Clarksburg Termite Control

Newer homes are built to look clean from the street. Several of the features that make them look that way also cover the spots where termites cross from soil to wood. On a Clarksburg inspection, these are the details we slow down for:

• Stone and brick veneer fronts. Where veneer runs down to or below the soil line, termites can tube up behind it where nobody sees.
• Vinyl siding. It hides the sill and the band board, so mud tubes on the foundation can climb out of sight.
• Rear decks and their footings. Deck posts, ledger boards and steps all sit close to soil that stays shaded and damp.
• HOA mulch beds. Fresh mulch every spring holds moisture against the foundation. See our post on termites in mulch.
• Garage slab joints and plumbing holes. Termites can come up through the gap where a slab meets the wall or around a pipe through the floor.

What a Deck Rebuild Uncovered

Daren, one of our technicians with about ten years in the field, says the worst termite damage he has seen started under a back deck. Termites had tubed up from beneath the deck into a bay window and eaten so much of it that his screwdriver went right through the paint. The whole window had to be replaced. Nobody noticed until a crew pulled up the deck boards and one of the workers recognized the tubes from his own house. Daren figures it had been going on for at least a year. Plenty of Clarksburg homes have the same layout: a bay or bump-out over a rear deck. If you are replacing deck boards, ask for an inspection while the boards are up.

Sentricon Bait Stations

For most Clarksburg houses with no active termites, we recommend Sentricon. Stations go into the soil around the house. Foraging workers find the bait and carry it home, and it stops them from molting. The colony dies off, down to the queen. Nothing is sprayed across the yard and no trench is dug along the foundation. Since the bait is sealed in the station rather than spread in the soil, it fits well on lots that back onto the Ten Mile Creek or Little Seneca stream buffers. Our Sentricon FAQ answers the common questions.

Liquid Soil Treatment When Termites Are Active

George Schulz, the third generation of our family in the business, has worked on more than 100 termite cases. In his experience, Sentricon used before a problem starts is usually cheaper and less stressful. In a severe infestation, though, termites sometimes do not find the stations fast enough. Then we apply a liquid termiticide such as Termidor or Premise to the soil at the entry points. Beneath a stoop, patio or garage slab, we drill small holes and inject the product through them.

Townhome Rows

About 37% of Clarksburg homes are attached. In the rows of Clarksburg Village, Cabin Branch and Gallery Park, one foundation runs under several units. We can protect your unit’s perimeter on its own. If a neighbor has had termites, tell us, and we will pay close attention to the shared walls. Bundling with Clarksburg pest control puts termites, ants, spiders and stink bugs on one plan.