Facts To Know Before Your Home’s Fumigation:

Apartment complex fumigation – Carlsbad, North County San Diego

WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE FUMIGATION?

Once your licensed inspector has recommended a fumigation, there is a preparation process. You will receive an easy-to-follow guide that deep dives into home preparation. The highlights include:

• Arrange a place for you & your pets to stay for three days.
• Prune/remove shrubbery, bark, gravel, etc. 12” from the structure.
• As soon as your fume is scheduled, schedule gas re-store with SDG&E.
• Bag certain food items.

HOW LONG DOES FUMIGATION TAKE?

Typically, the process takes three days.

DAY 1:

• Crew wraps the home with tarps.
• All entrances will have warning signage. Notices state that it is unsafe to enter.
• Licensee releases fumigant.
• Drywall and wood is porous, and as a result the gas can penetrate the whole house.
• Fans will circulate the gas to permeate the home.
• Doors and windows will have secondary locks which only the fumigation crew can open. Most importantly, this prevents anyone except the licensee from entering the structure.
• Fumigant is completely odorless. As a result, tear gas is released to ward off all people and animals.

Warning Notice – Do Not Enter – Coastal Encinitas, San Diego

DAY 2:

• The aeration process safely vents the gas out of your home. The gas dissipates from your home completely.
• Licensee tests and monitors the fumigant levels
• Per state regulations, once the level of Vikane reaches 5 parts per million or less, your home is officially certified safe for re-entry.

DAY 3:

• Crew measures gas level.
• Sufficient aeration is confirmed.
• Removal of tarps.
• Home is safe to enter.
• Your gas is restored by SDG&E.

Additionally, Vikane is a non-residual fumigant, meaning there is no residue left behind, so it is not necessary to wash plates, silverware, bedsheets, countertops, etc. By the time you have re-entered your home, the gas has completely dissipated, so now it is time to unpack your bagged food and get back into your normal routine!

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FUMIGATION?

The fumigation crew strives to have your home certified to re-enter in the afternoon of the third day. A notice will be posted on the front door and gas meter confirming your house is safe for re-entry. Do not remove these notices as SDG&E needs this proof to restore your gas.

It is the responsibility of the homeowner to schedule a PM gas restore (the fumigation company schedules gas shut-off). We strongly recommend scheduling your gas restore appointment as soon as possible. If you wait to make this appointment, you may not be scheduled on the books for a few days, and cold showers are no fun!

Kennedy Pest Control offers a two-year warranty for fumigations, so please be sure to give us a call if you notice termite issues in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions:

ARE FUMIGATIONS SAFE?

The State of California highly regulated fumigation. To perform fumigations, companies must be registered with the Structural Pest Control Board. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation registers all fumigants used in the State and oversees local pesticide use enforcement by agricultural commissioners in every county of California.

If you have any questions about the safety of fumigants, chemicals, or pesticides, you may call your local county agricultural commissioner. You can be directly connected by calling (877) 378-5463

IS FUMIGATION MY ONLY OPTION?

No. Fumigation is not automatically recommended to treat drywood termites. Alternatively, heat treatment and local treatment (also known as spot treatment) will eliminate drywood termites as well. Your licensed termite inspector will determine which treatment is necessary.

Please note: local treatments will not eradicate hidden infestations. Fumigation eliminates 100% of drywood termites. That is to say hidden colonies are killed. 

WILL FUMIGATION KILL ALL TYPES OF TERMITES AND PESTS IN MY HOUSE?

No, subterranean termites require a different treatment that creates a barrier between their nest in the ground and the structure.

It is possible for household pests such as spiders and cockroaches to live through a fumigation.

It is common to see an increase in ant activity after a fumigation. The ants invading is a good sign as they are there to eat the bodies of the dead drywood termites.

HOW WILL MY HOME BE SECURED DURING THIS PROCESS? WHY DO YOU NEED A KEY TO MY HOUSE?

The fumigation company takes extra precautions to ensure the safety of your home during the fumigation process. Only the fumigation company can open secondary locks used. These can range from clamshell or keyway locks that prevent anyone except the licensee from entering the structure. The fumigation company needs a key to your home because they will be entering the home all three days of the process.

HOW MUCH DOES FUMIGATION COST?

The cost will vary based on the volume of gas needed for your home. Please call our office to set up a free termite inspection where our licensed expert will measure your home and give you an accurate price.

Have questions? Call our office at 760-233-2055 or comment below!

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