by termites! Oh my goodness, I looked out the kitchen door awhile ago and all I saw were little flying things all over. They were coming out the dining room window frame. We have a very old house with old wood frame windows. New windows but old frames. I had asked the guy who did some remodeling and put in the new windows a few years ago to make new frames for most of them. But did he? Nope. So now we are being invaded by termites coming out of hibernation I guess.
And not only are they all over outside, but inside my dining room. I have just spent the last half hour vacuuming them up. They were everywhere! My hubby poured gas all over the window frame. I know. But we didn't have anything else. And really, there's nothing to kill them with anyway. So now we need to call an exterminator. Fast! It smells like gas in here. I am also washing all the curtains. And cleaning cobwebs. Nothing like a termite invasion to get a girl to cleaning.
Are there any natural ways to kill termites? Or to keep them away? I'll try anything right now.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts
Posted - May 25 2011 : 10:14:17 AM
Oh Kris!! Be very careful with that gas on the wood! I am really worried that your house now has a serious fire hazard! I hope you get an exterminator out quickly! I am not sure how long an accelerant like gas is active in the wood- but I think it is forever... you might have to replace those window frames. Eee- Please please be very careful!
Kris My grandparents didn't know they had termites until the dining room table fell over....the little buggers had gone through the floor and into the table legs. Be careful with the gas though it will evaporate at some point. Kathy
I know we should never have done that with the gas and that's all I am smelling now. I almost lit a candle. I was just a little panicky at the time and thought that was the only thing to do to kill them. What did your grandparents do, Kathy? I know we need to have new window frames made but gosh, everything's so expensive. But I know a whole new house will be way more expensive if we don't do something soon.
My grandparents house was so badly infested it had to be tented and then the dining room floor had to be replaced. The tenting only took 24 hours and it took care of all the termites. My parents had some in a house they were selling but it wasn't bad and they were able to just have it sprayed. The wonders of life in Southern California. LOL I do know that the infested wood usually has to be replaced if the infestation was bad. Kathy
When we first thought about getting this house it had been empty for several years. It did have to be treated. It also had to be totally redone too. I mean walls, ceilings, floors, floor joists. Gutted literally. It has no basement and is only about a foot from the ground. I don't even want to know. We've been here almost 7 years now.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts
Posted - May 25 2011 : 8:21:33 PM
Kris- I have an uncle that is a Fire Fighter- I Facebooked him about the gasoline. I will let you know as soon as he gets back to me about how long the accelerant can affect the wood. I am worried that residues from the gasoline will soak in and cause the house to be more flamable permanently.
We're Being Invaded
Posted - May 25 2011 : 10:09:57 AM
