Termites

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Two years ago we built an extension on the house and put a new kitchen in it. We chose andiroba for the cabinets because we were told termites do not eat it.

Yesterday my brother-in-law was out at our house with a workman in preparation for our arrival, and he opened a drawer in the kitchen and said there is a termite trail in there. He said we will have to treat the house.

Questions....

1. If andiroba is supposedly termite proof, does that mean he used something else, or am I wrong about andiroba to begin with?

2. I know termite service in US involves drilling holes around the house and pouring in the insecticide - has anyone had this done in DR? How do they do it, and what is a ballpark cost?
 

Abuela

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May 13, 2006
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Two years ago we built an extension on the house and put a new kitchen in it. We chose andiroba for the cabinets because we were told termites do not eat it.

Yesterday my brother-in-law was out at our house with a workman in preparation for our arrival, and he opened a drawer in the kitchen and said there is a termite trail in there. He said we will have to treat the house.

Questions....

1. If andiroba is supposedly termite proof, does that mean he used something else, or am I wrong about andiroba to begin with?

2. I know termite service in US involves drilling holes around the house and pouring in the insecticide - has anyone had this done in DR? How do they do it, and what is a ballpark cost?

We have had the drilling done by Tu Casa. I won't quote the price because it really depends on square footage and type of infestation. They guarantee their work and we recommend Diogenes & Isobel.

Fumigadora Tu Casa S A
Carr Cabarete-Sos?a
North Region, Dominican Republic
(809) 571-3831
 

AlterEgo

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Thanks abuela, but I should have said that we're on the south coast in San Cristobal province, so we'd need someone from either San Cristobal or Santo Domingo. Doubt we'd find anyone in the opposite direction [Nizao], and Bani too far.
 

AlterEgo

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could they have used something else for inside your drawers so to speak

jr, exactly what I'm wondering. Maybe he snuck in some other wood for the walls and bottom of the drawers.

Andiroba is a tall rainforest tree that grows up to 40 m high. It is in the same family as mahogany, and it has been called Brazilian mahogany or bastard mahogany due to their similarity.Andiroba wood is soft, yet durable, and much sought by sawmills. It has in the past been shipped to the United States for use in the furniture industry and for other uses. Its durability and impalatability to insects have guaranteed commercial demand for the wood, and as a result, the species has been devastated in all areas near major towns in Amazonia. It could, however, be cultivated easily in the Amazon or other regions of Brazil.
 

Ladybird

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AlterEgo, look at the roof, any wood there, simple reason? One of the properties I own and live in has a high domed ceiling upstairs, in the last 4 years termites have increased in any wood there, even in one of the properties I had constructed in the mountains a couple of years ago, developed the same termites in wood in bedrooms and kitchen fixtures, and had the same problems that you do now. Solution =
Talk to a Dominican you can really trust and forget the companies you have hired/or wish to. That good trustworthy Dominican will buy the solution you need to "terminate" those Termites you are having problems with in any wood in your house.

Save your money about hiring companies, the Dominicans have lived with this problem for years. But please make sure your family/pets are out of the house, and you wear a mask before you apply that chemical

Good luck & saludos
 

AlterEgo

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We've been told the termite treatment for the house will be between 15,000 and 20,000 pesos.

How does that sound?

To answer above, we have a cement roof with no wood. The only wood in the house is the kitchen, the doors/frames, and furniture. It's a very typical Dominican cement block house, nothing fancy.
 

jrhartley

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Sep 10, 2008
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i think that sounds a lot for only fixtures - they sell the liquid in agro places, but its highly toxic and needs special clothing etc to apply it. i bought some for a small area, it said to mix with 50 gallons of water, no other instructions for smaller amounts
 

Abuela

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May 13, 2006
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We've been told the termite treatment for the house will be between 15,000 and 20,000 pesos.

How does that sound?

To answer above, we have a cement roof with no wood. The only wood in the house is the kitchen, the doors/frames, and furniture. It's a very typical Dominican cement block house, nothing fancy.

That is about what we paid. In our situation the termites had nested in the soil under us (we have no slab foundation)In each room they drilled holes and bombed the whole underside of our home. So far so good,fingers crossed.
 

Bigocean

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Nov 25, 2010
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Two years ago we built an extension on the house and put a new kitchen in it. We chose andiroba for the cabinets because we were told termites do not eat it.

Yesterday my brother-in-law was out at our house with a workman in preparation for our arrival, and he opened a drawer in the kitchen and said there is a termite trail in there. He said we will have to treat the house.

Questions....

1. If andiroba is supposedly termite proof, does that mean he used something else, or am I wrong about andiroba to begin with?

2. I know termite service in US involves drilling holes around the house and pouring in the insecticide - has anyone had this done in DR? How do they do it, and what is a ballpark cost?


AE,

Please be very careful and verify which pesticides will be used in the treatment! We had this done last year at one of my brother in laws properties and I was shocked to see they were going to use Chlordane, a dangerous pesticide not used in the USA for many years now as it is suspected to be linked to a number of nasty side effects along with being a probable carcinogen. The "specialist" insisted they use it all of the time. We found another company. Just a "heads-up".
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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No question, Good wood for the faceplate and a lesser quality for the interior panels.

That would happen anywhere in the world unless it was expressly forbidden at the outset.
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Today we got an outrageous quote of 60,000 pesos for the termites. Not even a gringo price, was give to Dominican brother-in-law who we trust implicitly.

Anyone have a recommendation for a company in San Cristobal or Santo Domingo?
 
Feb 20, 2011
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We too have Andiroba cabinets, no termites there but we have rattan furniture and they found a meeting place right around the furniture legs.
So far we blasted them with regular insect spray and they disappeared (for now).