FUMIGATION FAQS

---

 Annually, dry wood termites, powder post beetles, bed bugs, and other wood-destroying pests cause billions of dollars in structural damage in the United States. Although deciding whether fumigate or not is complex; it is important to consider the cost of fumigation, versus the cost of damage to your structures if you do nothing.

Termites create holes, and they usually push oval shape, and tiny capsules called frass (droppings or pellets) out of the nest. You may also discover termite wings near windowsills and floors.

As well as termites, powder post beetles create holes. Therefore, you can discover wood powder out of these tiny round shape holes. However, since termites and beetles feed and live entirely inside the wood, you may not see signs of their presence, unless you see under the damaged wood.

If you observe any sign of Termite or Powder Post Beetles activity, contacting a pest control professional to schedule an inspection is the best option.

 Usually, you may see evidence of a bed bug infestation even without seeing bed bugs. You can discover blood stains, rust, or dark red stains of bed bug excrement on your sheets, pillowcases, or mattresses. Some people may experience itchy welts while lying in bed and may find bite marks on parts of the body that are often uncovered while sleeping. However, bite marks on the skin are a poor indicator of a bed bug infestation since bed bug bites can resemble other insect bites, plus some people do not react to them. If you have seen signs that suggest the presence of bed bugs, you should get in touch with a pest control professional for an inspection.

Structural fumigation is a pest control method used to eliminate drywood termites, powder post beetles, bed bugs, or other wood-destroying pests that are difficult or impossible to control by other methods. This process involves releasing a fumigant gas (Sulfuryl Fluoride) inside a structure covered by a tarp or tent. 

For any fumigation involving tenting a structure, your utility company must be contacted. If you receive natural gas service, then the gas service needs to be turned off for the period of fumigation. 

We will arrange the gas turn off for the morning of the fumigation with PG&E, and they will arrive between 8 a.m. to noon (ONLY THE GAS WILL BE TURNED OFF). The electricity remains on and is needed to complete our work. 

The account holder will need to call and schedule the turn-on service. This appointment must be arranged at least 3-5 days in advance of the desired re-entry date. PG&E can turn on the gas as early as 5 p.m. on safe re-entry date. The owner/occupant must keep the sign “SAFE FOR RE-ENTRY” that will be posted on your property by the fumigator since the utility company requires this sign to restore the gas.

All keys for exterior door locks must be provided to the Field Representative (the leader of the fumigation crew) because, by law, all exterior doors, garage doors, outdoor sheds, etc., must be secured during fumigation. Additionally, fumigators need full access to the interior of the house/building for preparation.

Vikane® (Sulfuryl fluoride) is a gas packed under pressure and has no warning properties. This gas is colorless and does not react with materials to produce odors or residues. Therefore, it should only be used by professional applicators. Vikane® does not cause skin or eye irritation at the concentrations used by applicators, and it is non-flammable and non-corrosive. 

  Call the Douglas Products Customer Information Center at 844-8VIKANE (844-884-5263) If you need additional information or have questions concerning this product. 

 Some sensitive plants can be damage if they are exposed to concentrations of Vikane®. Plants should be moved to areas with favorable and similar conditions to their usual growing habitat.

Vikane® does not remain in the structure after fumigation; it completely dissipates, leaving no surface residues behind; therefore, it is highly unlikely to cause damage to structures or their contents when properly applied. Fans and hoses are used to control the dispersion of Vikane in a structure.

Vikane® Gas Fumigant is odorless and colorless; therefore, a protective warning agent such as chloropicrin must be poured into pic pans and distributed around the house, 5-10 minutes before Vikane is released.

Using a specialized detector, our professional fumigator is responsible for measuring the concentration of   

Vikane® Gas Fumigant. Once the detector indicates that the fumigant has been reduced to a level of 1 ppm, or less, our fumigator will publish a re-entry notice on the property, certifying that the structure is safe for occupation. This notice includes the date and time  the structure is released, the name of our company,  license, and telephone number.