Pest Control Los Angles CA

Top Choice Pest Control services in Stevenson Ranch CA offers the most affordable and removal of bed bugs, termites, ants,  fleas, rodents, and stink bugs for residential and commercial properties.

Controlling Termites

Many people refer to termites as silent destroyers because they lurk in hidden areas of your home and the damage they cause isn’t always noticed right away. There are different types of termite and they all have a different way of life, but they all need moisture, food, shelter and a comfortable temperature in order to survive. Unfortunately, there isn’t a home out there that is totally immune to be infested with termites.

What You Should Know

Termites are a rare species of insect that lives in colonies, like ants. Each one has an equal number of females and males. There are over two thousand species of termite in existence. While they can cause great damage to wooden structures, they have some benefits as well. They can digest cellulose, which means that they do their part in recycling the planet’s nutrient base. Termites have been around for a quarter of a billion years.

There has been no information that suggests they are resistant to any kind of pesticide. The survival of this insect is directly related to the fact that nothing is fed to the queen before it is tasted and processed by some of the workers. Soldier and worker termites are not able to see, so they have to use chemical signals and touch to find moisture, food and shelter. Otherwise, the species would not be able to survive at all.

Building materials, specifically wood, that are located in and around houses offer these wood-damaging insects all of the food that they need. Terrible construction issues. like moisture around the base of the home and water pooled around air conditioning units create enough moisture that they are the ideal places for termites to set up a colony. If you have your home inspected regularly, a professional can let you know of any hot spots you have to be worried about. They will also share handy information that will keep termites away from your home.

A termite can fit into a crack that is as thins as a business card, which means that you have to try your best to make sure that the roof and foundation of your home are sealed. It is a good idea to think ahead when it comes to controlling the termite population in your home. They may be structural changes that will need to be made in order to ensure termites will not overrun your home.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) should be employed. This is when a small amount of treatment materials are used to prevent termite problems in the home. Some of the IPM practices include building a home that would not be attractive to termites, putting up some type of barrier and/or using building materials that so not contain cellulose. Controlling and managing termites is an ongoing process. Even with all of the technology available to help people rid themselves of termite issues, it is still in your best interest to hire a professional.

They have experience when it comes to spotting signs that termites have been on the property, and they have equipment that will help them find any colonies that are inside your home. The same way you head to a doctor regularly to make sure that your health is in check, you should do the same thing when it comes to preventing termites from taking over your home. Calling in a pro is the best things to do when it comes to controlling the problem. By working closely with a specialist, you should be able to keep termites at bay.

Using Pest Management Techniques To Keep Your House Safe

The first part of any pest management program will be for someone to inspect the home and take note of its current state. A specialist can determine what type of termite is in your home, where the colonies are located, how large said colony is and what can be done to get rid of them. Since moisture is one of the main things that termites need to survive, it is imperative that all sources of moisture are found and eliminated before going forward with any other control techniques. Skilled professionals understand construction as it relates to termites and the way they colonize. They can identify the exact species that has entered the home and use techniques that control that exact species.

There are numerous options available when it comes to getting rid of termites. Every home is not the same, and a specialist will only be able to develop a solid management plan after they have considered your home’s construction and the type of termites they are dealing with. There are no magic tricks when it comes to getting rid of termites. Even so, you can use many of the methods that are available to significantly reduce the number of termites that are in your home. There are pesticides available that take care of termites. These products include bait, liquid and some combination of the two options.

The key to keeping your home safe from termites is to find techniques and product combinations that help with your particular problem. All pesticides start to degrade as time passes, so having inspections and treatments on a regular basis is essential. Managing termites is an ongoing process; it is not a one-time event. If you want your home to stay termite free continuously, it will be necessary for you to deal with a specialist. It is important for these problems to be taken care of as soon as possible, and the home should be inspected regularly to make sure that there are no further issues.

How To Select The Most Effective Subterranean Treatment For Your Home

Many people use liquid treatments when it comes to controlling termites. There are two kinds of liquid treatments available; newer non-repellent treatments and older repellent products.

Repellent Termite Treatments

Before 2002, liquid termite treatments were used in the same way that they had been since their introduction over 50 years ago. The point of these products was to create a barrier in the soil that would repel termites and prevent them from entering your property. This type of treatment requires a deep soil treatment that should be applied in as many places as possible. In many cases, this treatment cannot be done effectively without drilling through large pieces of material in order to get to all of the places that termites use to enter your property.

The most difficult part of this treatment option is the fact that it can be hard to find all of the entry ways used by termites. The tiniest hole can be used as an entryway for termites to come in and wreak havoc on your home. Keep in mind that this kind of treatment will do nothing for termites that congregate near homes. They will only have an effect on termites that come in direct contact with the chemical.

Non-Repellent Treatments

When compared to repellent treatments, the newer products on the market control termites in a different way. Termites are not able to tell when soil has been treated with this type of product. They run around in the danger zone without knowing that they are rolling around in soil that has been treated.

If there are gaps between the treatments when using a non-repellent product, it will not have an outcome that is as bad as what would happen if you used a repellent product. It should also be noted that the newer products can adhere to the body of the termites that come in contact with it and they can track it back to the nest. This means that you can repel termites that have not been unfortunate enough to come in direct contact with the product you are using.

There have been countless hours of research done when it comes to creating non-repellent treatments. The non-repellent products can be combined with older treatment options, or it can be used in a new treatment method called exterior perimeter and localized interior treatment.

Conventional Termite Treatment

This has been an option for the last half-century. This is used to treat any openings that termites can use to get into the home. This is known as being the best liquid treatment when it comes to ridding your property of termites. Treatment involves treating all of the soil near the foundation, any cracks in cinder blocks and the soil that is located beneath the plumbing penetrations. In order to get to these areas, it may be necessary for some drilling to be done. The number of treatments you will need and the amount of drilling that has to be done will depend on the type of home you have.

Exterior Perimeter And Localized Interior Treatment (EP/LI)

There are specific non-repellent products that can be utilized in correlation with these treatments. Since most termite issues originate outside the home, this type of treatment is used to treat the soil surrounding the home and keep termites from entering and causing damage. In some cases it is not necessary to treat the inside of the home, A professional scan inspect your home and let you know if interior treatments are necessary.

Targeting certain areas of the home means that you will not need to have as much drilling done as you would otherwise. It should also be noted that when you are using EP/LI you use less then half the amount of termiticide when you are controlling termites than you would when using more conventional options. The specific figures vary depending on the type of home you have.

Which Termite Treatment Is Most Effective?

In order to figure out which treatment is the best, experts have recorded the number of visits it takes for a professional to gain control of a termite problem. There was research done in February 2000 and it was determined that using products that are non-repellent are the best when it comes to controlling termites. In this particular study, over one thousand treatments were done. Non-repellent products have a retreatment rate of just under six percent while repellent products has a rate of a bit over twenty percent.

The same experts who completed this research completed another study and the results were published a year after the initial research was done. A product called Termidor, which is a on-repellent treatment had a retreatment rate that is less than one percent. This same study also proved that Termidor used in correlation with EP/LI and traditional treatments are both effective and have a retreatment rate that is nearly zero.

What Treatment Plan Is Best For You?

Having a professional come in and do a thorough inspection will increase the chances of termite treatments being effective. After treatments have been done, the specialists should return periodically to make sure that things are going well. You should speak with them at length before they get started initially to determine which course of treatment they think is best. The regulations in your area may make a huge difference when trying to determine which treatment to use. A professional will be able to inform you of the regulations and let you know what your options are.


Question: I would like to store firewood close to my home. Is there a chance that this can create a termite problem?

Answer: Yes. This can create a huge issue, so keep your wood high above ground away from your home.

Question: I am moving after dealing with a huge termite infestation. Is it possible for me to carry some of them to my new home?

Answer: You do not have to worry about any termites hanging out in your moving boxes, but they may be lurking in the crevices of wood furniture. Ask a specialist to take a look at your furniture before carrying it to your new place.

Question: I hear some movement inside the walls of my home. Is it likely this is caused by termites?

Answer: No. This is probably not the case. While you may believe that winged termites are the cause, it is not really likely that they have entered the walls.

Question: I have used mulch around my home. Can this attract termites?

Answer: Mulch provides termites with food, moisture, shelter and prime temperatures. The closer this is to your home, the more likely it is you will have to deal with an infestation. In short, this can certainly be a problem.

Question: My neighbor’s home is being treated for termites? Do I have to worry about them coming on to my property?

Answer: This will depend on the kind of treatment that was used.

Question: Are termite products safe for humans and pets?

Answer: Using termiticide is not something that will place you, your family or any pets in danger. If you decide to have your home fumigated, it can pose a huge risk.

Question: How often should I get termite treatments?

Answer: Inspections should be done yearly, but there is no need to do treatments that often. The results of your inspections will factor in when determining how often to treat the area.

Question: I am dealing with a termite swarm. Is this a guarantee that damage has been done?

Answer: Swarms are an indication that termites may have been in your home for quite some time. If there is a swarm, chances are your home has sustained some level of damage. You should call a professional to help prevent any further issues.


So contact us today and we will have a Pest Control Expert in Stevenson Ranch CA answer all your questions. Call our phone number at 310-461-4798