Blizzard System Gets State and Federal OKs
In my Oct. 5, 1986, column, I described the freezing method of killing dry-wood termites developed by Tallon Termite & Pest Control.
Jay F. Tallon of the firm claims that the Blizzard System, as the firm calls the method, is good for seven out of 10 cases. He said that fumigation, with its required distinctive tenting, may be required where heavy termite infestation is found throughout the dwelling.
The experimental licenses for the firm’s use of liquid nitrogen to freeze the termites and their eggs expired in 1987, and Tallon immediately set to work to convince the California Agriculture Department and the federal Environmental Protection Agency that the Blizzard System was safe.
After an enormous amount of work, including trips to Washington and a meeting with Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.), Tallon finally got the necessary approvals to use liquid nitrogen on a permanent--rather than experimental--basis.
The liquid nitrogen technique kills dry-wood termites and their eggs by freezing them at temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. The patent-pending method was developed in 1984 by Jay Tallon’s brother and partner, Joe Tallon Jr.
Joe Tallon, observing that dry-wood termites are not found in states like Montana and Alaska that experience cold winters, began experimenting with the critters. He found that the bodily fluids of the bugs crystallize at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
As I described in my previous column, the termites are located with a fiber optics device inserted through a small hole in the wall cavity. Following this, liquid nitrogen is pumped into another small hole at the top of the wall cavity. The temperature inside the wall drops to -20 degrees and kills the termites without leaving a chemical residue.
“In our more than 25 years of operating a pest control company, we felt the time had come to develop a sensible alternative to fumigation, which requires the residents to move out of the house while it is tented,” Jay Tallon said.
“Fumigations are overused in the termite industry. Los Angeles County averages 4,500 fumigations monthly, at a cost of more than $5 million.”
He said his method can cost as much as one-third less than fumigation that includes tenting.
Tallon added that the Blizzard System is a viable alternative to fumigation--”in most cases.” Too, it is a good choice for homeowners who are sensitive to chemicals. Other advantages over fumigation include no tenant relocation required, fewer broken roof tiles and plant damage and no worries about pets being poisoned.
“Our Blizzard method is accepted by escrow companies, and we offer a two-year guarantee in most cases,” he added. His firm is at 208 S. Guadalupe Ave., Redondo Beach. There is also a Bakersfield branch at 3800 Niles St., Suite 9.
