Experts Warn Receding Flood Waters May Leave Termite Concerns for Delaware Residents; Lessons learned from previous floods and hurricanes prove helpful for treatment considerations after major storms.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. -- Heavy rains, flooding, and damage to Delaware properties may have an impact on and raise concerns about the effectiveness of previously applied home termite treatments. But experts are optimistic that homes protected with Termidor(R), America's #1 Termite Defense Product, remain uncompromised. They say that as long as a structure's foundation and the soil immediately surrounding it hasn't been disrupted, homeowners can be assured that their liquid Termidor treatments, unlike other options such as bait systems, will continue to work effectively.

According to Bob Hickman, market development specialist for Termidor, "the active ingredient fipronil has a low solubility in water and tends to bind to soil, limiting its movement," he said. This is extremely favorable for termite control because it helps minimize the movement of fipronil from soil that has been saturated by water. Hickman added, "in studies, Termidor has provided long-term control -- over 10 years -- in different types of soils, climates and saturations."

Delaware residents can learn from the pest professionals in the hurricane-ravaged regions of 2005. "After Hurricane Katrina, we thoroughly inspected homes on a case-by-case basis to evaluate the necessity for a re-treatment," said Eddie Martin, entomologist with Terminix in New Orleans. "If there was minor flooding with water recession, and Termidor was applied within the last five years, we considered the treatment to still be effective."

Certain types of flood damage and other scenarios may warrant a fresh Termidor treatment, so it's critical for Delaware homeowners to work closely with their pest professionals. "If a homeowner will be re-landscaping during the course of flood repairs, it may be a wise investment to re-treat the home," advises Martin. "We'd recommend a re-treatment in normal circumstances of rebuilding and landscaping, even without flooding, where the soil has potential to be disrupted."

At any rate, it is imperative that pest professionals perform a thorough inspection of any flood-ravaged home. From this, and communication with property owners, a plan can be formed to help protect structures from future termite infestation.

"I've been in the termite business for over 36 years, and recently I chose to switch all of our termite accounts from bait systems to Termidor, and have not had any problems post-hurricanes with those homes treated," D.R. Sapp Jr. of Florida Pest Control & Chemical Co. in Gainesville, Fla. "I had many more retreats and warranty issues using baits, as they'd often fill up with water when excessive rainfall occurred," he continued. "We have complete confidence in Termidor--it's proving to be one of the best termiticides we've ever used."

Termidor (R), America's #1 termite defense, is the most effective and fastest at eliminating termites inside and around your home. Since its launch in 2000, pest professionals have relied upon Termidor to defend over 2.6 million homes against termites. In nationwide testing performed by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Termidor continues to out-perform every other professional termite control product, providing effective, long-lasting control of and defense against termites. Only Termidor-certified professionals are authorized to purchase and apply Termidor. For more information about Termidor or to find a pest professional in your area, visit www.TermidorHome.com. Termidor(R) is a registered trademark of BASF.