About the Fumigation Process
Fumigation is the process of removing harmful wood destroying organisms in a structure which dwell in an area that is inaccessible to even a professional termite inspector.
In these inaccessible areas you often have termites and
beetles which feed there, in most cases, undetected. Spot
treatments are often unsuccessful in removing such pests from
these areas. However, fumigation treatment reaches into every
corner and pocket in the structure and kills the harmful wood
destroying organisms.
Before releasing the fumigant, the structure is completely
sealed. Depending on the construction of the structure, the
doors and windows may be taped and sealed with plastic sheeting,
or completely covered with a series of tarpaulins (commonly
known as 'tarps'). This process of sealing the structure serves
the purpose of containing the gas so it can penetrate the wood
thoroughly and eliminate the offending pests. The building will
remain sealed between 12 and 24 hours, depending on the
specifics of the job. Once the fumigation process is complete, a
professional fumigator will aerate the structure by opening the
doors and windows and using fans to ensure the removal of high
concentrations of gas from the structure.
Once the structure has been aerated, a professional fumigator
will measure the levels of fumigant remaining in the structure
to ensure that it meets EPA regulations for safe re-occupation.
Extremely low levels of fumigant may remain in non-ventilated
areas such as the space between walls and inside cabinets.
However, since walls are made up porous materials, the gas will
continue to dissipate for a few hours after fumigation.
The levels of these dissipating gasses are well below the
established safe re-entry concentration.
At the time of certification, the fumigator will post a notice
with the time and date that it is safe to re-occupy the
structure. Certification will not take place until the
concentration of fumigant is 3 parts per million or less (in
recent studies, laboratory rats have been exposed to
concentrations of 100 parts per million for a duration of two
weeks with no adverse reactions). In most cases, the
concentration of fumigant is undetectable 6 hours after
aeration. The fumigant is a true gas and not a vapor, so it
leaves no residue.
