What Should I Expect from Fumigation?
Fumigations involve sealing or tenting a property so the area can be dosed with concentrated, extremely potent pesticides. If you’re curious about what to expect from a fumigation, we break down how we handle tent fumigations at Dodson Pest Control.
On the morning of the first day, we confirm the cubic footage of your structure to determine the exact dosage of fumigant and the most effective way to cover the entire structure. Fans, electrical connections, and lines are strategically placed inside the home to monitor the dispersal of gas.
Meanwhile, the exterior of the home is prepared to be covered by large, specially-made tarps in order to fully seal the entire structure. Before placing the tarps over the structure, we sometimes have to remove antennas, weather vanes, and chimney coverings on the roof that may tear the tarp. We cover corners, plumbing vent pipes, and other sharp edges of the roof and corners of the house so the tarp will not tear once it is in place.
Our personnel raise the tarps to the roof of the house and unroll them to completely cover the roof of the house. Seams between the tarps are unrolled and tightly clamped together. Long, weighted sandbags are placed on the tarp all around the house to maintain the seal. Once the house is completely covered, our professional, licensed technicians make final preparations in the interior to ensure that the fumigant will be introduced evenly in all parts of the home inside and also out under the tarp.
If you have been scheduled to receive a tape-and-seal fumigation, a similar process is followed, but instead of tenting the whole property, we carefully seal all entry points using our stringent protocols.
Once sealed, the entire structure is wrapped as a precaution against wind damage to help maintain the seal. At this stage, no residents are permitted to enter the property. Warning signs are placed on all sides of the structure. For security, secondary locks are placed on all entry doors. When the structure is completely sealed and properly secured, the fumigant can be introduced into the structure.
Our personnel utilizes a fumiguide computer to calculate the proper dosage of fumigant, which is strictly regulated by state regulators. We weigh the fumigant tank on site and carefully release the proper amount of the fumigant, calculated for your property’s dimensions.
Once the necessary amount of fumigant is introduced, the concentration of the fumigant in various parts of the house is monitored with a fumiscope. Interior air samples are taken several times during the fumigation process to ensure the proper concentration of fumigant is maintained. A Dodson representative stays on the property overnight to safeguard your property and to take fumiscope readings.
Generally, the sealed fumigation lasts for approximately 24 hours. This time period ensures that all the pests are eliminated by the fumigant through proper exposure. On the second day, our technicians return and begin the process in reverse. The tarps covering the house are loosened, and sandbags and clamps are removed. To begin the aeration process, the house is opened up to the outside air to make sure that levels of fumigant are reduced on the inside. Once aerated for several hours, a technician enters the house wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus, opening up the windows and doors to ensure proper ventilation.
We then begin to remove the tarps to continue the aeration process. An approved clearing device is used to test the inside air and ensure proper dissipation. The tarps, supply lines, monitor lines, fans and protective coverings are then removed. After the house has been completely aerated, our technicians continue to measure the interior air with the approved clearing device, which can detect gas in parts per million. We test the air around beds, pillows and other items for the smallest amounts of remaining fumigant.
Once each room is cleared with a reading of less than one part per million, your fumigation team will close any open drawers, windows, and doors. After all areas of the house have been carefully checked, your pest control expert will determine if the fumigation is complete and when the structure is ready for re-occupancy.
Your Dodson Pest Control representative will review with you all of the details of the completed fumigation and answer any questions. While it is challenging to vacate your home for this service, structural fumigation is the most effective method to control serious pest infestations when no other alternative will work.