Did it ever occur to you that you might need boat fumigation? Although many people do not realize it, termites can get on boats. If termites infest your canoe, sailboat, yacht, or other watercraft, you may need this service to protect it.
But first, you need to know whether you have termites in your boat. After that, you need to do what it takes to get rid of them.
Read on for a step-by-step plan and the basics of fumigation for boats.
Boat Fumigation Action Plan
Getting rid of termites on your boat is work best left to professionals. However, it’s up to you to know when to call for help. Follow these steps to address your termite problem – now, before they do any more damage.
1. Recognize the Signs of Termites
Termites can destroy your boat before you know it if you don’t notice their presence. So, make it a habit to regularly check for termites on your boat. You can schedule boat fumigation if you ever see any while your vessel remains intact. Look for the following symptoms of a termite infestation.• Discarded wings
- Mud tubes along the sides of your boat
- Swarmers – adult termites with wings – in or near your boat
- Termite droppings also called frass
2. Assess The Damage
Whether you see termites or not, look at your boat carefully to check for damage. First, gently probe the wood with a screwdriver, feeling for soft spots. Then, tap on the wood and listen for a hollow sound. This dreaded noise indicates that termites have eaten through the insides of the wood.
3. Contact The Professionals For Boat Fumigation
You might not see any damage. Still, if you saw signs of termites, you don’t want to wait until they make your boat unusable. On the other hand, if you see wood damage and signs of termites, you need to do something about it immediately. The time has come to call in the heavy hitters – a pest control expert! Now, the next question arises: whom do you call for help? For the best termite treatments, rely on a local company with special expertise in termite control. At A-1 Bonded Termite, we provide the best professional termite treatments, including boat fumigation, in Southern California.
How Boat Fumigation Works
The pest control agent may recommend fumigation after inspecting your boat and looking at the immediate area. If you decide to move forward, you and the termite control company will get involved in the process. Here’s how it goes down.
Pre-Fumigation Tasks
Before boat fumigation can begin, you need to prepare the boat. The termite control professional instructs you on how to do this. You start by removing consumable items, including any food, pet food, open beverages, and medications. Then, you take out or secure any delicate items that could incur damage during the fumigation process.
Tarping The Boat
On fumigation day, the termite control agents arrive. They begin by placing tarps over the entire boat. Then, they use tape to seal up any gaps in the tarps. By completing this job carefully, they ensure that the boat’s termites will get the fumigant’s full effect.
Eliminating The Termites
Now, your fumigation experts introduce a toxic gas into the boat to kill all the termites inside. The fumigant must stay within the tarps long enough to eliminate all the termites – usually three days. Then, the professionals return.
Calling All-Clear
The final step in boat fumigation entails determining when the boat is safe to reenter. Termite control experts pay extra attention to this safety measure, especially if the watercraft has closed spaces, such as the cabins of a yacht. They test the air, and when the tests show the boat is safe to reenter, they notify you that they have completed the fumigation.
Why Professional Boat Fumigation Is Better
People often try to fumigate their boats or use other DIY termite removal techniques to clear their boats. However, professional fumigation has many advantages. When you count on experts, you get the following benefits.
More Thorough Inspections
It would help if you looked for termites and the signs to know when to call the experts. However, once the experts arrive, they can do a much more thorough termite inspection for boats. We know these creatures’ biology, habitats, and habits, and we can detect even the slightest hints of their presence. What’s more, we can assess the stage of colonization and determine the extent of the infestation.
Expertise In Termites & Termite Control
You might think that you can learn all you need to know about termites and termite control on your own. After all, the internet has endless articles on pest control. Ironically, this overabundance of information typically leads to confusion rather than enlightenment. Suppose you want the best knowledge at your disposal. In that case, you can only get it by relying on highly trained, experienced termite control specialists.
The Right Tools For The Boat Fumigation
Doing boat fumigation yourself means buying a fumigant product. However, most of them are not available to individuals but only to pest control companies. In addition, your pest control agents bring the tarp, the tape, and the testing devices to ensure the boat is safe to reenter.
Keep You, Your Family, & The Environment Safe
Fumigation safety requires extra care to protect everyone involved. The boat fumigation process uses a highly toxic gas that can make you very sick. In fact, substantial exposure can lead to death. Therefore, it’s critical that the pest control agents take the proper precautions to keep themselves, you, and your loved ones safe. Meanwhile, you can stay entirely away from the area where you do not have to worry about it. At the same time, we use these chemicals wisely, being sure not to impact the environment negatively.
Call The Experts At A-1 Bonded Termite
Want to protect your boat and keep enjoying it for many years to come? If so, call the boat fumigation experts at A-1 Bonded Termite. We use the latest techniques and most effective products to ensure the termites go away completely. Contact us to learn more about termites and termite control.
We look forward to helping you live the good life in your favorite watercraft.