May 4, 2009

Rid your home of termites

WHAT do you do when termites invade your home? Before getting someone to exterminate them, there are a few issues you need to consider.

Is the pest control company you are hiring, qualified to offer the service? Is the company licensed to dispense pesticide or are its staff trained to bait traps with poisonous substances?

Ridpest's unique method of attacking the colony eliminates termites at the source.

Firstly, find out whether the pest control company has a valid pest control operator licence issued by the Pesticides Board, under the Ministry of Agriculture. Also, ensure that the company is a member of the Pest Control Association of Malaysia (PCAM).

While the process that follows may vary from one pest control company to another, Ridpest, which specialises in termite colony elimination, will assign a Pest Management Advisor (PMA) to inspect your property.

The PMA will conduct a free, 20-point comprehensive termite inspection, where bedrooms, toilets, stores and all interior space of the property will be inspected. He will also inspect the surrounding trees, dog house, outdoor store, wooden fencing, landscaped area, wood pile, air-conditioner drainage pipe and other wooden structures.

If there is active termite infestation either inside or outside the property, the PMA will identify the species concerned to recommend the right treatment. If the termite species is unidentifiable, he will take a specimen to be examined by Ridpest's in-house entomologist. The proposed solution will vary depending on the species found on the property. If the termites belong to the dry wood or garden species, the counter-measures are different from the type of treatment for the subterranean Coptotermes species.

With the highly invasive Coptotermes species, the PMA will recommend the Ridpest Innovative Baiting System (RIBS), which serves as both a preventative and a curative measure. Many property owners with no known termite problems have the RIBS installed to provide security even before termites are found.

The PMA will also work out the number of monitors required. Most properties will only require about six to eight monitoring stations that are included with installation. Some larger homes, however, may require additional monitoring devices.

RIBS is a simple multi-step process. The first step is the installation of in-ground monitoring stations, which contain monitoring devices placed in the soil surrounding the property, every 3.3 metres apart. For areas with concrete flooring, the installation process involves coring of holes measuring 7.5cm in diameter through the concrete slab until it reaches the soil. The stations will be checked regularly for termite activity.

Termites that forage for food will begin feeding on the monitoring devices. All monitoring stations will be checked at regular intervals. Monitoring will be conducted at approximately monthly intervals during peak months of termite activity, when there is active structural infestation of subterranean termites.

Monitoring may be conducted at bi-monthly or quarterly intervals after the colony has been eliminated or if no termite activity is documented at the site.

Intervals ranging from a few weeks to several months may be expected between installation of the in-ground stations and detection of termite activity and use of bait. However, if termites are found foraging above ground and are accessible by the Termite Field Inspector (TFI), above ground bait devices may be used immediately.

When termites are found in a station, the TFI will replace the monitoring devices with a baiting device. Termites that feed on the bait will signal to its nest mates to feed on the bait. Trophallaxis — the exchange of messages and nutrients between colony members — allows termites to spread the active ingredient in the bait throughout the colony. As the nest mates start feeding and sharing it, the colony will start to shrink and will soon be eliminated.

After elimination of the colony, the bait will be replaced with new monitoring devices. The TFI will continue to inspect these devices regularly to intercept any future colonies. Regular monitoring service is necessary to maintain protection of the structure.

Ridpest is so confident of its RIBS that it comes with a 200% risk-free money back guarantee. If RIBS does not work within the first 120 days of the baiting process, you will receive:

* Total refund

* Choice of termite treatment — Ridpest will pay up to the amount you have paid another pest control company of your choice to treat your house. Nonetheless, you can still have Ridpest to continue treating your home.

In its mission to create a pest-free environment for the community, Ridpest places great priority in meeting its clients' needs.

Ridpest was the first inductee to the Hall of Fame 2004 by Action International and was awarded Superbrand of Malaysia 2005. It was awarded the BrandLaureate-SMEs Chapter Award 2007 for Best Brand in Pest Management. In 2008, Ridpest received the SMB Service Excellence Award from the SMI Association of Malaysia.