Over the past 5-7 years, there have been a number of technological improvements within the pest management industry. Notably, the use of Infrared technology has seen a drastic increase, and has helped pest control companies both detect where pests are coming from and analyze the extent of the damage more easily and with a higher degree of accuracy.
Infrared technology captures areas where latent moisture is present. While this mobile technology alone is unable to infiltrate walls, it still serves as a perfect device for detecting pests, especially termites, because of their attraction to moisture in properties.
But infrared technology doesn't stop at assessing termite damage; it can also be a helpful device for detecting any rodent or squirrel nests, ant colonies, hollow ceilings, and floors, and even bees and wasps. Knowing that pests thrive in highly humid and moist environments, thermal imaging is useful in that it tracks the heat of pests hidden throughout wall cavities and even in furniture.
In case of infestation by bugs or pests, it is important to understand why infrared technology is the best option for inspection. If you would like to learn more about the ways infrared technology has advanced the pest control business, here are some contributing factors:
1. Extensive Results
Before the breakthrough of infrared technology, traditional methods of discovering termites included searching for chewed surfaces, droppings (also called frass), reproductive swarms, and hollow wood.
However, these warning signs can easily go unnoticed by unaware homeowners. By the time the warning signs have been discovered, catastrophic damage has already occurred. Traditional methods are also more prone to human error, and sometimes won't be evident even upon a thorough inspection.
On the other hand, infrared imaging allows pest control professionals to detect thermal patterns that are invisible to the human eye.
Areas on the thermal scan that appear lighter than normal signify ranges of warmer temperatures, which correspond with potential pest issues. Any abrupt abnormality in temperature can signify termite or other pest presence. Once thermal imaging has located the pests and their hiding spots, the onsite technician can prepare a treatment plan for the infested areas.
2. Improved Customer Service
Infrared images allow pest control technicians to find exactly where the central issues lie, while giving customers the opportunity to see first hand where the damage is stemming from. This helps the technician explain exactly what's going on inside your home, and why treatment is necessary.
More importantly, this mobile technology device opens the door for better communication between the exterminator and customers concerning the proper techniques that should be used and how specific issues will be resolved.
Infrared also allows the pest control company to provide customers with detailed digital reports regarding their infestation situation, which can also be used for future inspections. When treatment is completed, the infrared imaging process can be reiterated to ensure the infestation is completely eliminated.
3. Safe Application
Aside from improved efficiency and customer service, thermography serves as an excellent tool for detecting pests with little disruption to the premises.
Before infrared imaging, it was almost impossible for technicians to identify and rectify a termite infestation without causing damage to property in the process. Most infested areas are hidden from the naked eye, so a technician would have to tear into the wall to confirm a termite presence.
Traditional inspection methods such as removing doors and tearing window frames are now a thing of the past. Technicians can now use thermography examine the extent of damage and find the source of anomaly without disrupting the home itself. From there, a thorough plan can be assembled to target specific sites of infestation.
4. Cost-Efficiency
Infrared imaging allows technicians to quickly and efficiently identify prime spots for termite activity. As a result, there is a significant reduction in inspection time, which in turn corresponds to lower service fees. In fact, in some cases, customers have saved hundreds of dollars sheerly as a result of shortened inspection times.
Before thermography was introduced, thorough inspections of properties could take several hours. The ideal inspection process would take about 15 minutes, but there were many other key elements besides the interior that could not be overlooked, including all of the exterior areas (roof covering, decks, garbage area, chimney, etc).
In recent years, intensive thermographic inspections range on average from 1- 2 hours. While infrared inspections still require scanning the interior and exterior of the premises, it considerably quickens the process by pinpointing specific areas that need additional attention.
Interesting learning more about termites, the damage they cause, and the warning signs you need to be on the lookout for to stop them? Download our free informative Ebook, The Termite Lifecycle, to find out more.
