Premise v Termidor …which is better?
There is little dispute that Premise and Termidor are in a class of their own...reigning above other termiticides.
The manufactures of Premise and Termidor have gone head to head…like heavy weight boxing champions…for almost a decade...each claiming their product is better. Both publicize “scientific findings” to support their claim of supremacy and to dispute the other’s findings.
Bills Pest & Termite is a registered user of both products. We’ve treated over 10,000 structures using either Premise or Termidor. Our opinions are based upon “real world” experience here in Arizona.
It’s important to understand that the soil in Metro Phoenix is unique when compared to other parts of the country. A termiticide that works well in the moist soil of Florida might not work as well in Phoenix and vice versus.
Our experience shows Premise and Termidor kill our native Arizona subterranean termites very effectively. We give Premise a slight edge…eliminating termite colonies in approximately 7-10 days versus 30-90 days for Termidor.
Bills Pest and Termite tracks the number of times we return to retreat a home (Retreat Rate). Neither product reflects an edge…both are around 1%. Premise and Termidor seem to last an average of seven years before requiring a retreat (Phoenix area).
In the area of safety…Premise is a clear winner with a LD 50 (Lethal dose) rating of 450 versus Termidor’s 59. Translation…it takes 450 doses of Premise and only 59 doses of Termidor to kill the average lab rat.
Now that the patent on Imidacloprid (active ingredient in Premise) has expired…more chemical distributors are offering their version of Premise…driving down the price. Premise is currently running 30% less in cost than Termidor…a savings passed on to the consumer.
Premise moves well in our Arizona soil…using the same amount of product…Premise will cover an area approximately three times that of Termidor. This is important when you consider the foraging nature of Arizona termites.
If your home has primarily desert landscaping around the foundation…using Premise will offer better protection.
Homes with irrigation and/or plant life that requires weekly watering will find Termidor offers better protection as the constant moisture will weaken and move the (Premise) protection barrier away from the foundation.
Our “real world” findings give an edge to Premise when treating most homes in the Metro Phoenix area…unless you have irrigation and/or constant moisture along the foundation…in which case Termidor should be your first choice.