Are all termite treatments the same?

As with many industries, in pest control there are branded products and generic or ‘own brand’ labels. When it comes to termite treatments, some pest control companies will use cheaper alternatives to the branded products, on the grounds that “they are the same, just cheaper”. They will point to the fact they contain the same insecticide at the same level as the branded products, as support for their argument. But is this true?

Why are there Termidor copies?

Termidor is the leading branded product for termite treatments. Launched in 2002, it has been used to protect hundreds of thousands of homes in Australia, without a single product failure. When launched, it was a revolutionary product; older products when applied to the soil created a repellent ‘barrier’ around the home. Termidor is non-repellent.

This non-repellent characteristic gives Termidor a significant benefit over repellent products. It is virtually impossible to create a perfect treated zone around a property with no gaps in the treatment. With termites constantly probing in soil around your home, termites can find these gaps in a repellent treatment. With Termidor it’s different. As it’s non-repellent, the termites don’t know it’s there and so can’t ‘find’ any gaps. The chance of a termite walking through a gap in a Termidor treatment, without also tunneling through a treated zone is negligible.

The mode of action of Termidor versus repellent termite products is also different. With a Termidor treatment, termites encountering the treated zone are not repelled, they die. But the unique characteristics of Termidor don’t stop there. Termidor has a novel transfer effect. Termites encountering Termidor will pick up small amounts of the insecticide on their body. Of course, they are doomed, but before they die they can pass some of this insecticide onto other termites, magnifying its effect.

With this unique and forgiving performance, Termidor quickly became the leading product on the market. With it’s track record of success, the manufacturer obviously has complete confidence in the product, offering a $2million dollar assurance warranty which covers your home for any structural damage after a Termidor treatment by an accredited Termidor applicator (such as AllPro Pest Control).

As with any market leader, others try to copy.

Are Termidor and the copies the same?

The short answer is no. Termidor and the generic copies will contain the same insecticide (fipronil) at the same level, but there is a lot more to the performance of a termite product that the insecticide alone.

The formulation itself is vital to its performance and the Termidor formulation is unique.

Firstly, it’s important to make sure that the formulation is stable… that the insecticide does not break down over time, in the bottle before application and in the soil after application. But perhaps the most important feature of a formulation is to ensure that the insecticide mixes evenly and spreads evenly in the soil to create a complete and consistent treated zone. This is where the formulation expertise comes in (and not all products are the same). Termidor have highlighted their expertise in this area by launching their new Termidor HE product, which has further improved wetting and spreading capabilities, which is vital if you need to inject under concrete and tiles where you cannot see how well a product is spreading.

Proven performance and long term data. Not all products go through the same level of testing. Termidor had carried out significant field testing before even launching the product. These trials carried on for a number of years to determine how long a Termidor treatment will last – it will last up to 8 years. But the most important set of data are the hundreds of thousands of successful treatments over the last 16 years – when you’re protecting your home, this confidence and peace of mind is worth every penny.

A word of warning

Whomever you use to carry out your termite treatment, firstly make sure they are insured and licensed to carry out termite work. Secondly, make sure you know what product they will be using. When discussing your termite treatment, there are normally some different options and different products available. Make sure you’re aware of all the options. Thirdly, if you decide to get a Termidor treatment (a good choice!), make sure they actually apply Termidor. Unfortunately there are a number of companies that say they will apply Termidor, only to then apply a cheaper generic – they do this either to allow them to provide a cheaper quote (to win your business) or charge the same price and get more profit.

Why do AllPro Pest Control use Termidor?

Termidor have a proven track record in protecting homes and buildings in Australia and around the world. Termidor is always our recommended product for termite treatments, as we don’t want to risk your home (or our business) by using an inferior product. When you’re protecting your most valuable asset, why would you choose anything else?

AllPro Pest Control are a fully accredited Termidor application – Give us a call to discuss your termite treatment options.