Both a booster treatment and 5/7 year treatments are considered termite treatments and must be done to either maintain a contract and warranty or to start a new one with Arrow.

5-Year Intro #

Every 5 years, a termite customer with a damage protection policy must undergo a full retreatment with Arrow. This is NOT done for customers with retreat warranties only. The E.P.A. tests products to pass a 5-year test, and most termite contracts only last for 5 years. If Arrow is to guarantee damage, we must guarantee the barrier treatment and be sure it is in full effect and not degraded. This treatment is done with a non-repellant and is considered a full termite treatment.

7-Year Treatment #

A 7-year treatment type is the exact same as a 5-year treatment. What’s the difference? The warranty. If someone has a 7-year treatment, then that means that they have a retreat warranty only. Termiticide products can start to degrade around 5 years, especially with the moist soil conditions we have. Clients that have retreat warranties we wait a little longer to retreat them—7 years instead of 5 years. If a client wants to upgrade to a damage warranty, turn the lead over to the sales department to qualify the home for one.

5-Year/7-Year Procedures #

Client Greeting and Interview #

1. Greet the client and ask questions related to termites, moisture conditions, and conditions that could void contracts. Good examples include: “Have you seen any termite activity?” “Have you had any leaks or moisture problems inside?” “Have you poured any concrete additions, disturbed the dirt within six inches of your foundation, or bleached your property in the last year?”
2. Treatment questions: “Do you have any obstructions or utility lines alongside of your structure that I need to be aware of before trenching or drilling?”

Inspection #

1. Exterior: Graph and measure structure plus inspect as you would a termite renewal. This includes visible fire ant mounds. Get accurate linear footage. Question the client about any interior concrete joints.
2. Interior: Use your flashlight to inspect the exterior walls on the inside as well as the wet areas on the inside. Look for bubbles, holes, dirt, water leaks, and moisture on the inside. Sound the walls, studs, and windows in termite-prone areas. Inspect the bath trap areas if accessible. Briefly inspect the attic and turn in a lead for TAP insulation or other attic services such as “dusting.”
3. Pier Homes: Inspect in the same manner as a termite renewal. Note down the construction type of walls and piers for the treatment plan and graph.

Equipment Needed #

• Trenching tool and small trenching tool for pier homes and “exploring” dirt above grade areas easily.
• Power sprayer and rodding tool.
• Extension cord, 1- or 2-gallon compression sprayer.
• Paperwork: Graph with waivers.
• Measuring wheel, flashlight, probing tool.
• Sweep broom and pan for drill dust.
• Hammer drill.
• At least two regular drill bits on the truck. Always have an extra.
• Flathead and Phillips screwdriver (probing and bath traps).
• Three bath trap doors on the truck in case they need to be cut.
• Arrow monitoring stations and Arrow signs.
• Rubber plugs and concrete fill.
• Crawl suit or extra uniform fit for crawling homes.

Treatment Procedures #

Know the rules and regulations AND your product label for safety and treatment procedures.

1. Get all waivers signed after inspection and prior to any treatment or physical treatment preparation.
2. Treat all visible fire ant mounds within twenty-five feet of home.
3. Active termites – If active termites are found, you must document, contact scheduler and supervisor, take pictures if possible, and a Fipronil-based product must be used. A follow-up must be made at 30 days.
4. Monitoring stations – Place a monitoring station by the front door. More may be used near conducive areas.
5. Inside: Treat any bath traps with label rates. Fipronil products are used in bath traps. Minimum of one gallon per trap. The best bath trap treatment is with an access door of 6-inch X 8-inch standards or bigger for good inspection and treatment. Check to look for existing trap doors. Go through the overflow only with customer’s permission and a waiver signed.
6. Slab Home outside – Ask owner about obstructions against slab before digging or drilling.
   1. Trench the exterior of the property per label. Soil must absorb four gallons per 10 LF.
   2. Drill any joints against the foundation of the structure at 12” or less. This is an Arrow Standard that currently complies with all labels.
   3. Drill in cracks adjacent to foundation even if they are monolithic slab.
   4. Drilling through tile or sensitive material – always consult supervisor and homeowner. A waiver needs to be signed stating that Arrow is not liable for damages if it is drilled. A waiver also needs to be signed if Arrow cannot drill every 12”. A waiver can be signed if the homeowner does not want it treated at all. Drill through mortar joint when possible.
   5. Sweep up and save any concrete for reuse.
   6. Remove treatment tip for max flow. Apply non-repellant product according to four gallons per 10 linear feet. Backfill trench neatly and treat on top of the backfill for a continuous chemical barrier. Rod in areas where trenching is unacceptable and note that on the graph. Treat into drill holes for continuous barrier. Treat heavily around termite conducive areas and cracks in slab.
   7. Filling drill holes with concrete matched best as possible or using rubber plugs placed flush with ground.
   8. Clean up after yourself and double-check you have all tools and equipment.
7. Pier Home outside: Please consult label and Dept of Ag Guidelines. If a crawlspace cannot be treated per label, law, or Arrow Standards, the property owner must sign a treatment waiver. Treat and inspect in a way to where you are not working through chemical you have already applied.
   1. Chain walls –
      1. You must trench both sides of the chain wall and count that linear footage on each side towards your total gallons used.
      2. If the chain wall is cinder block, each chamber in block must be drilled and treated.
      3. If the chain wall is double brick or more, the bricks must be drilled every other brick and every space between the brick layers.
   2. Piers – THINK SAFETY and TIME EFFICIENCY!
      1. Trench and treat around all piers.
      2. Cinder block – every chamber must be drilled and treated (two chambers per block).
      3. Brick – drill and treat every other brick.
      4. Concrete – trench and treat base only.
      5. If piers are sitting on top of concrete footing that is visibly exposed two or more inches above slab, then piers do not need to be drilled but they must be trenched and treated.
      6. Drill outside concrete joints accordingly. Drill in cracks adjacent to foundation even if they are monolithic slab.
      7. All drill holes must be plugged! (vertical and horizontal)
8. Other:
   1. Floating Slab Treatments need to be consulted with the label and your supervisor for accurate treatment. Know how to identify one by inspecting for concrete blocks visible around door entrances.
   2. Indoor drilling treatments – consult supervisor, label, and homeowner.
   3. Basement treatments – consult supervisor, label, and homeowner.

Two-Man Crews #

1. Make sure the schedule you have is built for two people. If not, call the office to get more anytime renewal jobs. Lower production is unacceptable.
2. The more experienced technician is responsible for hitting the production goals and for the training and supervision of the less experienced tech.
3. Have a system. Both should always be busy with treating, selling, or paperwork. There is no downtime.
4. Plan your route more efficiently with two people.
5. Figure out each other’s strengths and thrive upon those. Your weaknesses will also get better over time just by working with another technician who has different strengths.
6. Always put both names on all paperwork, in mobile technician comments, and route summaries for accurate days and times.

Paperwork #

1. Graph: Fill out detailed treatment graph with accurate measurements and chemical calculations.
2. Waivers: Get signed after inspection and before treatment preparations are made.
3. Fill out work order with necessary product information. Leave quotes for additional services and try to collect payment.

Sales and Marketing Tips #

On most of these treatments, you will have face-to-face contact with the customer. Great customer service, professionalism, and communication will go a long way with your sales. You spend more time at these homes. Start selling and building a relationship from the beginning in hopes of closing an additional sale by the end of the job. These clients have renewed their termite service for at least 5+ years. We need to do the absolute best job. If they do not have pest control, try to sell PC, and do the initial while you are there.

5/7 Year – 9-Point Program for Basic Customer Explanation #

Inspection #

1. Exterior walls on the inside as well as wet areas and termite-prone areas (1).
2. Bath traps (2).
3. Brief attic inspection on planking with flashlight (3).
4. Outside perimeter of structure (4).
5. Graphing and measuring structure (5).
6. Inspecting monitoring stations (6).

Treatment or Replacement of #

1. Bath traps (7).
2. Monitoring stations (8) (not all homes have monitoring).
3. Replacing or replenishing the continuous non-repellant termite barrier around the foundation of the structure via sub-slab injection (drilling), trenching treating and backfilling, and rodding (9).