over 98% effective, which is about the same as Termidor. However, sometimes, people don’t want holes drilled through their stoops or tile floors or don’t want 100s of gallons of pesticide injected around their homes. In those cases, Sentricon is the obvious choice. It works, it’s green and the cost is very similar to a liquid treatment.
Sorry bout the confusion.But but now that I understand you live in an area with long bad winters I would say no baits. To short of an inspection season. Termidor all the way.
Jay,
so what makes them come to the surface and build tunnels when those tunnels will freeze up during the winter months? Won’t that make the tunnels unusable during those months; thus, they won’t be able to reach their food source through them? Do they just abandon that food source during the winter and find another one?
Obviously termites have a unique intellect that I do not understand but others have touched on – why would they make more work for themselves and build surface tunnels to the bait stations in a cold climate when they can stay deep and have a year-round food source with your house? Are they attracted to the warmth of the surface during the summer months and, if so, what makes that more attractive than the warmth of your home?
Sorry – probably over-analyzing the situation but, the arguments for each type of treatment (liquid injection and bait stations) have their strong points and their flaws from what I’ve been reading. Just want to make sure that I choose the right one as I don’t have surplus cash to spend unwisely.
Scott
This is a perfect scenario for Sentricon. We once baited a home where we had to place the stations 50 feet away from the home because of a large Italian Marble back patio. We started getting hits in the stations about 4 months later, and by the next year, the termites were completely gone and have been ever since (about 8 years). Someone asked earlier how the termites would forage out to the stations from under the basement floor. That is what they do, they continuously forage seeking out cellulose and moisture. In fact they will forage out 1,000 feet from the main colony – about the length of a football field.
Jim,
So, I’m a bit confused by your post. At first, you say you suggest a bait system (not necessarily Sentricon but some type of bait system) but later, you say to do a termidor exterior plus treatment. Would it be correct of me to assume that your advice for treatment would be (in order of preference): 1) full Termidor exterior treatment, 2) use of bait system, 3) spot treatment with Termidor?
My concern with the Termidor treatment is that the damage is centralized in the middle of our basement which led the technician to believe that the termites were located under the basement slab so treatment around the block foundation would do no good (except for around the attached garage where damage was found). His spot treatment for the basement would be contained to the area where the posts were removed.
My concern with the bait system is that, if the termites are indeed under the basement, why would they venture out into the yard to the bait stations unless they can no longer gain entry into the basement because we sealed up their entry point where the infected support posts were removed? Also, what would drive them to the surface when, for at least 4 months of the year, the top 36″ of the ground is frozen solid? Wouldn’t they just stay down deep where their tunnels can remain active all year long?
Scott
A spot treatment with termidor is better than a spot treatment with anything else , but it’s still just a patch on a future problem. Termites don’t normally leave on their own. In your case I would suggest a bait system if there is no current sign of activity but you know they are there..I would also suggest checking other companies cause Sentricon is the most expensive but not the best. Look for a company using Exterra Or Advance that does monthly or bi-monthly service. Not quarterly or tri-annually, you are wasting your money with any span more than bi-monthly!Stay away from the big rip-offs like Terminix and Orkin.. But if you want the problem solved quickly and not have to worry for 10-15 years do Termidor exterior plus treatment.
So, since originally posting on this site, i’ve had two companies come out and look at my home. Just to recap, when we remodeled our home in the spring of 2009, we found termites and a small amount of termite damage in the middle of our basement on two support posts and a few framing members. We removed the damaged wood and floated a floor leveler over the area where the old posts were removed. (The new support posts were set on the concrete slab whereas the old ones went through the slab and into the soil below). This spring, when remodeling our attached garage, I found what looked like extensive but old termite damage.
During their respective inspections, no live termites were found in our home by either pest control company. Company A is recommending spot treatments with termador only to the areas where termites and termite damage was previously found. They are not recommending treatment around the entire house. The spot treatment will cost around $300. Company B is recommending a Sentricon bait system all around the house at a cost of $1500 over two years. Company B claims they still use termidor for the control of other insects but stopped using it for termite control in favor of the sentricon system because it is safer for the homeowner.
My question is – if we are not finding fresh damage or signs of live termites anywhere, are we kidding ourselves to think that perhaps the termites have simply left the area and found a different place to feed or should we assume that since we had them at one time, we will have them again if we don’t do something about it now?
Then, if we need to do something about it now, what treatment is the most sound – spot treatment with termador or the full sentricon system or should we get a third opinion? As strange as it may sound, I think I would feel better about spending the money if we knew we had termites currently feeding on the house. We just hate to spend it on a problem that MAY? have gone away with the remodeling that we did…
Your help is appreciated.
Scott
That would work in the long run (10′ out). Termidor is the only idiot proof termite control on the market.You can sometimes use a 1/4 inch drill bit? Maybe short or long rod the area also?
We found a swarm in the front room of our split level home (on the level which is below ground) and there is also evidence they’ve eaten the drywall paper in the same area. At the back of the home we have a tiled screened in porch area (on the same level as the swarm and about 4 feet below ground level). The techs have said that the foundation of the home is before you step out onto the tiled-in porch and if we use the Termidor treatment they’d have to drill into the tiles (splitting them) to get the liquid along the porch area/foundation (about 10ft by 10ft). They said putting the Termidor into the ground outside the porch would still leave the two interior porch walls exposed to termites and they’ll of course gravitate toward those yummy walls. If this liquid stuff works for 100 yards or so, couldn’t I put some liquid 10 feet out from the foundation,4-6 ft down in the ground, and still keep the termites away from my 2 “exposed” foundation walls? (This is a very reputable company in our area and they sell both but basically said I can ruin my tile porch or go with the bait Sentricon system but after doing a lot of reading I’m not so sure what to do anymore.) Thanks!
Jim,
I appreciate your comments on Termidor. It sounds like you are an honest man if you didn’t sell that person a bait only treatment!
Let me clarify my statements… I know that termites are attracted to wood once they find it, especially a soft wood that holds moisture. What I meant by not being attracted to it is that I have not seen evidence that they can sense wood before they bump into it. Theoretically, termites could possibly tunnel past a bait station and never find it. That’s why I prefer a liquid or a liquid PLUS bait. However, when they do find the station, it will attract other termites by way of phermone interaction amongst the colony. I hope that makes sense.
Keep up the good work Jim!
Well, I think Presto X is owned by another company, now. Their former president (Ward Combs) is a past president of the NPMA. I don’t know much about Ecolab, but they might be under a larger name too. You might give the smaller company whose name you didn’t recognize a call for a free inspection and free estimate and see what they say. Won’t cost you anything.
Good luck!
Sorry to say but I don’t concider ecolab a reputable company. I have been sent in to clean up to many of there messes
Jay,
When I checked out the NPMA, I found only Orkin and one other company who’s name I didn’t recognize for SD. Neither EcoLab nor Presto-X were shown as members even though you said they are solid companies. Why would two large reputable companies choose not to be members if it’s a reputable organization.
I’m not trying to dispute the reputation of the organization, I’m just wondering.
I don’t know how much dues are, but there are over 4,000 members of the National Pest Management Assn. All of them get regular updates on laws, regulations, product innovations, training and business matters. Orkin and Terminex are only two of the members. If you aren’t a member, Jim, you should be. It will help to make you a better pest management professional. Small price to pay for a wealth of information.
I don’t belong to the state or national pest assoc..They seem to be controled by the 2 biggest contributers , that being Orkin and Terminix. And every member is in good standing for recommendation as long as the dues are paid.
For another opinion, I would go to the National Pest Management Association site (you can google it). Look for a local company in your area. If they are a member of the association, they probably have a good reputation and have been around awhile.
Tyler is right about Termidor being better than Sentricon or any other bait. But if I”m reading correctly he is saying termites are not attracted to wood lol…Termites are attracted to wood, that’s what they eat…like I have said baits or great for prevention. I recently sold a Termidor treatment on a house that had active termite tubes on almost every joist, the company I was bidding against was going to do a bait only with NO spot treatment..This customer asked me if I could do baits too.I told her that I could not in good conscious do baits on a home with that much activity..Two hours later I was checking another home with no activity, I recommended baits as a prevention
Jay,
The maintenance manager of my office building (govt building) has worked with EcoLab. I got Presto-X’s name from our county extension agent. Both were highly recommended for commercial use but I wasn’t sure how much residential experience they have and whether it matters…?
Any particular questions I need to ask of either of them or can I trust that they will cover the available options thoroughly and treat me fairly in whatever treatment they recommend?
Both are primarily commercial pest control companies (ie food processing plants, hospitals, warehouses, etc). However, both are solid companies with good reputations.
I live in South Dakota. Found live termites feeding in a couple beams and studs while gutting my basement for a remodel last spring. I removed all visable damage and insects and proceeded to remodel the basement. I also gutted a good part of the main level and found no insects nor signs of insect damage. The attic is unfinished and gets below freezing during the winter. Have not seen insects or damage there either. This spring, while doing some light remodeling to our attached garage on a slab, I found what looked like old termite damage (fairly severe) in wood plank siding underneath steel siding that is about 15 years old. I saw no live termites and the mud/sawdust tunnels looked old to me though I am no expert with termite damage.
I have 4 very young children so safety is a concern when considering the right treatment. One company, Presto-X, has recommended Sentricon. Their website offers liquid treatment also but the tech I talked to says Sentricon alone should suffice. He will inspect the house next week. I have also called EcoLab. I believe they do both treatments too. I meet with a representative tomorrow.
Can you give me any advice on either of these two companies as far as their reputations and what questions to ask them? Anyone have personal experience with termites in my region? Thanks. scott
I have 41 years experience. I don’t work for Dow. I have done over 10,000 termite inspections and treatments in my career. We do more Termidor jobs than Sentricon jobs every year. I have no axe to grind. If you’re going to get personal, do it to your spouse, not to me. I have over 60,000 clients and there is a reason. My experience and reputation. Since you don’t have any experience with Sentricon, you have no idea of the control rates. I can tell you from a lot of experience that Termidor control rates are around 99% and Sentricon is around 98%. Pretty darn close.
HERE is the bottom line everybody: If a termite company Only tries to sell you a Termidor treatment or ONLY a Sentricon treatment, Beware. Every home is different and it needs to be evaluated individually to determine whether a bait system or liquid treatment is right for your particular property. Also, experience is very important. Find a company who has been around at least 15 – 20 years.
“That is like saying humans aren’t attracted to food.” You sure proved me wrong with all that evidence! It sounds to me like you either work for Dow or some shady company who RIPS PEOPLE OFF BY DOING BAIT ONLY “TERMITE TREATMENTS.” How do they find the Termidor? I’ll tell you how. Termidor, when applied properly, is treated at a flow rate of 4 gallons per 10 linear feet in a 6 inch deep trench. That is enough to soak down to the footer of the house. On a house that has a basement, a 4 foot rod is injected all the way into the ground, the soil is saturated, then the trench is filled at a rate of 4 gallons per 10 linear feet. Read the label Jay.
Lets use some common sense here. If termites ARE attracted to wood, why would you want to attract them within 3 feet of your home with a bait station? A big colony will have an upwards of one million worker termites. They will not all feast on the bait station, as some will tunnel right past it. They are not attracted to wood. You are right that in once they find some wood they like they will call the other termites over with phermones, absolutely. But, like you said Jay, they find cellulose by “forging.” That means they could completely miss a bait station and get inside your home! Read your own comments.
Here is the bottom line everybody: If a termite company wants to do a bait only termite treatment, don’t walk away from that company, run from it. Like the technicians before me have posted, a bait only treatment has a much higher retreat percentage than a liquid or a liquid plus bait treatment. Having somebody come by once per quarter and check bait stations will not give you an absolute answer to whether or not termites are in your crawl space. You have to use liquid if you want a proper termite treatment.
Yes Jay it is amazing. It is amazing they can find a 2 inch thick tomato steak. What’s also amazing is how much damage they would have done to your home before they found it.
Termites forage randomly and continuously until one of the worker members of the colony find the underground wood. Once it has been found, pheromones are sent to other members of the colony. You state, “There is no evidence that termites are attracted to cellulose.” That is like saying humans are not attracted to food. Termites are constantly foraging to find cellulose (wood). Termites only build exploratory mud tubes when they can’t find wood directly.
Termidor works the same way. A chemical barrier is injected in to top portion of the soil surrounding a structure, but termites are usually foraging way below this layer of soil – especially in the winter. So how do they find the Termidor? They do so, by foraging up, down and all around until they randomly come into contact with it. Works the same way with baiting. Did you ever place a wood tomato stake in the ground and wait? Sooner or later, termites find it – a tiny 2 inch piece of wood inserted in the ground. Amazing, isn’t it?
But what would guarantee that termites will find the bait stations? I have seen the work of companies who do bait only termite treatments, and while it does work at times, it also has a much higher retreat percentage than a Termidor treatment does. There is not evidence that termites are attracted to cellulose. If they were, they would not build exploratory mud tubes. The chances of a termite finding a bait station three inches in diameter placed ten feet apart is pretty slim, whereas with a liquid treatment that is done properly, a termite can not enter the house without ingesting or absorbing the Termidor. A conventional treatment done with Termidor is the best termite treatment you can have done to your home. Not to take away from Sentricon, as I have stated I do believe they are probably the leading bait stations and they do work excellent once termites find them, but you must use liquid along with the bait.
Actually, Sentricon is a stand alone treatment. Some companies my do a spot liquid treatment to get a “jumpstart” on the termites, but it is not required, nor recommended.
Sentricon seems to be the best bait stations available. However, bait only can not guarantee termite control. You have to use a liquid (like Termidor), or a liquid plus bait. Termidor AND Sentricon combined would be an incredible treatment. To the best of my knowledge, I have not seen any evidence vindicating that termites are attracted to cellulose, which leaves the effectiveness of a bait only treatment up to luck. With a liquid, or a liquid plus bait, you can rest assured that termites will be eliminated from your home.
Trey is going against the label: no partial treatments with Termidor allowed. Notice also the Sentricon system is not tested by the USDA Forest Service.
That is called the ESP system. The wood in the station rots over time with too much moisture. The ESP will sense if there are termites or too much moisture. Then, the technician will open the stations, inspect and install bait or replace the wood. If there is no signal, then everything is ok.
The installer I want to use is very highly recommeneded. They also installed and maintain Sentricon at the White House. They use the electronic monitoring system. If they are only waving an electronic detector over the units, how can they know the condition of the wood or the interior of the trap?
As a matter of fact Dow\Sentricon fired Terminix cause al the stations were full of mudddddd.
“Every independent study done will back that up” Really, Jim. Can you please site 2 or 3 independent studies that show Termidor is more effective than Sentricon? Of all the baits, Sentricon is the only one where the manufacturer follows up to make sure the inspections are being done. However, you are correct that it is important to choose a pest professional that will do what they say and has a good reputation. Any method of termite treatment is only as good as the vendor who installs/applies it.
Sentricon baits, if done right can be somewhat effective.Nothing close to Termidor . Every independent study done will back that up.Another thing is to company you choose!! Too many companies have bait station of all brands out there full of rotten wood and mud..And baits can be the best choice for prevention, with a company that will maintain them properly..
I was just doing a search for more info on Sentricon and found this site:
http://www.syix.com/emu/html/sentricon.html
The site inclused supposed statements from entomologists and people in the industry about how ineffective the baits are. I know a lot of you guys that sell the system will defend it, but are there any 3rd party reviews of the product other than the one famous study?
Sentricon is fine to use as a “stand alone” treatment. And yes, by putting an above ground station where the active tunnel is, you will immediately be getting bait into the colony.
I live in central MD and saw a small swarm last spring (maybe 100 outside front door brick stoop, 30 inside) and again just the other day (25 to 50 outside in mulch next to front door, 20 inside). We found one mud tunnes coming in near a basement window right next to the stoop.
With these details, do you think it would be okay to just use Sentricon (with an extra station in the swarm area and both hot baited) and not spot treat with Termidor? Or do I have to at least spot treat that area and under the brick stoop. I don’t like using pesticides near the house. I like the fact that the active ingredient in Sentricon is a chiton inhibitor whereas Termidor uses a nerve agent.
Also, how effective are the above ground bait stations for putting over that one tunnel we found indoors?
Thanks!
Jim- You’re the only one on here selling something – Termidor. Termidor is a good product. We use it. But, we also use Sentricon, and it is just as good as Termidor. I don’t work for Dow and never have, but I have been in the business for 41 years and have used Chlordane, Aldrin, Sentricon, Dursban TC, Termidor…. you name it, I’ve used it. Sentricon and Termidor are both about 99% effective. You mention that Sentricon contaminates the soil every time it rains! What a joke. Are you a new applicator? There is nothing to leach. The bait is tightly packed in a plastic container. Nothing leaches out, and if it did, it wouldn’t leach more than a few inches. Some clients don’t want 200 gallons of pesticide injected around their homes. For those people, Sentricon is perfect. Works great. Easy on the environment. Never wears off. Period! You need to get over the fact that you are not an authorized Sentricon Dealer. It’s okay to push Termidor. It is a good product and I’ve done over 3,000 jobs with it, but don’t downgrade Sentricon. It is just as good and has saved many a home from termites.
Thanks Jim for your imput. It has helped me make my decision. I live in a wooded area and don’t want to wait around to see if I’m going to catch anything in a trap. Also, I have a curious toddler that I know will try to pull the round Sentricon disks out of the ground. I saw the termites last year and I’m sure they will be back this year but rather wait around for them to come I will make the barrier around my house with the Termidor.
I see alot of people pushing what they sell on here. That being Sentricon..Termidor out performs Sentricon HANDS DOWN WITH NO EXCEPTIONS!!Sentricon does contaminate your soil every time it rains!!The studies are out there.. If you worried about moisture in the soil (Amy), Termidor is the only liquid on the market that does not move in the soil once it dries..Termidor is also one of the least toxic (to Mammals) termite chemicals ever. The only one less toxic is Premise, but it moves in the soil every time it rains.. Termidor has the same active ingredient as Frontline that you put on your pets for fleas. Like I have said before “baits are a cross your fingers and wait method” . It can take years and years and years to get a hit. Do you want termites eating your home while waiting for a hit. If you do a spot treatment with Termidor, then your current problem is solved with no baits…Just use common sense cause I suspect some of these people on here work for Dow, which makes Sentricon…
If they will give you a 4 year warranty for no additional cost, I would go for it. However, I would call them back once a year to check to make sure there is no new evidence, unless you have the expertise to check it yourself.
Any advice about warranties on Thermidor? The company will give me a 4-year warranty for no additional cost, and a 10-year warranty for $99/year. I live in New England where the termites are not as fierce as in other areas. Would I be taking too great a risk to just get the 4-year warranty? Money is super tight now.
I can’t give you advice because we don’t have a high water table in our area. However, If the Sentricon company uses Termidor too, I would think that they wouldn’t have an axe to grind either way and would give you the best suggestion.
also, we’ve seen termite activity last year but not yet this year.
We live in an area of NJ where the water table is high and the dirt is sandy but can be hard like clay. We have received 5 estimates to treat termites and all but 1 recommendded Termidor the other company recommended Sentricon because of the high water table and said putting the liquid into the ground with a high water table would dilute it. Is this correct? Should I go with the bait system. Our home is only 9yrs old and I want the best protection
Sentricon is the most environmentally friendly. It is not a liquid pesticide. It is an ongoing monitoring system using hollow plastic monitors sunk into the ground adjacent to the structure. When active termites enter the stations, bait is placed in the station. Termites feed on the bait and take it underground to all the other termites in the colony until the colony is wiped out. Termidor, although low in toxicity is still a liquid pesticide. Price for the Sentricon should be about $700 – $1,000 for installation and 1 year of monitoring. Annual monitoring thereafter should run about $259 – $320 per year..
I live in Northern California on a hill in a redwood sided home that is adjacent to a forest and wetlands below. From what I have read on this site, it appears that Sentricon is more environmentally friendly than Termidor. Specifically in what manner is it more environmentally friendly and in what manner is Termidor not environmentally friendly? I don’t want to use something that will have any toxicity to my family now or in years to come, like organophosphates. My wife already has a chronic neurological handicap. If both cause some toxicity, what else is recommended? About how much does it cost to have the various professional companies protect a home per lineal foot or per home?
We have subterranean termites. Thanks for your help!
I live in Northern California on a hill in a redwood sided home that is adjacent to a forest and wetlands below. From what I have read on this site, it appears that Sentricon is more environmentally friendly than Termidor. Specifically in what manner is it more environmentally friendly and in what manner is Termidor not environmentally friendly? I don’t want to use something that will have any toxicity to my family now or in years to come, like organophosphates. If both cause some toxicity, what else is recommended. About how much does it cost to have the various professional companies protect a home per lineal foot or per home?
Thanks for your help!
Sounds like a smart move to me.
Just discovered our house in Ft. Worth TX has a termite infestation. Sure wish we’d taken preventative measures when we moved in almost 3 years ago, but we didn’t. Insurance doesn’t cover it, and home warranty doesn’t cover it. We’re thinking about the sentricon system with termidor spot treatment in the house where the critters have been spotted (2 walls). Didn’t like the idea of gallons of the chemical in the yard with kids, dogs and cats running through it. Thanks guys.
Is this wall adjacent to the garage slab?
Here is a follow up to my swarm problem.. My termite guy came back and explained to me the problem which makes perfect sense. My home is a 3 level split and the bottom level is on a slab. The areas where the swarm was is in the interior wall running from front to back of house. This is where the slab runs and where the swarmers are coming from. It is accessible from the basement and he is going to drill along the interior foundation and pump it with termidor.
I just bought a home in Massachusetts that needs to be treated for termites. I’ve decided to go with Termidor, but I can’t decide which warranty option to take. The company I’ve chosen offers a 4-year warranty included in the initial price. For $99/year, they would sell us a 10-year warranty with annual inspection. (I need to clarify whether they inspect with the 4-yr warranty or not.) Since Termidor tends to last 10 years (with no guarantees, I know), I’m wondering if I should bother with the longer warranty. Perhaps instead, some years after the 4-year runs out, I should just get a new inspection. What do you think? I’d be especially interested to hear from the pros.
Have them identified to make sure they are termites. Ants swarm sometimes too. Ants have 3 distinct sections to their body (like a wasp). Termites have a head and a long bullet shaped body. Also wings on termite are almost twice as long as their bodies. Ant wings are only slightly longer than their bodies.
Nicholas W Constantino , Sorry to hear that, you should not be seeing a swarm,,Was the swarm in your home? Or outside?If it was not close to your home that could be ok.. From what I have read the only failures with Termidor were done intentionally. That is they tested how bad you would have to screw a treatment up to fail, and it is pretty bad.One of a couple of thing would have to happen in the real world to fail..(1)Termidor works so well some termite techs. think they can cut back on the gallons used to treat, and too much could be bad..(2) There is getting to be alot of counterfeit Termidor on the market due to its high price, just look on E-Bay , most of that being sold on E-Bay is counterfeit..So if the company that treated your home thought they got a great deal on E-Bay and treated your home with it???I hope the company is backing it up?? Looks like you are a little over a year past treatment, are you still under guarantee??If the company does not back it up call the Department of Agriculture, they can test the soil and tell what was applied ..Good luck…
I had a reputable Pest control Applicator treat my home with Termidor last February 2009. I live in CT. I must say that After the treatment I did not see ANY signs of termites or carpenter ants almost immediately! However, today March 27 2010, I did see a small swarm. It was a nice sunny day and it really surprised me as I thought that the Termidor knocked out my termites. My question is will I still see a swarm after a year with Termidor? Like I said before, last year after the application…..GONE!! Thanks
I would call a local pest management firm that has been around awhile. You might find one on the IPCO (International Pest Control Org) website. You can google it. It is made up of smaller, well-experienced companies in most markets around the United States, as well as various other countries and islands. You need an opinion from a local firm. Good luck!
If your home was treated with Termidor 5 years ago it should be fine for about 10 more years at least. If your local Terminix is a franchise it may be O.K., if it is not a franchise STAY AWAY. All you will get is falsified document and spraying water.Google “Terminix consumer alert” go to that site it has lots of info on their dirty tricks..The Termidor is truly bullet proof for 12 – 15 years. You will find more personalized service from a locally owned and oporated company.
Our 5 year termite contract is expiring. So we are deciding between a Sentricon bait type system or a Terminix/Termidor liquid type system.
Question: As a 5 year old, concrete slab, brick & hardiplank house, in GA, without a current termite problem, which type of system is best for us? We are not interested in spending additional money unnecessarily since we do not have a current problem.
Thanks!
I have years of experience with Sentricon and Advance with Terminix, (I am certified for both and have many awards) both a great bait. I have also used Firstline with Orkin, it is truly junk, you can buy the same bait at Lowes..I currently use Esystex (Exterra) which is similar to Sentricon and Advance.I always let my bait customers know that this is a LONG TERM COMMITMENT . I have seen as many as 5 hits in the first month, I have also seen about half or more sites take years to get a hit!! If you do decide to use baits please choose a company that does monthly or no more than bi-monthly service, any thing more than that you might as well burn your money. I do not belong to the Nat. pest management Assn. or the state PMA. Mostly because they are mostly controlled by Orkin and Terminix here in WV,they both have “honorary” VP seats .I have never been turned down by Dow/Sentricon, I turned them down!!You also get your personal info. shared with Dow via computer from the company that installed the system. Dow also has its own quality control people (which is good),in the fine print (if its stil ther,it been a few years)you will be authorizing Dow to show up at your door usually unannounced to chech your property, and if your not there it still gets checked..One thing I have managed to do since I went into business for myself is to really tic-off my competition with honesty and a 5 year guarantee to back it up….
Well, I have to disagree with Jim about Sentricon being a “cross your fingers, hope and wait” method. How does he know if he is not an authorized vendor and has no direct experience with it. A lot of Pest Management professionals that didn’t get chosen as a Sentricon dealer say detrimental things about it because they are mad about not being chosen. I can’t say that I blame them, however, I have experience with ALL the methods and products – more than 5,000 termite jobs. Termidor is great. We have had great success with it too. But Sentricon is just as effective. Pricing is similar. It’s just that some people don’t want 100 – 200 gallons of liquid pesticide applied around their homes. A lot of people go with Sentricon, plus a spot application of Termidor where the active infestation is. Nothing wrong with it. It gives some people a peace of mind that they immediately stopped the termites with the Termidor, but didn’t resort to the large quantity of chemicals around the rest of the home. Missy- I think you are on the right track. Any method of treatment is only as good as the company applying it. Check with the BBB and National Pest Management Assn for good standing. Plus, ask a couple of your neighbors. If you want less pesticides, go with Sentricon. If you want to save a few bucks on your annual renewal, go with Termidor. It’s that simple. They are equally effective.
Thanks so much for the information. I will complete my research for company complaints right away.
Missy, When it comes to active termites, the Sentricon is truly a cross your fingers, hope, and wait method. The companys that push it and other baits as a cure for active termites are only looking to guarantee their future REVENUE . The Termidor is an almost instant cure and provides prevention for about 15 years….Termidor should take care of ALL subterranean termites even Formosan.Here is my advice, stay away from the Okin and Terminix, or any other large company especially if they offer, and brag about a repair guarantee.If you had damage in the future these companies will lawyer up on you in a heart beat. Look for a small to mid sized, locally owned and operated with a good reputation.You may even check your states Department of Agriculture website, it should show who has complaints against them. Also google them to look for complaints ( I find this works for almost any company )…
Jim, upon reading both proposals, Company B states that the Termidor will be used on the high traffic areas of the termites. Wouldn’t this be the same as getting rid of them, plus using the Sentricon bait as prevention?
I consider my home of average size, 1,600 sq feet.
Oh, also I thought a termite was a termite. Upon reading Company A proposal, it states that “It is understood and agreed that this guarantee covers the native Subterranean termite only and excludes the Formosan Subterranean termite, the non-subterranean (Kalotermitidae, hodotermitidae, and rhinotermitdae) and all other wood destroying insects and organisms.”
Should I be concern about these other types as well?
I live in the South.
Hey Missy, That company that wants to do Sentricon and Termidor, mark them off your list. They are rippin you. If you treat with Termidor there will be no termites to kill with the Sentricon!!In almost 24 years I have use almost everything on the market.Nothing works like Termidor, It has had no retreats (callbacks) in over 10 years of use…….Million of homes treated and not one failure……Sentricon and Termidor both are a stand alone treatment , to do both is a scam!! For my customers I only do baits as prevention. If you have active termites, and don’t want to wait possibly years and years for a hit while termites are eating your home go Termidor. Every study I have seen all say that within 90 days of a treatment with Termidor there is no living termites within an acre of the average size home…
I have had two estimates and inspections from businesses that both have been in their respectable fields over 40 years. They both are certified Sentricon dealers. One company, which I will call Company A is recommending the Termidor treatment alone and the other, Company B is recommending the Termidor treatment and the Sentricon bait treatment together. I am looking at paying about $50 dollars more by using the Sentricon treatment from Company B and feel that I will be getting the protection that I need for the active termites that were found in the crawl spaces of my home. Company A that recommends the Teridor treatment stated that they could use both the Sentricon and the Teridor together but the cost would be twice as much but doesn’t feel that the Sentricon treatment is necessary. Should I get a third estimate and inspection? I am a little puzzle that both certified dealers have different opinions. I am not sure who is looking out for my best interest here.
I have been in the industry for 40 years and agree with you Jim. If I had a choice at my own home, I would go Sentricon. Since I treated my home with Chlordane in 1985, it probably will never need another treatment. But, if it did, I would go Sentricon. If you want a quick kill, go Termidor. If you want a long term, environmentally friendly solution, go Sentricon.
You will hear different information on this subject depending upon what they have used or know about. I have a master in entomology specializing in eastern subterrain termites and have been in the pest control business for over 25 years. I have used both Termidor and Sentricon for several years. I have Sentricon on my personal home and would not change.
Thanks, Jim. We will request Termidor. I will let everyone know the results, as we can see where they are tunneling and where they are initiating from.
Someone has told you something completly wrong.Baits are ok for prevention, but if you have active termites nothing and I mean nothing will get rid of them faster than Termidor ,,not Premise or any other liquid works like Termidor. Every test done shows that within 90 days of treatment with Termidor there are no living termites within an acre of the center of the average size home!!!! Baits can take years and years and years and years to get your first hit.I have seen it take as much as 6-7 years to get a hit, in that time the termites are still eating your home!!
As a homeowner with current termite issues, I have repeatedly been told to use Sentricon if you have active termites and Termidor for use before you see termite activity. Another words, Sentricon if you know you have termites, and Termidor to prevent getting them.
I live in New England and have owned my home for 15 years. Our home was treated conventionally with poison (not Termidor) around the perimeter before we bought it. The termites came back the next spring and it took us the whole summer to get the fly by night pest controller back to retreat. When the termites reappeard the following spring we then paid to have a REAL CERTIFIED pest control company install Sentricon. At the time it was new in our area and we did not know anyone else who had it.
I am glad we spent the extra money — our house has been termite free for 15 years. In the beginning when termite activity was found the pest control company put more bait stations adjacent to the active one. Over time as the termite activity has disappeared the extra bait stations were removed.
I have no experience with Termidor but I would recommend Sentricon 100 percent. Probably the best advice I have read on this forum is to choose a good, quality, pest control company and avoid the cheaper fly by nights. The few extra dollars spent are well worth it.
Sentricon has been around a lot longer. Also, Advance encourages “skimping” by the pest pro. Sentricon charges one fee to the pest company and all materials are included. So, if you have large amounts of termites underground, it sometimes takes 10 or 15 bait tubes to eliminate the colony(ies). Since everything is pre paid, the vendor will put out as many stations or bait tubes as it takes to solve the problem. With Advance, the materials are sold piece-meal. So when a station is costing $10 and the bait tubes cost $15 to the vendor, they will think twice about putting in extra stations or bait tubes. Also, Sentricon has many University studies proving its efficacy. Advance has none that I know of. If you are going bait, you should definitely go Sentricon.
I’ve decided to use a bait system. Which is more effective, Sentricon or Advance? I read that the Advance system uses a Chitin inhibitor which only kills 20% of the termites that feed on it (the young ones) and the adults have to die of old age which could take up to 6 -8 years. The Sentricon system uses a metabolism inhibitor that kills 90% of the termites that feed on it. But the Advance system looks better built and requires less frequent checking. Which one is better?
Also, how far apart and how far from the house should they be installed?
Termidor and Sentricon are equally effective. The only people who question the effectiveness of Sentricon are those who never became authorized dealers. Those that do both methods are the only ones who can objectively render an opinion. My company does both methods. Of course, Dow (the manufacturers of Sentricon) and BASF (the manufacturers of Termidor) want us to tell our clients that one is more effective than the other, but the fact of the matter is that they are both equally effective and have their own strengths. Both methods have a similar initial cost ($700 – $1,200), but the annual renewal is usually a little higher for Sentricon (4 trips instead of 1). Sentricon is definitely greener. Termidor involves applying 100s of gallons of insecticide where Senticon only inserts a small amount of bait matrix where the active termites are.
I have recently found termites in my house and have begun getting quotes for treatment. The sentricon system was recommended by the first pest company. They said that due the fact that I had a basement rather than a crawlspace it would be more effective than the termidor. I would greatly appreciate a professional opinion.
Rick, very good question…if there is enough moisture to allow the termites to live in the attic, then the colony will not need to return to the soil. If you are dealing with Formosan Termites, the carton nest will have to be found and removed – usually a direct application of termiticide will take care of the problem.
To play it safe – I would have the house tented and then treat the soil.
can termites in the roof be killed by applying pesticied on the ground or does the house need to be tented?
I have been in the pest control buisiness for 23 years. The baits ( Sentricon, Advance, Firstline Ect….) are all junk compared to Termidor……
I have been involved with the termite and pest treatment industy for the past 12 years,as well as the construction and re-construction aspect for the past 15 years. The last 5 of which have been spent as a field supervisor-3 with a very successful standard and alternative method company which sold to-the largest family owned termite and pest company on the west coast and after a 2 year run there decided to open my own company. The most important aspect of purchasing a termite program for your home is a clear understanding of the product as well as as proven field performance of it’s applicator. As an experienced field technician with many years in the field “Treating the Problem” and “Making the Customer Happy”. Educate yourself and get advice, from someone who used to have a termite problem or someone with a renewed in good standing licence, for your own peace of mind.
I own a family-owned pest management firm in Kansas City and have personally been doing pest management since June of 1969. We offer Sentricon, Termidor and many other products. I would say those two lead their competitors (Sentricon for bait and Termidor for liquid barriars). The effectiveness is about the same – about 99% effective. The initial cost is around the same too – about $1,000. The annual renewal is usually a litle higher for Sentricon because you are making 4 service trips instead of one, so there is more service involved. Sentricon is much more environmentally friendly. No liquid pesticide at all. I like working with it better because of that.
I have recently discovered we have termites in our 108 year old farm house. The crawlspace gives access to most of the underside of the house but there are some areas that would have to be sprayed from a distance of 20 ft away or more. Although it is possible to get all of the ground/dirt under the house. I am a small person (5’8″ 148 lbs) and was able to get into these small areas but I doubt many other people could. Would Termidor be a viable method since there is the possibility of incomplete interior coverage. Or would Sentricon be a better solution?
I’m curious. How long does the Termidor treatment last in the ground? Every chemical has some sort of breakdown period. What is this one’s? 5 yrs? 7 yrs? 10 yrs? Wouldn’t you at some point have to pay to re-treat the entire house again? And how long do contracts typically last for these treatments?
Thanks.
Termidor is also good for controlling ants on the exterior of the house too. I use it on every ant treatment and I use phantom on the exterior as well as drione dust (sparingly) It will kill the colonies outside, usually for the season. Unlike Termites, Ants spend alot of time on the surface and can travel long distances, so it doesn’t last as long for Ants. Termites are subterranean, and Termidor destroys the Termite colony. there is nothing better than Termidor for Termites! Period
I have been in the exterminating business for at least a decade (total). My personal technique is simple – sentricon to eliminate the colony(s) from your property AND/ drill/liquid treat attached slabs, dirtfilled porches, or critical areas “JUST IN CASE!” ;-). I am a “keyman” for Terminix which means i can sell and do my own jobs and this is how i do it… Termidor is expensive – but it does not cost that much to treat ‘critical areas’.. It’s a small bit of extra care that the company really never misses in chemical costs..
What I meant to say was that I never had a call back for termites at any home treated with termidor.
JASON
I work for at pest control company in GA where termites are very active and have seen many homes damaged by termites, powder post beetles, and fungus. Our company has been in business for over 34 years and licensed in SC, FL, GA , and TN. Any pest control salesperson who is honestr with you will tell you the best termite treatment is Termidor by far. While the Sentricon system is excellent, the number of call backs for termite activity in the home is much higher on the Sentricon. This spring, in my territory alone which consists of 6 counties, I had 12 call backs on Sentricon and absolutely NO callbacks resulting in live termite activity. The Sentricon customers that had live termite damage was on 4 of the call backs and the repairs were made much to our customers surprise. The ratio of damage claims vs the number of sentricon customers is extremely low. The key to any treatment is the warranty and the species of termite covered under the warranty. Some warranties have a low limit on the damage covered. Also, warranties may exclude formosan termites, not transfer to any subsequent owner, and the renewal fee can increase at any time and by any percentage. Cheaper companies are not always better, so read your contract before signing. Termidor IS tested to last at least ten years, but I highly recommend keeping the warrantee, because as we say in this business “there is no silver bullet”
Hope this helps,
Jason
We have been in the termite control business for 33 years and from experience, whatever treatment you choose is not as important as the company you choose. We do have a preference based on our long experience with all methods of termite control. We can offer Sentricon and Termidor as well as all other methods. The reason that the renewal on Sentricon is more is because of the service, not because of the product. When you purchase an automobile, you not only pick what you can afford but consider the value and the support you will get with a manufacturer. You should do the same with your home protection as it will appreciate rather than depreciate as automobiles do.
Matt, I’m well aware of the math. However, cheaper is only a better deal if the product isn’t inferior. In this case, I’m thinking that cheaper (Termidor) is actually better, but I have no firsthand experience with it.
You spend $50 up-front to save $150/yr. How is there any doubt remaining that that’s going to be the better deal?