Termite damage is one of the most serious threats facing today's homeowners. Treatment alone costs over 2 billion dollars per year. As as a homeowner, you need to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible against this scourge, including what to do if you discover that a colony of termites has taken up residence on your property. Although you might be tempted to use home remedies, including over-the-counter (OTC) pest control products, this is not recommended because they are known to be highly ineffective. Following are three reasons why you should contact a professional exterminator in order to get rid of a termite infestation.

OTC Products Don't Work on Full-Blown Infestations

Although home remedies and over-the-counter products might have a marginal effect at the very beginning of a termite infestation, termites generally do not become noticeable until they have already caused a substantial amount of damage to a structure. By that time, professional intervention is very important because the home is at risk of being completely ruined. Keep in mind that the cost of hiring a professional exterminator will be far less in the long run than paying to repair the damage that an out-of-control termite infestation will cause.

OTC Products Repel Instead of Kill

The majority of home remedies and over-the-counter termite control preparations are repellants rather than lethal poisons. Termites are adaptive insects that quickly learn to detect the presence of these repellents and to simply work around them. In many cases, these products will cause subterranean varieties of termites to retreat slightly from the area, leaving homeowners with a false sense of security. When swarming season comes in the spring, these homeowners are usually quite surprised when they notice winged termites on scouting missions.

OTC Products Aren't Part of an Integrative Plan

Another reason why home remedies and over-the-counter termite control products do not work nearly as well as established treatments used by professional exterminators is that effective termite eradication procedures require an integrative plan involving several different steps and control methods. For instance, the first step in developing a termite eradication strategy is to determine the exact location of the colony. After that, the exterminator then devises a plan of attack that includes barrier methods, bait, and chemical sprays. Most homeowners simply do not possess the expertise to successfully implement a comprehensive termite extermination program.

It's also important for those who live in areas that are prone to termite infestations to have their homes inspected on a regular basis by a qualified exterminator like Paramount Exterminating Co. It is much easier to exterminate termite colonies when infestations are discovered early.