Won't the termites go in between the bait stations and eat my house?

This is a question I get asked all the time.  For years and years the only way to try and prevent termites from munching away at your home was a liquid chemical treatment-- then came Sentricon. In 1995, Dow AgroSciences introduced a revolutionary way to treat for and prevent termites. No more pumping hundreds of gallons of chemical in and around your home! With Sentricon, termites can be eliminated by placing monitoring/baiting devices every 10 feet around the perimeter of the structure. Common sense would say that a tiny little termite could easily by-pass the stations and get to your home for a nice, tasty dinner-- I get this concern all the time. It's a valid concern. Here's a quick drawing to illustrate the concern...

So, how does it work?  Well, Sentricon works with the natural biology and feeding patterns of the termites. If termites are in or around your home, they are going to run into the stations. 

Termites are blind and are constantly foraging for new food sources. Their natural patterns and behaviors aid in their survival as a colony and ultimately a species. One key behavior that ensures a high likelihood that termites find adequate food sources is related to their foraging patterns. Sentricon takes advantage of these foraging patterns to monitor, bait, and eliminate termite colonies from in and around your home.

Here's how it works... first of all, the queen termite is at the heart of the action.  Worker termites go out in search for food in a pattern that could be described as sun rays.  Here's a drawing:

The second aspect of the pattern is a tree like approach. From the radial pattern, termites then branch out like tree branches.  This behavior allows termites to be very effective in finding food to feed the colony. Here what it could look like...

So what do all these drawing mean to you and protecting your home?  It means that due to the biology and behavior of termites, the idea that a termite will bypass a station to get to your home is a myth. If termites are in or around your home Sentricon will monitor, bait and eliminate the termite colony. From our real world, real small business results... most of the time, Sentricon detects a colony way before any visual evidence appears in a home. It works! 

Help! I have termites!

Termites do cause a lot of damage in Middle Tennessee to what is many times our biggest investment, our home.  But, this damage doesn't happen over night... please know... you have time to do your research, look for a local, reputable company, and feel good about the investment you're making to protect your home.

It's disturbing... I get a phone call at least once a month from a homeowner terrified because they have found or have been told that they have termites by another company.  For instance, just last week, I lady called and you could tell in her voice she was stressed, afraid her house was damaged, and unsure of herself that she would make a good decision.  After asking her a few questions, I learned that another pest/termite company in the area found signs of termites in her crawlspace, over-exaggerated the problem, and told her that if she didn't do something immediately that her home was in trouble. Now, finding termites in Middle Tennessee is not unusual... actually it is very likely as there are an average of 25 termite colonies per acre in this area.  However, what bothers me day after day is how this termite salesperson used fear and manipulation.

Don't fall into this trap, do your research:

1. Ask your friends and family for referrals
2. Ask the inspector/sales person to show you the signs of termite activity
3. If you do feel comfortable with the evidence, have another company take a look
4. Ask if they saw any signs of moisture problems that may have contributed to the termite activity (moisture problems should be addressed for a termite treatment to work effectively)
5. Ask questions about the company and the owners of the company
6. Find out if your home qualifies for a termite damage repair agreement
7. Find out if you will need to retreat your home in the future, when, and an average cost
8. If you don't feel comfortable, get a second or third estimate

Termite are small and can cause a lot of damage... but there is no reason to rush into a decision. It is a good decision to invest in quality termite treatments and on-going protection. It is equally important to know that you have time to make the best decision you can about a termite treatment for your home.