Electronic termite control (TOP Monitors & electro guns)

Electronic termite control can be effective for certain infestations, mostly spot infestations (when termites are confined to a small area). The most common form of electric termite treatment is via an Electro Gun and electric termite monitors.

Many termite pros are also using thermal cameras now to see through walls where termite colonies are most active.

Electric termite monitors and thermal cameras work great. The Electro Gun for termites works for spot treatments, like eradicating termites from a cabinet, piece of furniture, or porch swing. One problem with using the Electro Gun for spot treatment, though, is that, without the right experience and tools, it’s difficult to accurately judge whether a termite infestation is limited to a small area.

This is not a problem with the Electro Gun termite treatment itself, but more a limitation of termite spot treatments in general.

When a structure is infested by a colony of termites, whether it is a small or a huge colony, it can become completely damaged. This is why it’s not wise to conduct termite spot treatments unless you have significant experience—you’re taking a gamble.

If, however, you or your pest control professional is confident they’ve spotted a localized termite infestation, electronic termite control can be effective. It is as useful to augment termite control methods, but it also has some shortcomings.

We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of electronic termite treatments.

A video showing an electro gun treatment

What is electronic termite control?

Electronic termite control, or treatment, is a plan to control small-scale termite infestations by disposing of the termite colony, when located, with a high-voltage and high-frequency electric current.

This type of treatment, electronic termite control, is used to control drywood termites, which infest walls or wood in the house.

You may wonder how wood can conduct electric current; well, it doesn’t exactly need to. The 90,000 volts of current penetrates the empty galleries via their residual moist air. The voltages follow the moist air, penetrating the termite tunnels inside the wood, killing all the termites inside on the spot.

This plan is considered one of the most successful ways to control Drywood termites, if, and it’s a big if, termites are properly located.

  1. Microwave termite treatment
  2. Electrogun
Video explaining microwave termite control

When can electronic termite control be used?

If you have been looking for an efficient plan to control termites, then you might have tried many plans, and every plan is meant for a specific kind of termite.

Electronic termite control is meant for Drywood termites, so before even considering electronic termite control, you need to confirm you’re dealing with drywood termites and not a different type like subterranean or dampwood termites.

Electronic termite control systems are designed to push 90,000+ volts current into small areas. So it is best if the colony of Drywood termites is precisely located.

The size of the colony also matters. Drywood termite colonies are often huge, in a way that electronic termite control is not sufficient to control them.

If you are willing to use electronic termite control in your house, you should first contact an expert to help you inspect the behavior of termites in your house, detect their location, and tell if you can use an electronic termite control system.

Even if you are willing to do it by yourself, here we provide you with the best way to use electronic termite control.

Best ways to use electronic termite control systems

Having Drywood termites in your house is a serious problem, and you should deal with it very carefully. Therefore, it is better if you plan your electronic termite control like a professional:

  1. You must detect the locations of Drywood termite colonies in your house. Drywood termites are generally larger and longer than other termites; one Drywood termite is up to 1/2 inch long. These termites feed on cellulose, meaning firewood, paper, cardboard, and many more plant-based materials. So, if you observe some damage in the wood or some termites’ wings abandoned here and there, you should immediately make your move.
  2. Localize the colony. You need to check the behavior of these annoying insects in the damaged area and make boundaries for the Drywood termite colony. It is better if you mark the boundaries with a pen; it gives you a better chance of destroying the termites.
  3. Buy or rent an appropriate electronic termite control system (which we are providing below) and just aim at the location you traced and the termites will be gone in a few minutes. Of course, 90,000+ voltage push current will not just kill them, but it will make them disappear.

If you are satisfied with this method, you can follow the rules and do it yourself. If you have some questions don’t hesitate to ask an expert.

But to plan all this electronic termite control, you must pick up a system that allows you to push 90,000+ volts of current in a way to destroy the Drywood termites colony.

Best electronic termite control products

Using a good product will effectively bring satisfying results and guarantee the total treatment of termites. Therefore, we are listing some products that are the best on the market and will absolutely help you get rid of Drywood termites.

Without any chemicals or pesticides, these electronic termite repellents will allow you to kick out the termites or kill them.

  • Ecola Electro-Gun: This electronic termite control system is considered the best, providing immediate results (within a few minutes of use) and killing the termites so you can be sure they won’t infest the garden, the garage, or any other wooden structure.

It is easy to use; it gets plugged into a normal current plug and will convert 120 volts of current to 90,000+ volts of current at 60,000+ cycles per second, so the frequency reaches 60,000 Hz, and it goes through the wood and causes immediate termite kill.

This product is considered the best, and if you are willing to totally get rid of termites and not just make them leave, you should buy an Ecola Electro-Gun immediately. The price ranges from $89 to $129.

  • PestByGoneTM ★Ultrasonic Pest Repellent: This product is less useful than the Ecola Electro-Gun as it doesn’t provide immediate results and it doesn’t kill termites. Ultrasonic pest devices supposedly drive some insects crazy, but I couldn’t find much evidence of them doing so other than some anecdotal testimonies.

It is safer and easier than the Electro-Gun. It gets plugged in the normal home circuit and will send electrical microwaves that drive away insects, including Drywood termites, and kicks them out of the house. In that case, you still have an infestation outside, because if the termites leave the house, they will find an appropriate place in the garden.

This product doesn’t guarantee a total termite treatment, but according to its price which is currently available for $42, it brings satisfying results.

  • OUTXPRO Ultrasonic 360 Degree Rodent Insect Repellent: Like the one above – PestByGoneTM ★Ultrasonic Pest Repellent, this product is not exactly an electronic termite control system; it is a termite repellent, usually used to get rid of insects.

This product provides 360° ultrasonic waves that will cause immunity development problems at termite colonies found within 4000 square feet area.

This electronic system doesn’t need to be plugged in; it just gets charged and put wherever you like to send its ultrasonic waves without any danger to humans or pets.

This product presents a great quality/price comparison as it is available for only $22 and it is advised to use if you are willing to temporarily get rid of annoying termites.

Advantages of electronic termite control

Electronic termite control presents many advantages, and it is preferred by many users across the country.

  • It is eco-friendly: this method of termite control doesn’t contain any kind of poisonous or chemical substances; it is purely electric and doesn’t present any type of danger for human health or even pets.
  • You don’t have to leave your house: using electronic termite control, you don’t have to move anything in your house – neither the furniture nor material – you just have to plug in the system and start using it without any worries.
  • It doesn’t kill termites: Well, most of electronic termite control systems don’t kill termites; they just make them leave and create an electronic shield around the house so termites or any other kind of insects cannot enter the house territory.
  • You might save your money: electronic termite control systems are so cheap in a way that you will forget about inviting experts who will ask you to leave your house and fill it with poisonous substances and these experts will also ask for $3,000+. But these systems require a cost of less than $100.
  • It is so simple to use: electronic termite control systems are so easy that everyone can use them. It just gets plugged in and then it will do the job for you.

As the electronic termite control presents many advantages, it also disposes the user to many limits that are sometimes better to avoid.

Limits of electronic termite control efficiency

  • Not widely available: Electronic termite control is not as common among pest control professionals as termiticide termite control approaches via bait stations, termite trenching, or full-on termite fumigation. This is likely because if a termite control professional cannot access the termites, then electronic termite control isn’t effective, so some termite control professionals won’t bother with electronic termite control, considering it impractical.
  • Unviable for large termite colonies: Large colonies might be a problem for electronic termite control as it is designed to attack a small colony and exterminate them or make them leave, but when there are large colonies, damage can be prevented and the house still can be infected.
  • Won’t treat large areas: usually, electronic termite control doesn’t cover a large area to guarantee the best treatment of all the termites in the house, it just covers a small area and helps get rid of Drywood termites.
Another video explaining microwave termite extermination methods

Further resources on electronic termite control:

  1. How to Chose a Pest Control Company – Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food & Forestry
  2. Choosing a Termite Control Service – Oklahoma State University
  3. Termites in Wood Furniture – Signs, Prevention & Removal Tips & Guide – MyTermiteTreatmentCosts.com
  4. Directive Movement of Termites and Social Insects – Mississippi State University
  5. Assessment of Devices and Techniques for Improving Inspection and Evaluation of Treatments for Inaccessible Drywood Termite Infestations – University of California, Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management

11 thoughts on “Electronic termite control (TOP Monitors & electro guns)”

  1. I am interested in buying an ELECTRO GUN, but cannot make a phone connection with 858-488-2847
    YOUR SD LOCATION.
    I tried 3 times. It rings but does not hold a connection. Is there another phone number I can use?

    Reply
    • Robert, I’m not actually affiliated with the company that makes Electro Gun. I just researched this method of termite treatment because it seems to be effective for certain infestations. Here is the contact info for you though: Phone number is 800-543-5651, email is infoweb@etex-ltd.com, website is here – Hope that helps and please stop by latter let us know later on how the Electro Gun works for you if you end up using it.

      Reply
  2. John, good article on electronic termite control. Thanks for writing it, it cleared a lot up for me. I have one question though, as far as I could gather from what you wrote, the Ecola Electro-Gun is not recommended for subterranean termites.

    First of all, am I correct in this assumption or did I understand you incorrectly?

    If the Electro-Gun does not work for treating subterranean termites, why not?

    Reply
  3. Woody,

    I pipe in here. I am a pest control professional and I have treated quite a few homes for subterranean termites (dry wood termites are not common in my neck of the woods) and I can tell you that the Electro-Gun is not really useful for subterranean termites.

    Electro-Gun termite treatment is for dry wood termites with a localized infestation since dry wood termites often enter homes during their winged or swarmer stage of life. Subterranean termites typically enter a home from the ground, traversing your foundation through the protection of mud tubes, and then to the timber. To defeat dry wood termites you must cut off the main termite colony which is typically located under the soil in your yard. The best bet for these is termite trenching also called liquid termite treatment. This involves digging a trench around your home and then filling that trench with pesticide designed for termites as it is filled back up with dirt. This creates a chemical barrier to keep termites from entering into your home for approximately 5 years (it varies depending on the chemical used and rain/soil conditions in your area). Another option is termite bait and trap systems although these are not always as effective.

    If you have a localized dry wood infestation you can consider the use of an Electro-Gun as a safe alternative to chemical termite treatment, but understand that electronic termite treatment does absolutely zilch at preventing repeat termite infestations and you must accurately identify the location of the termite colony for it to be effective, which professionals with experience and training can do. If the colony is limited to one piece of window trim or an antique rocking chair, then electronic termite treatment may be a feasible method. If you discover instead that you are dealing with an aged and developed termite colony, other methods are recommended.

    Reply
    • Matt, thanks for sharing your experience. I (and I’m sure many of the readers here) greatly appreciate it. Good to know electronic termite control’s limitations and capabilities.

      Reply
  4. Hey John, I appreciate you writing this article. I am a pest control service provider here in the Jacksonville NC area, and was looking for the benefits and cons of the Electro Gun to see if it would be something good for my company and staff. I agree that for certain infestations it will probably be good for us. I like the applications of this tool. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Thanks Toby, I’m glad my article gave you some insight into the usefulness of the Electro Gun. It is good in certain limited drywood infestations when you know exactly where the termites are located. If you cannot identify with certainty where exactly the termites are, I would stay clear of electronic termite treatment because you might mistakenly think you got them all.

      Reply
  5. Not quite sure whether the ElectroGun gets plugged into a regular receptacle like 110 household volts.

    Also, many older homes – the kind I like – were treated with chlordane back in the day, and I’ve heard that it was taken off the market because it never loses effectiveness. Do you know if this is true? Older homes also don’t usually have great maintenance records, so is there a way I could tell by observation if chlordane had been used in that house?

    Reply
    • As far as older home’s being previously treated with chlordane, that is true. Many homes were treated by chlordane between 1948 and 1988 because it was easily available and even commercially available. Chlordane was a pesticide that was effective against cockroaches as well. It was ultimately pulled off the market because of allegations that it was unsafe for humans although their remains some controversy that the cases of harm toward humans were largely due to improper use by homeowners. If your home is older than 1990, it is quite likely that chlordane was used in your home if you live in an area that has subterranean termites and had a termite treatment for you home at any time. But as you said, it is difficult to identify this without maintenance records. I am not aware of any method to identify past chlordane use by observation only, however you can have an air quality test conducted on your home which could identify remnants of chlordane in the air. If the chlordane is present in the air of your home, inhabitant can suffer from health problems associated with chlordane.

      Reply
  6. Hi John, I have been trying to get in touch with Ecola for information about them and to purchase an Electro Gun but the number you gave and which is on there website is always busy. They also don’t answer any requests when I email them. Do have contact with them, and if so can you find out what is going on? I an very interested but have been trying to contact them for almost a year with no luck. Could they be a scam? Please help. Thank you

    Adolphus

    Reply
    • Hi John, thanks for writing. I do not have contact with them. I’m assuming you attempted to contact them via Electro-Guntermitecontrol or at Ecolatermite? I found two companies that seem to carry it via Google, but wether or not you can get ahold of anybody there is another story. Which one did you try contacting Ecola? Thanks for sharing because it’s good information for other people to know and I would like to know more about this as well.

      Reply

Leave a Comment

I accept the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.